Sequoia Capital China Leads RMB 100M+ Investment in Critical Humanoid Component Maker
LinkTouch (Beijing) Technology Co., Ltd., a leading provider of high-precision force sensors for humanoid robots, has closed a Series C round exceeding RMB 100 million (~$13.7 million USD), led by Sequoia China, with participation from Zhuhai Science & Technology Industry Group.
The company does not build robots.
It supplies the critical sensing components that allow humanoids to feel, react, and interact safely with the physical world.
Proceeds will be used to:
- Expand R&D capacity
- Automate production lines
- Accelerate global market penetration
This funding comes as the humanoid robotics industry shifts from “demos and dreams” to real-volume shipments—creating urgent demand for reliable, high-performance force-sensing hardware.
Core Product Portfolio: The “Nervous System” of Humanoid Robots
LinkTouch specializes in force and torque sensors, which serve as the primary data source for physical interaction. Its product lines include:
- 6-axis force/torque sensors for end-effectors (hands)
- Joint torque sensors for limbs and spines
- Tension/compression sensors for balance and load monitoring
These components are embedded in robots from Agibot, Xiaomi Robotics, UBTECH, and Zhongqing Robotics, as well as deployed at the Beijing Humanoid Robot Innovation Center.
“Last year, the industry was talking about vision and ambition,” said Liu Wuyue, a company executive.
“This year, we’re in the real shipment phase—not just prototypes, but repeatable, stable demand.”
Scaling Production: 1M+ Sensors Per Year from New Automated Facility
To meet surging demand, LinkTouch has opened a 10,000-square-meter manufacturing facility in Guangdong, featuring a fully automated production line for joint torque sensors.
Design capacity:
- 1 million joint torque sensors per year
- 200,000 six-axis end-effector sensors per year
This represents a 3–4x increase in total output and marks a shift from manual assembly to industrial-grade, SOP-driven manufacturing—a necessity for automotive- and medical-grade reliability.
Why Force Sensors Matter: The Data Engine Behind “Physical Intelligence”
Humanoid robots cannot learn to grasp, lift, or hand over objects without real-world force data.
LinkTouch’s sensors enable data-driven training—a core requirement for moving beyond pre-programmed motions to adaptive, AI-powered manipulation.
Current training scenarios span:
- Home environments (handling fragile dishes, opening drawers)
- Retail (stocking shelves, handing products)
- Logistics (bin picking, pallet loading)
Each interaction generates high-fidelity force, torque, and contact data—feeding reinforcement learning models that improve dexterity over time.
“You can’t teach a robot to pour coffee without knowing how much force to apply,” said Liu.
“Our sensors are the data gateway to physical intelligence.”
Competitive Edge: Aerospace-Grade R&D Meets Chinese Supply Chain Speed
LinkTouch’s technical foundation stems from aerospace engineering, giving it parity with global leaders in sensor accuracy and noise performance.
But its real advantage lies in iteration speed:
- 2–3 weeks to develop and ship a new sensor variant
- 6–8 weeks for international competitors (including U.S. and European firms)
This agility—combined with China’s advanced electronics and precision manufacturing ecosystem—allows LinkTouch to co-develop with robot makers in real time.
The company already has meaningful sales in Europe and plans to leverage Sequoia China’s global network to accelerate international expansion.
Investment Takeaway: Betting on the Bottleneck, Not the Body
While the world focuses on who builds the best humanoid, LinkTouch is solving a harder, less visible problem:
How does a robot safely touch the world without breaking itself—or you?
Force sensing remains a high-barrier, multi-disciplinary field requiring deep expertise in:
- Mechanical design
- Signal processing
- Thermal stability
- Calibration algorithms
Few companies can deliver both precision and volume.
LinkTouch’s strategy is clear:
- R&D: Stay ahead on performance and integration
- Production: Scale with automation and quality control
- Market: Capture global share while competitors remain lab-bound
In an industry prone to hype, LinkTouch is focused on a simple metric:
How many real robots are using our sensors—today?
The answer: thousands—and growing fast.
