EngineAI Humanoid Demonstrates Fall Recovery

Shenzhen-based EngineAI, founded in October 2023 by robotics veteran Zhao Tongyang, has rapidly emerged as a key player in the competitive humanoid robotics space. The company's core team largely originates from XPeng's robotics division, "Pengxing Intelligent Robotics." Following an approximate $28 million pre-A round in early 2025, EngineAI secured nearly $140 million in Pre-A++ and A1 funding rounds by July 2025, with investors including JD.com and XPeng-backed Rockets Capital. The PM01 model stands 1.38 meters tall, weighs 40 kg, and has 24 degrees of freedom, enabling it to walk at 2 meters per second. It features a 320-degree waist rotation for enhanced flexibility and is designed as an open-source platform compatible with the Robot Operating System (ROS) to encourage further research and development. Beyond stability demonstrations, the PM01 has also been shown performing a complete forward somersault, a feat intended to showcase its dynamic control systems. The global humanoid robot market is projected to grow significantly, with some estimates suggesting it could reach $15.26 billion by 2030 from $2.92 billion in 2025. Manufacturing and logistics are expected to be the dominant applications for humanoids, with an estimated 16,000 units installed globally in 2025. EngineAI is targeting this demand, with plans to scale production and expand its team to meet what it describes as surging demand. EngineAI's progress is part of a broader push in China, which is now home to eight of the 16 major global humanoid robotics companies. This growth is supported by national initiatives like "Made in China 2025," which prioritizes the robotics sector. The company is positioning itself competitively on price, with its SE01 model offered at an introductory price of around $12,000. The push for humanoid deployment extends to potential defense applications, where mobility in human-designed environments is a key advantage over wheeled or tracked robots. Use cases under exploration include logistics, surveillance, and operating in hazardous environments, reducing risk to human personnel. While no fully humanoid robot is in active combat, platforms are undergoing field testing for military use. Competition in the commercial sector is intense. Agility Robotics' Digit is already in production deployment, handling tasks like tote movement in logistics facilities for partners like GXO. Figure AI, valued at $39 billion after a $1 billion funding round, is deploying its Figure 03 robot in a partnership with BMW for automotive manufacturing and is working with Brookfield to generate large-scale training data. Meanwhile, Tesla's Optimus is being deployed within its own factories to learn tasks, with Elon Musk stating a long-term goal of producing one million units per year.