The humanoid robots from Unitree perform on the opening day of the company's Asia's first robotic intelligence experience store in Shanghai on May 31, 2026. Photo: Chen Xia / GT

Chinese robot company Unitree opened its first experience center" in Asia on Sunday in Shanghai, drawing large crowds and sparking widespread discussion online.

A Global Times reporter at the scene saw a bustling crowd, drawing many shoppers, tech enthusiasts and tourists. The store features a futuristic, high-tech design and showcases the company's full lineup, including humanoid robots and Go2 robot dogs. 

Multiple robots took turns delivering dazzling performances — dancing, flipping, jumping, and gesturing — drawing frequent cheers and photo-taking from onlookers. The steady stream of visitors, including families and tech lovers, eagerly got up close to experience the cutting-edge intelligent technology.

The store also drew many foreign tourists who stopped to watch, try out the robots, and take photos.

"The hardware of Unitree is amazing. But I'm curious about the grip strength - can it actually grab something and lift it up? That part I'm not so sure about. But other than that, it's pretty solid," a visitor from the US told the Global Times on Sunday. 

He noted that Unitree takes the lead in hardware among robot companies, while US firms such as Boston Dynamics may be ahead in software. 

During the interactive session, a robot dog dressed in a panda costume instantly became a hit among the children, who eagerly crowded around to interact with and touch it. The humanoid robot performance held in an outdoor area also drew large crowds of onlookers.

"Normally, you can only see these robots at exhibitions. The opening of this experience store truly allows consumers to actually experience them," a shopper said, according to thepaper.cn.

On Sunday morning, some orders had already been placed at the store, according to the report.

The Shanghai Stock Exchange's listing committee is scheduled to review Unitree's IPO application on June 1, according to an exchange notice on May 25.

According to its prospectus, Unitree plans to raise 4.202 billion yuan ($584 million) in the IPO, implying a post-issuance market value of at least 42 billion yuan.

The proceeds are earmarked for four major projects, ranging from research and development (R&D) of intelligent robot models, robot body development, new intelligent robot product development, to construction of a smart robot manufacturing base.

Unitree's operating revenue for the first half of 2026 is expected to reach 1.052 billion yuan to 1.128 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 35.62 percent to 45.41 percent, according to thepaper.cn.

However, due to a rapid rise in period expenses such as R&D investment, its net profit after excluding non-recurring items is projected at about 236 million to 283 million yuan, down approximately 21.97 to 6.43 percent year-on-year — a significant narrowing and rebound from the year-on-year decline recorded in the first quarter of 2026.