Founders & Key Figures
Back to the full cast — two generations of the people building China's robotics industry.
People · The Humanoid Generation
Zhao Tongyang
The man kicked by his own robot — he restarted from scratch in 2023 with barely a year of living expenses.
Who he is
Zhao Tongyang is the man kicked by his own robot. A veteran of the industry, he bet a decade on robotics in 2016, sold his quadruped startup to XPeng in 2020, then restarted from scratch in 2023 with what he later said was barely a year of his kid's school fees in reserve.
The restart worked. His new company, EngineAI, hit a 10-billion-yuan valuation and is heading for a Hong Kong IPO. Its flagship T800 made headlines around the world by dancing, playing football and famously knocking its founder across a showroom with a kick.
Why he matters
Zhao is the industry's showman — but the viral moments sit on a serious product ladder: T800 for general use, SA02 for commercial, PM01 for research. His career arc, from selling his first startup to rebounding into a 10-billion-yuan valuation, is a reminder that the humanoid boom rewards endurance as much as brilliance.
Key facts
- 2016→2020: Bet a decade on robotics; sold his quadruped startup to XPeng.
- 2023: Restarted EngineAI from scratch with limited funds.
- Valuation: 10 billion yuan; Hong Kong IPO in progress.
- Viral: T800 knocked him across a showroom with a kick.
Keep exploring
Related reading
Companies & Startups
EngineAI — the viral showman — plus the wider humanoid race.
Cutting-edge Products
See the machines these people built — from 10 m/s humanoids to banana-peeling hands.
Official site · EngineAI ↗
The company website for EngineAI — products, news, careers and more.