Horizon Robotics

Horizon Robotics is an autonomous-driving chip company founded by Kai Yu, who serves as CEO and chief scientist . The company positions itself as a horizontal platform provider aiming to be "the Intel of the robotics era" , supplying edge AI chips and open development tools for both intelligent driving and broader robotics applications .

Its core business spans two tracks. In automotive, Horizon has secured partnerships with most major Chinese OEMs and global players: BYD adopted its Journey 5 chip for integrated driving-parking solutions , SAIC is co-developing computing platforms around Journey 5 and the next-generation Journey 6 , and Dongfeng Nissan launched its first volume-production model powered by Horizon silicon in late 2023 . A deeper tie with Volkswagen Group began with a 2022 joint venture, CARIZON, with VW's software unit CARIAD , and expanded in April 2025 to include Horizon's full-scenario intelligent driving stack HSD . The company has also signed strategic agreements with BAIC and Hello Inc. .

In robotics, Horizon's Sunrise series chips had shipped over one million units as of mid-2022 for products ranging from service robots to smart screens , and the company has since pushed into embodied intelligence—co-leading a Series B in autonomous trucking startup KargoBot in early 2026 and joining the seed round of physical-AI firm Zhangyu Power, whose founder was Horizon's sixth employee .

On the cap table, 5Y Capital led the 2015 seed round and continued through later rounds , while Linear Capital was also an early backer .