Meituan leads Series D in Chinese cobot maker FAIRINO

FAIRINO, a Chinese maker of collaborative robots, has completed a Series D funding round led by Meituan, the Chinese food-delivery and local-services company, according to reports published on October 19, 2026. The round follows a Series C+ round led by Meituan's investment arm, Long-Z. Together, the C+ and D rounds raised nearly RMB 1 billion (about $140 million), the reports said; a separate figure for the Series D alone was not disclosed. On the same day, a young Hangzhou start-up, Gewu Tongzhi, which builds AI software to help robots handle objects, was reported to have raised an angel round of nearly RMB 100 million.

A collaborative robot, or cobot, is a robot arm designed to work safely next to people on a factory floor or in a warehouse, rather than behind a safety cage like a traditional industrial robot. Cobots are usually smaller, cheaper and easier to program, which makes them attractive to small and medium manufacturers that cannot afford large automation projects. FAIRINO is one of the Chinese companies selling such arms at home and abroad, and it plans to use the new money to make more of its own core parts.

Meituan's role is notable. The company is best known for delivering meals and groceries, but it has been investing in robotics and automation, and it chose to lead two consecutive rounds in FAIRINO. When a large platform company commits money twice in a row, it is a sign of strategic interest, not only a financial bet.

Gewu Tongzhi works on a harder problem: getting robots to handle objects with something close to human dexterity. Its approach combines "world models", AI systems that learn how the physical world behaves so a robot can predict what will happen when it acts, with learning from real physical interaction. The company says it is running proof-of-concept projects with customers in textiles, optical modules and automotive components, and expects its first delivery by the end of 2026. It plans to spend its new money on model training, hardware development, hiring and collecting real-world data. These are the company's own plans and claims, which have not been independently tested.

The two deals together show investors in China backing both ends of the robotics market: proven hardware that is already selling, and early-stage AI that aims to make robots more capable. For Indian founders and investors, the deals are a reference point. India's manufacturing push and its growing pool of AI engineers create room for companies that make automation cheaper for small factories or build AI that lets robots handle varied tasks, the two areas where Chinese start-ups are now raising money.

Short-term: FAIRINO gains money to expand production of components and push further into overseas markets, which may increase price competition in the cobot market. Gewu Tongzhi can move from proof-of-concept work towards its first customer delivery.

Long-term: Steady funding for Chinese robotics firms strengthens China's position in factory automation. Competitors in other countries, including India's robotics start-ups, may face lower-cost rivals but also clearer evidence of investor demand.

Who is affected: Manufacturers considering automation, robotics start-ups and their investors, and workers in factories where cobots are introduced alongside people.

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