Shanghai to Host 2026 GDPS International Embodied Intelligence Skills Competition for University Teams

The competition follows the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology and the State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission launching the 2026 Humanoid Robot and Embodied Intelligence Real-Scenario Training Special Action. Nine key scenarios are open to global solutions: manufacturing, inspection and analysis, maintenance, warehousing and logistics, delivery and retail, medical care and rehabilitation, work safety, emergency rescue, and disaster prevention and mitigation. Shanghai is a pilot city carrying out the national task.

The GDPS competition is described as not an ordinary contest. Participation is treated as a roadshow, and winning is tied to financing. It aims to identify teams whose technology can withstand real production conditions. Recruitment is open to student research teams from domestic and international universities and research institutions. Each team may have no more than five members, and at least one member must have experience in model debugging or embodied intelligence operation.

The competition is organized in stages. In the first stage, scenario and problem co-construction, scenario partners confirm participation, send experts to share real production-line pain points and provide replication drawings, turning enterprise pain points into competition directions. In the second stage, teams enter the site to build and test, conducting real-time joint debugging and iteration against actual production lines, with the simulated environment designed to closely match the real line. The third stage is the simulation competition from Oct. 23 to 25, when teams independently complete assigned tasks and face additional generalization problems on site, testing the robots' generalization ability.

Alongside the main simulation competition, a simulation contest will use real-scenario data collected from factories nationwide for online verification and to reserve strong teams. Quality teams will enter real-scenario training sites across the country for offline training and work to empower production lines, with winning teams recommended for orders. Selected outstanding teams and solutions will be recommended to the WAIC Embodied Intelligence Exhibition.

Judging uses three-party cross-validation. Scientists led by Academician Yao Qizhi will quantify motion precision, AI experts will assess full-machine maturity, and skilled masters will measure real-scenario work by human technician standards. There are nine scenarios and 23 competition events.

The recruitment notice lists awards under the heading of the 2025 Global Developer Pioneer Summit and International Embodied Intelligence Skills Competition, while the recruitment is for the 2026 GDPS event. Track champions receive tens of millions in investment matchmaking and direct access to the 2026 Middle East Dubai exhibition and the robot zone of the 2027 Shanghai International Auto Show. Second- and third-place teams receive million-level financing matchmaking. All winning teams are offered free professional FA financing counseling, a cash award guarantee, and one-on-one talks with leading investment institutions. Support includes Pudong New Area computing power, corpus and model vouchers, free training camps, early access to simulation datasets, free entry to Moli Community and AI Town, and coverage by CCTV and other national authoritative media. Winning robots will receive on-site certification certificates marking the corresponding job type and capability certification.

University teams have a separate path. They do not need to win a ranking. If they truly participate, submit algorithm results, pass screening and complete the real-scenario training and second-round training, they can receive an Honor Certificate stamped by the Global Developer Pioneer Summit Organizing Committee. The certificate records the team name, competition season, event and algorithm capability. The notice says the only threshold is real algorithm ability. It is not issued to participants who go through the motions, but certifies skills that can withstand competition testing. For students, the certificate can be used in resumes, job and further-study applications, awards and comprehensive evaluations, and as proof of participation in an international top-level event.

Registration is ongoing for universities worldwide, with more than 100 teams already assembled. The notice says teams can scan a QR code to register and compete for a million-yuan prize pool. Team recruitment consultation is available through Zhang at 13301889120.

Editor's Summary

The 2026 GDPS International Embodied Intelligence Skills Competition will take place in Shanghai from Oct. 23 to 25, tied to a national real-scenario training action for humanoid robots and embodied intelligence. It recruits university and research teams through a staged process of scenario co-construction, testing and simulation competition, with financing, investment access and certification rewards. Registration is open globally, with more than 100 teams already assembled.