On September 12, 2016, in a cozy coffee shop located in Nanshan, Shenzhen, three young entrepreneurs came together to finalize their business plan. Just 11 days later, they officially became partners and founded Step Robot, a startup with big ambitions in the field of exoskeleton technology.
One year and two months later, on the bustling day of Double Eleven, Step Robot unveiled its first exoskeleton robot designed for hemiplegic patients—the BEAR-H1. The mission of this groundbreaking device is clear: to help individuals who use wheelchairs stand up and walk again, offering them a renewed sense of independence and mobility.
When the company was first established, it had only three members: Chen Gong as CEO, Ye Jing as CTO, and Hu Feng as COO. Their initial office was a small space that could fit just six people, nestled within an incubator in the software industry base of Nanshan. Despite the modest beginnings, the team was driven by a shared vision.
Chen Gong, a graduate of Shanghai Jiaotong University, pursued his Ph.D. at the National University of Singapore, focusing on rehabilitation exoskeleton robots and flexible drive interaction technology. During his studies, he met Ye Jing, a postdoctoral researcher from the same lab. Ye Jing, who studied under renowned Japanese roboticist Kato Ichiro at Waseda University, also specialized in exoskeleton robotics. Together, they laid the foundation for what would become Step Robot.
After completing his doctorate, Chen Gong reached out to Hu Feng, a seasoned professional with extensive experience in automation and robotics. The three founders quickly aligned on their entrepreneurial goals and officially launched the company. In April of this year, Step Robot secured angel funding led by Lenovo Venture Capital, propelling the company into a fast growth phase.
In the past year and a half, Step Robot has grown from a team of three to nearly 30 employees. Their workspace expanded from a small co-working space to a large 1,000-square-meter office. After three generations of product iterations, the team developed the BEAR-H1—a mature, scalable exoskeleton robot now undergoing clinical trials in hospitals.
The BEAR-H1 stands out as the world's first flexible drive exoskeleton robot, with a price tag that is just one-third of similar foreign products. This innovation not only makes the technology more accessible but also improves safety, accuracy, and energy efficiency. The robot features powered joints on both hips, knees, and ankles, along with hip rotation assistance, enabling natural gait movement. It supports patients between 150-190 cm tall and under 85 kg, with an adjustable exoskeleton size and real-time gait monitoring through a touch screen interface.
Equipped with numerous sensors, the BEAR-H1 can detect body movements in real time and predict user intentions using AI algorithms. This allows the robot to adjust its support based on the user’s speed, direction, and movement patterns, enhancing the overall user experience.
Currently, the cost of exoskeleton robots remains a major barrier for many patients. Foreign models like Rewalk from Israel and Cyberdyne from Japan can cost between 60 to 100 million yuan per unit, making them unaffordable for most. Even the more affordable options can reach up to 2.5 million yuan, often requiring leasing arrangements.
Step Robot aims to change this dynamic. With the BEAR-H1, the company plans to offer a product that matches the functionality of international brands but at a significantly lower price—potentially half or even one-third of the cost of similar foreign models.
The exoskeleton robot market is expected to grow rapidly, with projections suggesting it could reach 100 billion yuan in the future. According to GrandView Research, the compound annual growth rate for exoskeleton robots is expected to be around 47% over the next five years, far exceeding the average growth rate of other medical robotics.
China, with its aging population and rising stroke incidence, is poised to become a major consumer of exoskeleton products. Currently, over 10 million stroke patients exist in China, growing by 10% annually. Additionally, there is a severe shortage of trained rehabilitation therapists, with only about 20,000 professionals available to serve millions of patients.
Despite the promising outlook, the exoskeleton robot industry still faces significant challenges. High technical barriers, high R&D costs, and limited product maturity make it a tough market to enter. Moreover, the medical sector is highly regulated, and exoskeleton robots are not yet covered by health insurance, making them inaccessible to many.
While companies like Rewalk and EKSO have already obtained FDA approval and are selling their products, no Chinese company has yet received CFDA certification or brought a commercial product to market. Step Robot continues to work toward this goal, aiming to bridge the gap between innovation and accessibility in the exoskeleton industry.
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