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Alice Ye

Senior editor with 15 years in news and financial media. Covers China's AI, electric vehicles, and robotics, with a focus on industry trends, technological innovation, and capital markets.

200K Units Sold in One Year: Inside Haivivi's Journey to Global AI Toy Leader

On August 25, 2025, Yueran Innovation, the company behind the AI toy brand Haivivi, announced the completion of a RMB 200 million yuan (US$27.8 million) Series A financing round. The round was co-led by prominent investors including a fund under CICC Capital, Sequoia China, WestSummit Capital, Joy

Brains vs. Brawn: China’s Top Humanoid Robot Rivals Forge Divergent Paths to Market

China’s two leading humanoid robot startups are pursuing starkly different strategies in their quest to dominate one of technology’s most anticipated frontiers. AgiBot, backed by a team with Huawei DNA, is building a comprehensive, AI-driven software ecosystem. In contrast, its main competitor, Unitree Robotics, is prioritizing hardware

Goldman Sachs Slaps Eye-Popping $255 Target on Chinese AI Chip Giant Cambricon, Sees 48% Upside

In a move that has reignited the market's speculative fervor for China's domestic AI hardware, Goldman Sachs has released a new research note on August 24, doubling down on its bullish stance on the nation's leading AI chip designer, Cambricon Technologies Corp. Ltd. The

MINISO Beats Forecasts, Pivots to In-House IP to Emulate Pop Mart's Success

MINISO Group Holding Limited reported stronger-than-expected quarterly results and raised its full-year outlook, signaling a business recovery while unveiling a strategic pivot toward developing its own intellectual property to challenge rivals in the booming art toy market. The budget lifestyle retailer’s second-quarter revenue and profit

DeepSeek's New AI Model Reveals Homegrown Chip Strategy to Sidestep Nvidia

A leading Chinese artificial intelligence firm has unveiled a new data format alongside its latest model, a move that signals a significant strategic shift toward building a domestic AI hardware and software ecosystem independent of Nvidia Corp.'s dominant technology. Beijing DeepSeek Artificial Intelligence Co., Ltd. announced the launch

A 500 Billion Yuan Milestone: Cambricon’s Rally Signals a New Era for China’s AI Chips

Cambricon Technologies’ dramatic reversal from a perennial loss-maker to a profitable AI chip powerhouse marks a potential watershed moment for China's ambitious drive for technological self-sufficiency. The company's ascent, powered by a strategic pivot and a burgeoning domestic AI ecosystem, offers a potent symbol

Chinese Startup AheadForm Secures Funding to Bridge Robot ‘Uncanny Valley’

Chinese venture capitalists are placing fresh bets on a highly specialized segment of the robotics industry: hyper-realistic, emotionally interactive machines designed to forge deeper connections with humans. This emerging investment trend signals a strategic pivot from purely functional, industrial robots toward social applications, directly tackling the long-standing design

Dreame Technology Enters Drone Market, Intensifying Rivalry with DJI

Dreame Technology, a prominent Chinese smart-home appliance manufacturer, is expanding into the consumer drone market, a strategic pivot that positions it as a new challenger to industry giant DJI and highlights a growing trend of cross-sector competition among China’s hardware firms. The company confirmed on August 20

DeepSeek Intensifies AI Race with New Model Tailored for Chinese Chips

DeepSeek AI has released its latest large language model, DeepSeek-V3.1, escalating the global artificial intelligence race with a new architecture designed to run on next-generation domestic Chinese chips and capabilities that challenge leading Western models. The new model introduces a novel hybrid inference architecture and demonstrates significantly

Meituan Rolls Out Power Bank Service in London, Marking European Debut

Meituan is expanding its international footprint into Europe for the first time, launching its Keeta-branded power bank rental service in London as the Chinese technology giant accelerates a multi-front global push. The service, named Keeta Bank Power, has gone live in the UK capital, according to the company.