90后清华博士厨房机器人融资数千万，拿下北京市首张具身智能机器人食品经营许可证

Core Viewpoint - Xiangke Intelligent has successfully completed a multi-million yuan Pre-A round of financing, with a strong lineup of investors including Century Changhe Technology Group and Qidi Star leading the investment [1][12]. Company Overview - The founder, Chen Zhen, is a serial entrepreneur in the robotics field, holding a bachelor's degree in computer science from Beihang University and a master's degree from Tsinghua University, currently a PhD student at Tsinghua University [2]. - In 2020, Chen founded Sensing Technology, which was fully acquired by Joyoung's parent company JS Global Life, after which he served as the general manager of the Shark Ninja robotics R&D center [3]. Product Development - Xiangke Intelligent's LAVA robot received the first food business license for embodied intelligent robots in Beijing last September, making it the first AI chef in the country to operate with a license [5]. - The LAVA robot can fry a plate of fries in 2 minutes and is expected to learn to make ice cream and drinks in the future [6]. - The robot has demonstrated impressive performance, operating continuously for 190 days, processing a peak of 1,732 orders in a single day, and completing over 100,000 fault-free frying tasks with an average production efficiency of 40 seconds per order, while reducing energy consumption by 62% compared to traditional equipment [7]. Future Plans - With the new financing, Xiangke Intelligent plans to promote the mass production upgrade of LAVA and initiate large-scale deployment in vertical application scenarios [9]. - The company has already signed mass production orders for thousands of units with well-known overseas chain brand clients, with deliveries set to begin in the second half of the year [9]. Market Strategy - The strategy focuses on the higher standardization of Western fast food compared to the complex processes of Chinese cuisine, making it easier to automate, which aligns with the robot's strengths in ensuring quality and consistency [11]. - The company has a clear plan for technological iteration, aiming to enhance the "machine senses" through multi-modal perception integration, evolve "machine cognition" by building a database with listed companies, and upgrade self-developed consumer-grade joint technology [11]. Investment Landscape - The investment lineup for the Pre-A round includes industry giants and well-known venture capital firms, indicating strong industrial logic behind the funding [12]. - Notable investors include Century Changhe Technology Group, which is backed by Meinian Health, and NetDragon Tianying Venture Capital, associated with the Hong Kong-listed company NetDragon [13]. - Xiangke Intelligent has also recently signed a cooperation agreement with the Tsinghua Pearl River Delta Research Institute to jointly build a core technology R&D platform for robotics [14]. Team and Experience - Chen Zhen's entrepreneurial journey has been marked by key milestones, from founding Sensing Technology in 2014 to successfully exiting in 2020, and then establishing Xiangke Intelligent at the end of 2022 [17]. - The core team consists of members from the original Sensing team, Shark Ninja team, and Joyoung team, collectively possessing over 10 years of experience in robotics and artificial intelligence R&D and management [17]. Industry Context - The rapid evolution of the robotics industry in China and globally presents opportunities for companies like Xiangke Intelligent, which focus on vertical scenarios and have clear commercialization paths [19].