Wang Xingxing

In this Chinese name, the family name is Wang.

Wang Xingxing (Chinese: 王兴兴; pinyin: Wáng Xìngxìng; born 1990) is a Chinese roboticist and entrepreneur. He is the founder and CEO of robotics company Unitree Robotics, a developer of quadrupedal and humanoid robots.

Wang Xingxing
王兴兴
Born	1990 (age 34–35) Ningbo, Zhejiang, China
Education	Zhejiang Sci-Tech University (BEng) Shanghai University (MEng)
Known for	Founder and CEO of Unitree Robotics

Early life and education

Wang was born in 1990 in Ningbo city of Zhejiang province.^[1][2]

When Wang was in kindergarten, his first butterfly painting amazed his parents since although he did not learn to paint he did only one thing which was draw the details well. As a child his biggest hobby was watching TV documentaries.^[2] During his childhood, Wang spent his free time building aircraft models and running small experiments. By middle school, he was assembling miniature turbojet engines. A teacher from his middle school said he did not stand out among his classmates and was introverted.^[1][3]

Throughout his school years, Wang struggled with English which is a mandatory subject. In 2006, Wang almost failed to get into high school due to his weak English performance. According to Wang, in high school where he sat many English tests, he has only passed a total of three times. However, in every other subject he studied at school, Wang was around the top of his class.^[3] In the Gaokao, Wang performed strongly in the science section but struggled with English.^[1][2]

In 2009, Wang enrolled at Zhejiang Sci-Tech University, majoring in mechatronics engineering. As a first-year student, he built his first small bipedal robot using only about ¥200 (approximately US$30) worth of parts and hand-crafted components.^[1][3] This would shape his approach on future projects using a limited budget.In 2011, Wang got his first patent for a 'multi-force feedback device for fingers'. On Xiaohongshu, Wang shared a list of over 100 books he borrowed from the university's library that focused on STEM. Wang was impressed by AI Techniques for Game Programming which was his first systematic read on AI. Wang's graduation thesis focused on the development of a brushless DC motor controller.^[1]

Wang pursued further study after graduation and took the Nationwide Master's Program Unified Admissions Examination. Once again, a poor English exam score had prevented him from attending the top universities and in 2013 he enrolled at Shanghai University to pursue a master's degree in mechatronics engineering.^[1][2][3] In 2015, Wang spent around 20,000 yuan developing a prototype quadruped robot named XDog for his graduation thesis. Wang graduated in 2016.^[1][2][3][4]

Career

Wang joined DJI but due to the media attention of XDog and 2 million yuan in funding from an angel investor, Wang quit his job after two months and founded Unitree Robotics.^[1][2][3][4] For the first three years, running the company was difficult and there were times where employee salaries could not be paid. However, by 2018, the company started making revenue and obtained more funding from investors.^[4]

According to Wang in 2021, he stated Boston Dynamics isn't a direct competitor since although its robots are more capable in functionality, its product lifecycle is much longer and slower than Unitree Robotics. In addition Unitree Robotics aims at individual consumers segment and has a much cheaper product offering.^[4] However Wang considers Marc Raibert his idol.^[3]

In August 2024, Wang returned to Shanghai University to deliver a speech at the first-year student convocation. He told students to find something they love doing.^[1]

In January 2025, Wang made headlines when he was seated in the front row at Xi Jinping’s high-profile business symposium which was attended by representatives of China's leading companies. He was the youngest among the group sitting in the front row.^[1][5]