Company Overview
| Field | Detail |
|---|---|
| Company | Shanghai Fourier Intelligence Co., Ltd. |
| Founded | 2015 |
| HQ | Zhangjiang Hi-Tech Park, Pudong, Shanghai |
| Founder & CEO | Gu Jie |
| Website | https://www.fftai.cn |
| Market Position | Rehabilitation-to-general-purpose humanoid transition play |
Fourier Intelligence was founded in 2015 by Gu Jie, a Shanghai Jiao Tong University graduate who initially focused on rehabilitation robotics. The company started with lower-limb exoskeletons, expanded to upper-limb rehab training systems, and eventually developed the GR series of general-purpose humanoid robots — a distinctive “rehab-to-general-purpose” trajectory. By Q1 2025, Fourier had delivered over 10,000 robots across all product lines.
Core Products
Humanoid Robot Series:
- GR-1: The first general-purpose humanoid, measuring ~165cm tall and weighing ~55kg with 44 degrees of freedom. Launched in 2023 for research and industrial scenarios.
- GR-2: An upgraded version with improved hand manipulation, enhanced environmental perception, better motion stability, and extended battery life.
- GR-3: The latest generation, with further refinements in motion fluidity and task execution capability. Currently targeting industrial and commercial service applications.
- Fourier N1: An open-source humanoid robot design released under the MIT license. Fourier is betting on an “open source hardware + shared data” strategy to build an ecosystem moat and attract developers.
Rehabilitation Robot Series:
- RehabHub: An intelligent rehab training system combining upper and lower limb robots, balance trainers, and more. Deployed in medical facilities in China and abroad.
- ExoMotus Series: Lower-limb exoskeleton robots for gait rehabilitation in spinal cord injury and stroke patients.
Funding History
| Round | Date | Amount | Key Investors |
|---|---|---|---|
| Early Rounds | 2015-2023 | — | Yuanjing Capital, IDG Capital, SoftBank Vision Fund 2 |
| Series E | Jan 2025 | ~800M RMB | Guoxin Investment, Pudong Venture Capital, Zhangjiang Science Investment |
| — | Concurrent | — | Prosperity7 (Saudi Aramco), Junsan Capital |
| Strategic | May 2025 | 300M RMB | Runyang Technology (listed A-share company) |
The Series E round gave Fourier a pre-money valuation of approximately 8 billion RMB (~$1.1B), placing it firmly in unicorn territory. Total Series E funding reached nearly 800M RMB, led by Shanghai state capital and Middle Eastern funds. In May 2025, Runyang Technology (a Chinese A-share listed company) invested 300M RMB in a strategic deal, partnering on robotic “skin” (foam materials).
Cumulative funding approaches 1 billion RMB, with backers including SoftBank Vision Fund 2, Saudi Aramco’s Prosperity7, Yuanjing Capital, and IDG Capital.
Competitive Position
Fourier’s key differentiator is its rehabilitation robotics heritage — 15 years of biomechanics research that gives the GR series’ motion control an advantage in naturalness and safety.
Unlike Unitree (quadruped-first, cost-driven) and UBTECH (industrial humanoid, volume-focused), Fourier has taken a gradual “medical rehab → service humanoid → industrial humanoid” path. The Fourier N1 open-source initiative also carves out a unique niche in the developer community.
The challenges: funding scale is smaller than Unitree and UBTECH; commercial progress is slower; industrial humanoid deployment cases are limited.
Industry Outlook
Upside: The rehabilitation robot market offers steady demand and recurring revenue. With China’s population aged 65+ exceeding 200 million and accelerating, rehab robots and exoskeletons have a large addressable market. The open-source GR approach (Fourier N1) could attract small-to-medium enterprises and individual developers, creating a differentiated ecosystem. Strong Shanghai government backing provides policy and industrial cluster advantages.
Risks: The pivot from rehabilitation to general-purpose humanoids is unproven. Cash-rich competitors (Unitree, Figure AI) are expanding aggressively. Open-source hardware lowers technical barriers even as it builds community.
Watch Points: Real-world GR-3 deployment data in industrial settings; developer adoption of the Fourier N1 open platform; whether rehab revenue continues funding humanoid R&D; potential for a major new funding round.