Pudu Robotics

From service robotics to different body shapes

Pudu was founded in 2016 and is headquartered in Shenzhen. Founder Felix Zhang's earlier ventures included Elrobotics, which made robotic developer kits and telepresence devices, according to his HKUST profile. Pudu's April 2026 financing announcement identifies him as founder and chief executive. That background places the business in a longer practical robotics career, rather than beginning with its first humanoid announcement.¹²³

The company's four lines are service delivery, commercial cleaning, industrial delivery and general embodied AI. BellaBot, CC1 and the T-series illustrate the first three. Their purpose is tied to a defined job, such as moving items or cleaning floors. D7 and D9 explore broader combinations of mobility and manipulation, so evidence about one line should not be used as a claim that all the others are equally mature.¹⁴⁷⁸

The original D7 appeared in September 2024 with arms above an omnidirectional wheeled chassis. D9 followed in December as Pudu's full-size bipedal humanoid. Those forms are materially different: D7's name does not mean it walks on two feet, and D9 is not simply a delivery trolley with a humanlike upper body.⁵⁶

What changed in 2026

Pudu described an updated D9 in April 2026 and a new industrial D7 in June. The latter targets manufacturing and warehouse workflows. These updates make generation labels essential. A 2024 specification table cannot automatically describe a 2026 robot, even when the company retains the same model name.⁵⁶⁷⁸

For a family encountering a Pudu robot in a public place, the useful first question is what job it has been assigned. A delivery system serving a business is not necessarily a domestic helper. For a small business considering a purchase, specify the route, object or cleaning task, then confirm the exact configuration, local support and recovery procedure with the official seller.¹⁴

Does PUDU D7 walk like D9?

The original D7 used an omnidirectional wheeled chassis. D9 is the bipedal humanoid. The June 2026 industrial D7 is a later semi-humanoid program, so compare dated generations rather than treating the two model names as the same body or specification.⁵⁶⁷

Does the funding valuation tell me Pudu’s robot sales?

No. The April 23, 2026 announcement describes nearly US$150 million of financing and a valuation above US$1.5 billion. It does not provide absolute revenue, profit or separate D7/D9 sales. The approximate amount and greater-than threshold remain part of the claim.³

Products and programs

Pudu’s established service categories and newer D7/D9 programs have different jobs and development histories. Keep the robot’s form and generation visible.¹⁵⁶⁷⁸

What this means for your family

For a family seeing one of these robots in a public venue, identify the job it is doing there. For a business purchase, confirm the exact model, generation, official seller and local service arrangements. A funding announcement cannot replace a support contract or establish that a humanoid is ready for your home.¹³⁴⁸

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