AsianFin -- Fortune China on Thursday released its latest ranking of the top 50 tech companies in the country, spotlighting emerging innovators such as DeepSeek, Unitree, and DEEP Robotics — all making strong debuts after missing last year’s list. Experts view this as a sign of China’s growing competitiveness in artificial intelligence (AI) and its accelerating capacity for homegrown innovation.

DeepSeek, a rising star in the large-language model (LLM) space, claimed the second spot on the list, trailing only tech giant Huawei, according to Fortune China’s website. The company’s rapid ascent reflects the growing influence of AI start-ups in shaping China’s technology landscape.

The robotics sector also saw notable newcomers. Unitree, a unicorn start-up specializing in quadruped robots and dexterous robotic arms, ranked ninth. DEEP Robotics, known for its intelligent bionic robots, and ROKAE Robotics, a leading firm in flexible robotics, also earned prominent positions on the list.