Suzhou-based robotics startup JoyIn has secured more than US$13 million in an angel+ funding round, just three months after closing its initial angel round.

Jinqiu Capital led the latest investment, with continued backing from existing investors Matrix Partners China, Oasis Capital, and Monolith. Lighthouse Capital joined as a follow-on investor and acted as the exclusive financial advisor.

The fresh capital will be used to grow JoyIn’s team and advance mass production of its home-use robotic platforms.

Founded in December 2024, JoyIn develops compact embodied robots powered by artificial intelligence. The company’s goal is to build a new generation of mobile hardware for households, combining autonomous movement with interactive capabilities.

JoyIn’s product lineup includes two core models: Z-Bot, a 50cm-tall robot with 18 degrees of freedom designed for indoor environments, and W-Bot, a track-based robot built to operate both indoors and outdoors. The company positions these as family companions equipped to handle a range of home scenarios.

JoyIn’s 39-member team includes experienced engineers from China’s mature robot vacuum industry, along with fresh talent from institutions such as Tsinghua University, Zhejiang University, and Carnegie Mellon University. The company says 85% of its team is focused on R&D.

🔗 Source: 36Kr

🧠 Food for thought

1️⃣ Household robotics market acceleration mirrors vacuum cleaner evolution

Lexiang’s entry into the household robotics market comes at a pivotal growth moment, with the sector projected to expand from $10.3 billion in 2023 to $24.5 billion by 2028, growing at a CAGR of 18.8% 1.

This trajectory mirrors the evolution of the robot vacuum market, which currently dominates household robotics with 47-81% market share 2, 3.

Guo Renjie’s background at Dreame, where he scaled operations to $800 million in revenue, provides Lexiang with valuable industry experience in a sector where manufacturing expertise and supply chain management are critical success factors.

The company’s dual product approach with both indoor (Z-Bot) and indoor/outdoor (W-Bot) platforms reflects the industry’s shift toward specialized applications, particularly in areas like elderly care, where demographic trends are driving demand 1, 3.

Research indicates that up to 40% of household chores could be automated within the next decade 4, creating a substantial addressable market for companies that can successfully deliver on the promise of general-purpose home robots.

2️⃣ AI advancements breaking barriers to general-purpose home robots

Lexiang’s focus on proprietary “biomimetic consciousness systems” aligns with broader industry shifts toward more sophisticated AI integration in household robots.