Nvidia is pushing deeper into humanoid robotics with a new research platform built around machines from China's Unitree Robotics, a move that places the Hangzhou-based startup at the center of the U.S. chipmaker's latest bet on what it calls "physical AI."
The company announced Monday that its Isaac GR00T humanoid robot developer platform will support Unitree's G1 humanoid robot and a new reference design using Unitree hardware, Nvidia computing, and mechanical hands from Singapore-based Sharpa.
The system is aimed primarily at universities and research labs working on humanoid robotics, including institutions such as Stanford University and the University of California, San Diego. The platform pairs Unitree's humanoid robot body with Nvidia's Jetson Thor computing system, powered by the company's Blackwell chips.
NVIDIA said the system is designed to help researchers test and deploy robots without having to build every part of the hardware and software stack from scratch. The company's Isaac GR00T initiative is built around robot foundation models meant to help humanoid robots learn tasks faster and adapt to real environments.
The timing is especially significant for Unitree as the Chinese startup has filed for an initial public offering on the Shanghai Stock Exchange's STAR Market and is seeking to raise about 4.2 billion yuan, or roughly $610 million to $620 million. The company's IPO application has drawn attention from investors eager to bet on humanoid robots.
Unitree has grown quickly as demand for humanoid robots has moved from viral demos to early commercial trials. According to Reuters, the company's operating income surged 335% year over year in 2025, while net profit jumped 674%. Humanoid robots accounted for more than half of Unitree's revenue in the first nine months of 2025, up sharply from the previous year.
The Nvidia partnership could give Unitree a major credibility boost outside China. CNBC reported that the system will be sold to researchers from Stanford to ETH Zurich and will use Nvidia's humanoid-focused AI models and simulation systems. The robot also includes Sharpa's mechanical hands, adding dexterity to a platform designed for experimentation rather than immediate mass-market deployment.
Still, the partnership arrives amid geopolitical tension as U.S. lawmakers have scrutinized Unitree over alleged ties to the Chinese government and proposed restrictions on its use in federally funded research. Nvidia said it is also working with humanoid robot makers in the United States, Europe, and South Korea, suggesting the company is trying to avoid depending too heavily on one Chinese partner.
Nvidia has also said that software updates would pass through its chips to help verify authenticity and protect against malicious code, extending data center-grade security features such as secure boot and confidential computing to humanoid robots.
