BlueRun Ventures Leads Exclusive Investment in Zhuling Technology's Tens-of-Millions RMB Seed Round | BlueRun Ventures

蓝驰创投·November 6, 2023·0·0

Defining the Product Form and Matrix for a New Generation of Construction Robots

Construction robotics startup Zhuling Technology recently announced it has raised tens of millions of RMB in a seed round led exclusively by BlueRun Ventures. The funding will primarily go toward team building and product R&D.

BlueRun Ventures stated: Construction is a pillar industry in China, employing over ten million workers. Aging demographics and harsh working conditions are seriously impacting productivity and labor stability. The Zhuling team brings a rare combination of deep robotics engineering expertise and real construction industry know-how. They've assembled top talent across AI algorithms, sensor development, full-system design, and construction processes — and they've defined a new product form factor and matrix for next-generation construction robots. We're very bullish on the broad application of robotics in construction.

Founded in September 2022 by leading Chinese robotics experts, AI scientists, and construction industry veterans, Zhuling Technology is building a high-tech company focused on construction robot R&D and application. The company concentrates on two main areas: complete construction robot systems and core components. It holds multiple industry-first invention patents, and its product maturity, value, and R&D capabilities have already gained adoption and recognition from leading industry players.

China's construction market is the world's largest, with total output exceeding 30 trillion RMB in 2022, yet it remains overwhelmingly labor-intensive with manual processes dominating. Using machines to handle highly repetitive, dangerous work has become an inevitable trend. Construction robots that can be deployed at scale can standardize the industry's non-standard production workflows and productivity, driving industrial upgrading through technology.

Zhuling Technology CEO Angang Dai said: "The potential market for upgrading the construction industry through frontier technologies like robotics exceeds one trillion RMB. Construction remains a coarse, extensive industry, but the national "14th Five-Year" Construction Industry Development Plan has explicitly laid out a framework for high-quality development, with local governments rolling out supporting policies. We believe the sector will see vigorous growth in the coming years. Zhuling Technology will continue pushing frontier technologies into products, using technology to lead construction industry upgrading, with the ambition to become a global leader in smart construction."

Dai graduated from Southeast University. He previously served as Vice President at Bozhilin (Country Garden's robotics subsidiary) and overall head of construction robotics, also holding roles as head of the foundational technology research institute and the construction robotics research institute, while overseeing the engineering applications research institute — making him a vice president-level executive at Country Garden. Earlier, he spent many years at Estun (China's top domestic industrial robot brand, SZ.002747) as deputy general manager and chief engineer, and was appointed a Siemens global technology expert.

Zhuling Technology COO and Product Lead Dr. Hengzhi Liu explained: "The Zhuling team hopes to leverage over a decade of top-tier technical积累 in robotics, AI, and related fields to create ultra-low-cost, easy-to-use construction robot products that will thoroughly transform the industry — liberating middle-aged workers and attracting new talent. When 'migrant workers' become industrial workers, it will bring more people into construction and give this traditional industry a real chance to rejuvenate."

Dr. Liu graduated from The University of Hong Kong and previously served as product director at Bozhilin. As lead on dozens of construction robot R&D projects and university-industry collaborations, he was the first in the industry to propose and implement the feasibility of intelligent floor construction.

Zhuling Technology's first product targets floor tile-laying robots. The company has completed development of its first-generation prototype, lab testing, live job site testing, and official launch, and has established partnerships with multiple leading customers with strong field results.

The product features fully self-developed technology and IP, with strong compatibility, stability, and decoupling capabilities. Particularly at the model and core algorithm level, it independently developed breakthrough technologies including holographic perception, autonomous enhanced planning and decision-making, dynamic spatial positioning, advanced human-robot interaction, and visual servoing. Zhuling Technology is reportedly building a platform-level technology stack to provide comprehensive solutions for the industry.

According to Zhuling Technology, the product has already laid hundreds of thousands of square meters of floor tiles, with product cost, operational efficiency, construction quality, stability, and ease of use all surpassing comparable products on the market.

With its strong product performance, Zhuling Technology has completed millions of RMB in project deployments within just a few months and secured hundreds of millions of RMB in意向 orders. The company will continue developing construction robot systems, core components and control systems, and AI and software technology platforms — using technology to drive intelligent transformation and digital upgrading of traditional construction.

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