From Chinese makers of humanoid robots to India’s new generation of drones and innovations in green energy–meet this year’s entrepreneurs making strides in Industry, Manufacturing & Energy.

Guo Renjie set up Suzhou-based JoyIn Technology in 2024 to make a “much more interactive” range of companion robots aimed at the elderly and children. The startup has launched four humanoids, including the 50cm-tall Zeroth M1, which was unveiled in January with a price tag of 10,000 yuan ($1,500). Powered by customized versions of various AI models, including Alibaba’s Qwen series, M1 is capable of gauging facial expressions and starting a conversation if someone appears lonely and can also read books to children.

Guo is one of the entrepreneurs on this year’s Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia: Industry, Manufacturing & Energy list who are creating humanoid robots and playing a part in this booming industry in China.

His company’s lineup also includes a $4,000 version of Wall-E, the robot in Disney’s classic animation movie of the same name, following a licensing deal with the film production giant. “With the rapid changes in technology, robots can satisfy more needs,” says Guo, adding that JoyIn has received nearly 20,000 pre-orders for the M1 as of April, including from schools and elderly care centers in China, with deliveries expected to start in December.

With the rapid changes in technology, robots can satisfy more needs.

JoyIn was valued at $351 million in October and has raised over $70 million across three rounds from investors including IDG Capital, Jinqiu Capital and Eastern Bell Capital. After undergrad studies in energy and power engineering at Xi’an Jiaotong University, Guo earned a master’s degree in finance and economics from the London School of Economics and Political Science. He returned home to work at Procter & Gamble as a brand manager before moving to Dreame Technology, a Chinese maker of smart home appliances. The founder says he plans to launch his robots in Europe and the U.S. later this year.

Six other Chinese makers of robots made the list this year, including Hu Chenxu and Jiang Zheyuan, cofounders of Noetix Robotics Technology. Started in 2023, their Beijing-based startup has developed five humanoid models that have participated in China's robot half-marathons and performed during the 2026 Spring Festival gala. One of them is Bumi, a 98-centimeter-tall humanoid launched in 2025. With a price tag of less than $1,500, the companion robot can walk, run, dance as well as play games with children. The startup has raised over $150 million in funding from investors including CICC Capital, Unity Ventures as well as an investment arm of Chinese battery giant Contemporary Amperex Technology (CATL).

Another is Zerith, the brainchild of Cheng Yi and Min Yuheng who cofounded the robotics company in early 2025. The startup's flagship product is Zerith H1, a humanoid that can perform a diverse range of tasks including cleaning tables as well as sorting goods at supermarkets and warehouses. The robot, which comes with a price tag of 199,000 yuan ($29,000), started shipping globally in the second quarter of this year, according to the company.

Also in China, Hu Yuhang founded AheadForm Technology in 2024 to make emotionally-intelligent humanoid robots. The Shanghai-based company has created Elf-Xuan, a life-like robot that looks like a fairy that can sing, converse and interact with users. It has also developed Origin M1, a bionic model covered with skin-like materials that can make human facial expressions. AheadForm has raised an undisclosed amount from over a dozen investors including Ant Group, 5Y Capital and JD.com. Hu holds a Ph.D. in robotics from Columbia University.

Drones Re-imagined

In addition to robots, some of this year’s 30 Under 30 Asia listees have developed innovative drones–particularly in India, where Rajeshree Deotalu and Besta Prem Sai cofounded autonomous drone startup Vecros. The duo’s drones, which can navigate and operate without GPS, radio or human help, can be used for public safety operations, industrial inspection, surveillance, and warehouse intelligence. The flagship product of the Bangalore-based company is Athera, a drone equipped with AI and sensing technologies that can avoid obstacles and take off or land automatically.

Also in India, Gouthami T S and Jitendra Kumar Saini cofounded AquaAirX to make amphibious drone systems designed to fly as well as dive into water. The drones could be used to inspect infrastructure, monitor environmental changes, conduct maritime surveillance, and respond to emergencies faster and more efficiently. Last year, the startup raised a $1.5 million seed round led by Rainmatter by Zerodha.

In Japan, Takumi Yamaguchi cofounded Japanese defense tech startup AirKamuy in 2022 to develop low-cost drones for logistics, surveillance and search-and-rescue missions. Its signature innovation is the AirKamuy 150, a fixed-wing drone made primarily from cardboard that costs less than $2,o00. The Nagoya-based startup also makes the AirKamuy Σ-1, a fixed-wing vertical take-off drone with foldable wings that allow it to operate in tight spaces while flying longer distances with less energy. In April, the AirKamuy raised ¥100 million ($630,000) in seed funding, including from Anobaka and StationAI Fund.

Green Technology

Another area where this year’s lists are innovating is green technology. In Australia, Vanessa Vongsouthi's Ph.D research on protein engineering at the Australian National University laid the foundation for Samsara Eco, an Australian biotech company that aims to help build a circular economy and tackle the global plastic waste crisis. Founded in 2021, Samsara Eco uses AI technologies to design new enzymes that break down plastic waste, including blended textiles and packaging, into virgin-grade materials. Samsara Eco has raised over $100 million in funding from investors including Temasek, Main Sequence and Lululemon, which also sources recycled materials from the company.

And in China, Feng Fan cofounded Yanhe Technology to commercialize solar cells from perovskites, a thin, ultra-efficient material that can be coated onto flexible surfaces or screens and generate power in low-light conditions. Feng says the startup's light-weight products can power devices from satellites to wearables. In April, Yanhe Technology signed an agreement with fellow Hunan-based Hangsheng Satellite, with the latter using its products to make at least ten small-sized satellites this year.

Meanwhile Gu Junjie cofounded green hydrogen production firm Sinohydo in 2021. The Jiangsu-based company says its patented Hydolyser production system can produce this newer form of green energy with lowered costs due to its proprietary electrolyzer technology that breaks water into hydrogen—potentially solving a key bottleneck to more widespread adoption of hydrogen. Sinohydo, which has a demonstration project in the Inner Mongolian city of Ordos, has raised an undisclosed amount from almost 10 investors including NIO Capital, HSG (formerly Sequoia China) as well as ZhenFund.

Read our complete Industry, Manufacturing & Energy list here – and check out the full Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia 2026 coverage here.

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