Shandong Future Robotics Secures Major Funding from CNPC Kunlun Capital

Pioneering deep-sea robotics manufacturer receives hundreds of millions of yuan to expand production capacity and strengthen market leadership

Recently, Shandong Future Robotics Co., Ltd. (hereafter "Shandong Future Robotics"), an internationally recognized manufacturer and service provider of industrial robots and deep-sea engineering equipment, secured a strategic investment of several hundred million yuan led by an industrial capital firm. Wanchuang Investment Bank is serving as the company's exclusive long-term financial advisor. The newly raised funds will be used to expand production capacity and optimize manufacturing processes, further consolidating the company's leading position in the deep-sea robotics sector.

source: Shandong Future

According to business registry data, the investor is CNPC Kunlun Capital.

Days ago, China National Petroleum Corporation's Kunlun Capital and Shandong Future Robotics signed an investment agreement. The agreement outlines comprehensive cooperation across three dimensions: technology sharing, resource integration, and market synergy, aiming to achieve multiplicative benefits beyond the sum of their individual contributions.

Founded in 2005, Shandong Future Robotics is China's first high-tech enterprise to achieve complete domestic control over the entire deep-sea robotics value chain. The company has pioneered breakthroughs in core technologies for deep-sea transportation, exploration, and strategic resource development, building a comprehensive proprietary technology ecosystem. More than 30 of its core technologies are independently developed and controlled, with no reliance on foreign inputs. The company's independently developed deep-sea propulsion systems and multi-joint mechanical arms have reached international advanced standards, successfully overcoming critical technological bottlenecks that previously constrained China's deep-sea equipment capabilities.

In terms of product portfolio, Shandong Future Robotics covers both deep-sea and shallow-water domains. Deep-sea equipment includes work-class ROVs (Remotely Operated Vehicles), trenchers, mining equipment, seabed construction equipment, and salvage equipment. The shallow-water business encompasses the research, development, and servicing of application-specific robots for hydroelectric dam maintenance, underwater rescue, river dredging, ship cleaning, and marine ranch monitoring.

Notably, Shandong Future Robotics continues to achieve significant technological breakthroughs in deep-sea innovation. Its independently developed 3,500-meter deep-sea operation robot features 100% domestically produced core components. The company's newly developed 1,500-meter deep-sea cable-laying robot fills a domestic technological gap, becoming critical equipment for major projects such as offshore wind power installations and transoceanic communications.

In July last year, Shandong Future Robotics successfully completed sea trials of Asia's first domestically developed deep-sea trencher, filling China's technological gap in deepwater submarine pipeline and cable laying.

In April, the company's domestically produced underwater robot, codenamed "VY150," successfully descended to an extreme depth of 2,021 meters in waters southeast of Nanshan Port. The robot not only captured high-definition underwater imagery but also performed a series of complex "deep-sea gymnastics" maneuvers, fully validating the reliability of its entire system. This achievement set a new record for Chinese deep-sea operations and marked a significant breakthrough in advanced underwater equipment.

According to the latest data from the Ministry of Natural Resources, China's marine economy surpassed the 10 trillion yuan threshold for the first time in 2024, growing 5.9% year-on-year and demonstrating strong development resilience. Deep-sea technology is rapidly emerging as a core driver and important engine for future economic growth.

Significantly, "deep-sea technology" was included in the government work report for the first time in 2025, signaling its elevated strategic importance. Magellan Insights forecasts that China's deep-sea technology-related industries will likely exceed 3 trillion yuan in 2025, representing enormous blue ocean market potential.

Deep-sea robots are essential tools for exploring and developing ocean resources. Like "Iron Man" of the deep sea, these robots transcend human limitations by operating thousands of meters below the surface to perform detection and operational tasks. Whether for oil and gas exploration, submarine pipeline installation, deep-sea scientific research, or emergency rescue, they serve as reliable guardians of ocean security. From energy development to scientific research, from infrastructure construction to emergency response, deep-sea robots are comprehensively empowering marine economic development, injecting powerful momentum into China's journey toward becoming a maritime powerhouse.