NOVEMBERASIA BUSINESS OUTLOOK8NEWSROOMThe UBTech Robotics plans to increase the production of their android robots from 500 units to 5,000 units by 2026, and then in 2027, they want to double the capacity up to 10,000 units.China's drive to dominate the global humanoid robotics market is reflected in the speed of UBTech's expansion, as manufacturing and industrial automation are changing rapidly.Chief Branding Officer Michael Tam asaid that UBTech is expecting that annual production costs will be reduced by 20-30 percent due to the economies of scale, the more thorough integration with the component supply chain in China, and the possible assistance from Foxconn's supply network.The company is setting a target of 500 industrial robots for the end of 2025 which is a huge leap from last year's delivery of only 10 units.UBTech has committed to the production of more than 800 million yuan (about 112 million U.S. dollars) worth of Walker S2 humanoid robots. Their customers include data centers, car manufacturers, and industrial automation plants.Walker S2, at present, costs roughly $80,000 and supports a dual-battery hot-swap system that can quickly change batteries in a factory operation, if labor replacement ROI remains solid; this is probably an advantage that could justify a higher price.Demand for fleet management tools, heavy-duty industrial end-effectors, and custom-made attachments elements that make it possible to broaden the application of humanoids in the manufacturing industry of China will increase as UBTech is moving toward mass production large-scale. Kaaj, an emerging AI-fintech startup specializing in credit intelligence for small and medium-sized borrowers, has raised $3.8 million in seed funding led by Kindred Ventures, alongside Better Tomorrow Ventures and additional investors.With this new capital, the company plans to accelerate product development, expand its module suite, and grow its customer base of lenders and brokers serving the SME financing market.Kaaj enters the market with a platform designed to automate underwriting workflows for lenders managing small business loans.According to published information, its technology can extract, verify, and organise borrower documents and financial data within minutes significantly reducing timelines that traditionally take days.The platform integrates seamlessly with existing loan origination systems and CRM tools, enabling lenders to streamline operations without major infrastructure changes.The company reports that its system has already processed over $5 billion in loan applications, demonstrating strong market readiness and adoption.The cost of underwriting smaller loans has historically been too high for lenders to maintain profitability, creating structural challenges within SME lending. By automating tedious and resource-heavy workflows, Kaaj aims to shift this dynamic and enable lenders to underwrite efficiently at scale.Through its focus on AI-powered underwriting, SME lending automation, and credit intelligence platforms, Kaaj is positioning itself as a key enabler in the future of digital lending. Its innovation aligns with broader industry demand for fintech automation tools, AI lending solutions, and small business finance technology, helping reshape the economics of underwriting for modern lenders. CHINA'S UBTECH PLANS 10X BOOST IN HUMANOID ROBOT OUTPUT IN 2026KAAJ SECURES $3.8M TO TRANSFORM SME LENDING WITH AI AUTOMATION· Kaaj raises $3.8M to scale AI-driven underwriting for SME lenders.· Its platform processes documents in minutes and integrates with LOS & CRM systems.· Over $5B in loan applications already processed, proving strong market traction.· UBTech to boost humanoid robot production 10× in 2026, targeting 5,000 units.· Costs expected to drop 20­30 percent annually as large industrial orders accelerate.· Walker S2 gains 800M yuan in orders, expanding adoption across factories.
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