Hangzhou-based robotics startup Xynova, specializing in high-degree-of-freedom (DOF) dexterous hands and micro actuators, has successfully closed an angel round of financing exceeding 100 million RMB (≈US$13.7 million).
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The round was led by CATL Capital, the industrial investment platform of battery giant CATL, with co-investments from Xiaomi Strategic Investment, Zhengxuan Investment, Orient Renaissance Capital, SEARI Capital, and L2F Ray Entrepreneur Fund. Lighthouse Capital served as the exclusive financial advisor for the deal.
Founded at the end of 2024, Xynova develops, produces, and markets dexterous robotic hands, miniature electric cylinders, and high torque-density integrated joint modules. The company boasts a fully integrated production line covering machining, motor winding, assembly, and testing.
It is one of the few domestic companies capable of independent development and manufacturing of key components for dexterous hands, including motors, motor controllers, reducers, ball screws, and control algorithms.
Within months of its founding, Xynova achieved a major milestone with the launch of the Xynova Flex 1, a tendon-driven dexterous hand boasting 25 degrees of freedom. The hand weighs just 380 grams, can lift over 30 kilograms, and generates more than 20 newtons of fingertip force per finger, with full palm open-close cycles in only 0.6 seconds. According to the company, the Xynova Flex 1 is currently the lightest and highest-load high-DOF dexterous hand on the market, setting new benchmarks for performance and efficiency.
The company’s core team has over 20 years of R&D experience, enabling rapid development in both hardware electric drive systems and software control architecture. The combination of advanced motor design, tendon transmission mechanisms, and proprietary algorithms positions Xynova at the forefront of domestic and international dexterous hand manufacturing.
Xynova has achieved several hardware breakthroughs. Its self-developed hollow cup motors measure only 8mm in diameter, and its planetary roller screws are just 7mm wide. These components power micro electric cylindersranging from 10–12mm, which deliver 100–300 N of thrust, representing the most compact yet powerful micro actuators currently available.
In addition, the company’s tendon transmission system has passed rigorous durability tests, exceeding one million cycles under rated load, overcoming a major limitation in tendon-driven robotic systems.
On the software side, Xynova has developed a full-stack control system integrating architecture, strategy, and parameter optimization. Its unique design decouples command tracking from disturbance rejection, while a fusion of model-driven and data-driven control strategies enables fast, precise, and adaptive joint control.
The company also designed an AI-powered parameter optimization algorithm with physical constraints, automatically fine-tuning control parameters for consistent performance under various scenarios, without manual intervention.
Beyond dexterous hands, Xynova’s joint modules are noted for high torque density, achieving 322 Nm/kg, leading both in performance and cost-efficiency. Multiple product lines cater to humanoid, semi-humanoid, and quadruped robots, offering custom options including large hollow shafts, high-speed rotation, electromagnetic braking, and lightweight construction.
The company has already established collaborations with leading humanoid robotics firms. Its products are designed for factory operations, commercial service robots, and household applications, with the mission of combining flexibility, balance, and real-world applicability.
Xiaomi Strategic Investment highlighted the strategic importance of dexterous hands: “Dexterous hands are key end-effectors for precise robotic operation. Xynova’s expertise in motor design and independent manufacturing of core components demonstrates the potential for fully general-purpose robotic manipulation.”
Zhengxuan Investment praised Xynova’s rapid development: “The company is led by world-class experts covering all technical domains of dexterous hands. Achieving industry-leading performance within just a year of founding is remarkable. We look forward to its growth amid the ongoing transformation of the humanoid robotics industry.”
Lou Yang, Partner at Lighthouse, said: “With top-tier industry players participating in this round, the financing will accelerate industrialization of embodied intelligence. Xynova has demonstrated exceptional design and R&D capabilities with the world’s first fully self-developed, mass-producible, high-DOF tendon-driven hand. Source Capital will continue to support the company from technology validation to scaled commercialization.”
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