Chinese startup Unitree unveils ‘Superman’ robot, faster than Usain Bolt

Chinese robotics startup Unitree has unveiled a new high-speed humanoid robot called “Superman,” claiming that the machine can run faster and jump higher than some of the world’s top human athletes. The robot was introduced just days before Unitree is scheduled to begin trading publicly in Shanghai at a valuation of around $9 billion. According to the company, Superman has been developed in only three months and can reach a top speed of 12.66 meters per second.

That speed is slightly higher than the estimated peak speed of around 12.4 meters per second achieved by Usain Bolt during his record-breaking 100-meter sprint in 2009. While Bolt completed the 100 meters in 9.58 seconds, Unitree estimates that Superman could theoretically cover the same distance in about 7.90 seconds if it maintained its maximum speed throughout the run. Unitree also claims that the robot can perform a vertical jump of two meters, exceeding the human standing high-jump world record.

The company emphasized that Superman is still under development and could become faster and more capable as engineers continue improving its design. Unitree’s public debut is scheduled to coincide with the opening of the World Robot Conference in Beijing, placing the company at the center of global attention surrounding China’s rapidly expanding robotics industry. The company’s upcoming IPO has already attracted enormous investor interest, with retail demand reportedly exceeding the available shares by more than 8,000 times.

Unitree said it had produced and delivered approximately 18,000 bipedal humanoid robots across several models as of July. The company has gained international attention for demonstrations showing its robots running, dancing and performing martial-arts-style movements. Founder Wang Xingxing has also become a prominent figure in China’s technology sector after being invited to a high-profile summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping and other technology entrepreneurs.

Unitree has received backing from major Chinese technology companies, including Tencent and Alibaba, as well as AI startup DeepSeek. The company’s rapid development comes as China increases investment in robotics and artificial intelligence in an effort to strengthen its position in advanced technology. China has announced plans for a state-backed venture capital initiative intended to attract as much as 1 trillion yuan, or roughly $148 billion, in investment for AI, robotics and other high-tech industries over the next two decades. The country’s robotics progress is also taking place alongside rapid developments in artificial intelligence.

Chinese companies such as Moonshot and Alibaba have recently introduced advanced AI models aimed at competing with leading systems developed by U.S. technology companies. The combination of advances in AI and robotics is intensifying competition between Chinese and Silicon Valley technology companies.

Unitree’s Superman robot highlights how quickly humanoid machines are evolving, with companies increasingly attempting to match or exceed human capabilities in speed, movement and physical performance. If the technology continues advancing at its current pace, humanoid robots could become significantly more capable in industrial, commercial and potentially everyday applications.