Ninebot

Ninebot (Segway-Ninebot) operates as a global enterprise specializing in intelligent short-distance transportation and service robotics, with its delivery robot products deployed across hospitals, hotels, office buildings, and industrial parks in China and internationally.

Company Overview

Founded in Beijing in 2012, Ninebot rapidly established itself in the smart mobility sector before making a strategic acquisition of the iconic American company Segway in 2015. This merger combined Ninebot’s manufacturing capabilities and Chinese market access with Segway’s pioneering self-balancing technology and global brand recognition.

The company became the first enterprise to list on China’s STAR Market (Sci-Tech Innovation Board) through a Chinese Depositary Receipt (CDR) structure in October 2020, raising approximately CNY 2.077 billion. Ninebot also holds the distinction of being the first company to use a robot to ring the listing bell at the Shanghai Stock Exchange.

Backed by strategic investors including Xiaomi, Sequoia Capital, and Shunwei Capital from its 2014 Series A round, Ninebot has built a broad product ecosystem spanning personal mobility devices, commercial service robots, and robotic mobility platforms for third-party developers.

Core Products

Delivery Robot Series

Ninebot’s Segway Robotics division develops autonomous delivery robots designed for indoor and outdoor commercial environments, including healthcare facilities:

Segway DeliveryBot S2/D2: Indoor delivery robots capable of autonomous navigation through multi-story buildings, featuring LiDAR-based mapping, visual sensors for obstacle detection, and IoT-enabled elevator integration. These robots can handle up to 300 deliveries per day with an average delivery time of 8 minutes.

Segway Outdoor DeliveryBot X1: An outdoor autonomous delivery robot with 350L cargo capacity, designed for last-mile delivery between buildings in campuses, industrial parks, and hospital complexes.

九号饱饱 (Ninebot Delivery Robot): A restaurant and hotel service robot that has been deployed in major hotel chains including Marriott, Hilton, Jinjiang, and Atour, with cumulative deliveries exceeding 100 million across nearly 50 countries.

Robotic Mobile Platform (RMP)

Ninebot provides modular robotic chassis solutions (Lite220, Pro401, Plus401, Smart260) for third-party developers building specialized robots for indoor/outdoor delivery, warehouse logistics, inspection, and cleaning applications.

Technology & Innovation

Ninebot’s robotics technology stack incorporates several proprietary innovations:

• Multi-sensor fusion SLAM (Simultaneous Localization and Mapping) combining LiDAR, visual cameras, and depth sensors
• Reinforcement learning-based navigation algorithms for dynamic obstacle avoidance
• Cloud-based fleet management enabling real-time scheduling and monitoring
• Centimeter-level positioning accuracy using monocular camera systems
• Non-invasive elevator control modules for smooth multi-floor navigation

The company holds over 1,890 core patents globally across its mobility and robotics product lines, with continuous R&D investment supporting next-generation autonomous capabilities.

Market Presence

Ninebot’s service robots operate in multiple market segments:

Healthcare: Delivery robots deployed in hospitals for medication delivery, medical supply transport, and patient meal distribution. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Ninebot robots were widely used in Chinese hospitals and quarantine hotels for contactless delivery.

Hospitality: Service robots operating in hotels including partnerships with Marriott, Hilton, and major Chinese hotel groups covering thousands of properties.

Commercial Buildings: Office park and industrial zone deployments for food delivery, parcel distribution, and facility services.

In 2024, Ninebot announced a collaboration with NVIDIA to develop the Nova Orin Developer Kit, accelerating the development of next-generation autonomous mobile robots.

Key Milestones

• 2012: Ninebot founded in Beijing
• 2014: Secured $80M Series A funding from Xiaomi, Sequoia, Shunwei Capital
• 2015: Acquired Segway, merging two mobility technology leaders
• 2019: Launched DeliveryBot S2 and Outdoor DeliveryBot X1 at Beijing AI mobility event
• 2020: Listed on Shanghai STAR Market as first CDR company (689009.SH)
• 2020: Deployed delivery robots in hospitals and hotels during COVID-19 pandemic
• 2024: Partnered with NVIDIA on Nova Orin robotics development platform
• 2025: Expanded delivery robot deployments to nearly 50 countries globally

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Ninebot make medical robots?

Ninebot produces general-purpose delivery and service robots that are used in healthcare settings for logistics tasks such as medication delivery, meal distribution, and medical supply transport. These are commercial service robots, not medical devices, and do not require medical device regulatory approval (NMPA/FDA/CE Mark for medical devices).

What is the difference between Ninebot and Segway?

Segway and Ninebot merged in 2015 when Ninebot acquired Segway. Today, Segway-Ninebot operates as a unified company with Segway as a product brand. The robotics division operates under “Segway Robotics” while the parent company is listed as “Ninebot Limited” (九号公司) on the Shanghai Stock Exchange.

Where are Ninebot delivery robots deployed?

Ninebot delivery robots are deployed across hotels, hospitals, office buildings, industrial parks, and residential complexes in China and nearly 50 countries globally. Major customers include Marriott, Hilton, Jinjiang Group, and various healthcare institutions.