TigerX
Category: Robotics / Embodied AI
Hangzhou embodied AI startup building TigerMind, a multi-sensory world model that fuses vision, force and touch so robots can interact with the physical world. TigerX was founded in 2026. The company is led by Hou Dibo (侯迪波). Based in Hangzhou, China. Team size: 11-50. Latest round: Angel. Key investors include Puhua Capital (普华资本), Hengze Capital (恒择资本).
- Founded
- 2026
- Headquarters
- Hangzhou, China
- Team size
- 11-50
Value proposition
Physical Interaction Intelligence (PII). TigerX fuses high-frequency vision, force and tactile sensing into a unified physical representation. Robots can then understand physical states, predict action outcomes and perform fine manipulation in confined, extreme or dynamic environments where vision alone fails.
Products and solutions
TigerMind multi-dimensional sensory cognitive world model (in R&D), edge-side embodied AI models, cloud-edge-device software and hardware, industrial-grade embodied intelligence systems, scenario solutions under the Rock Plan (磐石计划) co-creation program.
Unique value
A robot 'brain' built on multi-sensory physical perception (vision, force, touch) instead of vision-only VLA models. It coordinates high-level cognition with millisecond-level low-level force control.
Target customer
Industrial partners in urban public utilities and industrial infrastructure, especially underground space and special facility inspection. Also smart home and eldercare operators.
Industries served
Urban public utilities, industrial infrastructure inspection, smart home, eldercare and healthcare, household tasks such as kitchen operation
Technology advantage
The team has a research lineage in visuo-tactile-force fusion, including the ForceVLA series and VLA-touch. The founder's ZEAL Lab reports 300+ papers at venues such as CVPR, ICML, ICRA, RSS and NeurIPS. TigerX pairs this ZJU academic depth with Alibaba and Ant Group productization experience. The R&D team also includes talent from Tsinghua, SJTU and UC Berkeley, and engineers with Alibaba, Huawei and Hikvision backgrounds.
How they differentiate
Focuses on the robot brain layer, using multi-modal force and tactile fusion and causal physical reasoning. This contrasts with vision-centric world models and full-stack humanoid hardware makers. It targets confined-space and extreme-environment operation first.
Main competitors
DexForce (跨维智能), Gewu Tongzhi (格物通智), Xinzhi Embodied (新智具身, tactile-focused Fudan spinout)
Key partnerships
Scenario co-creation through the Rock Plan (磐石计划) with unnamed leading partners in urban public utilities, industrial infrastructure and smart home/eldercare. Research ties to Zhejiang University ZEAL Lab.
Major milestones
2026-07: company founded in Hangzhou, a third-party directory lists 2026-07-02. 2026-10: angel round of tens of millions RMB from Puhua Capital and Hengze Capital. Launched the Rock Plan (磐石计划) scenario co-creation program, exploring underground space inspection and kitchen operation.
Growth metrics
Founded July 2026. Raised a tens-of-millions-RMB angel round about three months later. No customer or operating data has been disclosed.
Market positioning
Very early-stage university-industry spinout in China's crowded embodied AI 'robot brain' and world-model segment, positioned on physical interaction world models. Model performance and commercial deployments are still under validation.
Geographic focus
China (Hangzhou / Zhejiang)
About Hou Dibo (侯迪波)
Professor, College of Control Science and Engineering, Zhejiang University. Director of the ZJU Institute of Intelligent Sensing and Detection. Head of the ZJU Shihushan Robotics Base. Founded ZEAL Lab, which produced the ForceVLA series and VLA-touch. Has led 30+ national and provincial research projects (NSFC, national major S&T projects, Zhejiang key R&D).