Gasgoo Munich- Amid intensifying competition in humanoid robots, speculation regarding former Shanghai Kepler Robot Co., Ltd. CEO Hu Debo's departure has subsided. On May 21, Kepler issued a statement clarifying the leadership transition timeline and current business operations, addressing market rumors.
According to the statement, Hu stepped down as CEO in June 2025, shifting his focus solely to sales and marketing. His equity incentives were canceled during that same period. By the end of 2025, both parties mutually agreed on his departure, which became official in February 2026. Kepler noted that the delay in disclosure was intended to ensure a smooth transition for the company.
Image Source: Kepler
Despite the management changes, Kepler has accelerated its operations. Since June 2025, the company has overhauled its management and R&D teams, recruiting young technical talent. It has also achieved breakthroughs in core technologies, including embodied intelligence architecture and the VTLA hierarchical model. Its flagship K2 Bumblebee humanoid robot has been validated in industrial settings, from automotive parts assembly to logistics sorting, making its path to commercialization clearer.
Financial data supports this growth. In the first quarter of 2026, revenue surpassed 50% of the full-year total for 2025. Orders on hand exceeded 47 million yuan, and the company closed multiple funding rounds during the year. Regarding the closely watched acquisition by a publicly traded company, Kepler confirmed the process is ongoing, with details to be disclosed by the acquirer per regulations.
Following restructuring in personnel and strategy, the robotics firm is advancing into the core areas of embodied intelligence with an expanded scale.
