Gasgoo Munich-Hangzhou Kelin announced late on May 19 that it plans to spend up to 300 million yuan to acquire a 41.57% stake in Kepler Robotics. The shares will be purchased from founder and controlling shareholder Yang Hua and other investors.Prior to this move, Hangzhou Kelin had already acquired a 9.43% stake in Kepler for 100 million yuan. That transaction, closed on December 31, 2025, under a share transfer agreement with Yang Hua, made the company a minority shareholder.As part of the earlier partnership, the two companies agreed to establish a long-term, multidimensional cooperation mechanism. The focus spans supply chain collaboration, business implementation, and capital ties, aiming to scale the application of embodied intelligence in industrial settings.Image Credit: Kepler RoboticsOn the supply chain and R&D front, Hangzhou Kelin is opening up its mature electrical components and manufacturing systems. This is expected to boost hardware reliability, cost control, and delivery efficiency while driving joint R&D projects. For market access, Kepler will leverage Hangzhou Kelin’s client base and channels in the power grid, new energy, and industrial sectors to accelerate its go-to-market strategy.Once the latest deal closes, Hangzhou Kelin will hold a 51.00% stake in Kepler, effectively taking control. Kepler will then be consolidated into Hangzhou Kelin’s financial statements and managed as a subsidiary.Since its inception, Kepler has focused exclusively on industrial-grade general-purpose humanoid robots, adhering to a full-stack self-development strategy. The company now achieves an 80% self-sufficiency rate in core components—covering mechanical design, force tactile sensing, and intelligent control algorithms—building a formidable technical barrier.Leveraging this in-house capability, Kepler has developed the K2 "Bumblebee" humanoid robot. Designed for heavy-duty tasks, extended operation, and cost-effective deployment, the robot is suited for a range of niche scenarios, including smart manufacturing, warehousing and logistics, special operations, and high-altitude work.
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