A mainland Chinese robotics company launched a large-scale ecosystem-building programme in Hong Kong on Tuesday. The effort aims to establish hundreds of local partnerships, spanning from suppliers to distributors, and is designed to position the city as a vital springboard for the firm’s worldwide expansion, China Daily reported.

Shanghai-based AgiBot has introduced the Hong Kong Embodied AI Industry Co-Creation Initiative in collaboration with the Special Administrative Region’s government and academic institutions. The company plans to establish an international research and development headquarters in Hong Kong, alongside joint laboratories with local research institutes and universities.

Agibot has also committed to supporting dozens of Hong Kong embodied AI start-ups over the next five years via its venture investment programme, in conjunction with leading global venture capital firms, China Daily said.

Deng Taihua, AgiBot’s founder and chairman, spoke at the AgiBot Partner Conference 2026 Hong Kong, announcing that the programme is intended to produce “hundreds of billions of yuan” in industry income for Hong Kong, with the long-term goal of creating a sector valued at trillions of yuan.

Deng identified 2026 as the “inaugural year” for embodied AI in Hong Kong, following the technology’s initial inclusion in the city’s annual budget in February. The SAR government has pledged to foster the development of the embodied AI ecosystem and broaden its practical applications.

AgiBot is shifting its focus from product development to real-world applications. It has already launched seven primary solutions, including systems for industrial cleaning and logistics sorting. Deng expects these seven applications to be deployed in Hong Kong to improve the city’s productivity, according to China Daily.