The 100-metre world record of Usain Bolt, the Jamaican sprinter regarded as the fastest man ever to have lived, has been broken!
Usain Bolt is widely regarded as the fastest and greatest sprinter of all time. The Jamaican athlete is an eight-time Olympic champion and eleven-time world champion, having won both the 100 metres and 200 metres at three consecutive Olympic Games – in 2008, 2012 and 2016 – and held the 100-metre world record ever since.
But only until 2026.
In August, a Chinese “competitor”, TianGong Ultra, broke Bolt’s 100-metre record. Not at an official Olympic event, of course, but at the World Humanoid Robot Games held in Beijing – essentially the “Robot Olympics”. Yes, that is now a thing. Over the course of the competition, the robot improved significantly on its own performance, cutting its 100-metre time from 9.39 seconds in the heats to an astonishing 8.64 seconds in the final, comfortably surpassing Usain Bolt’s previous (human) world record of 9.58 seconds.
In August 2026, the world’s first comprehensive international sports and technology games specifically created for humanoid – that is, human-shaped – robots were held for the second time. More than 2,000 humanoid robots from 666 teams representing 16 countries competed against one another. Alongside sporting events – including athletics, ball games, team sports, combat sports and artistic performances – robots designed for practical, everyday applications were also put to the test. They competed in areas such as warehousing and logistics, material handling and even tourism, performing tasks ranging from hotel cleaning to working as receptionists.
From an investor’s perspective, the development of robotics, the emergence of promising start-ups and, above all, the “evolution” of humanoid robots are also well worth watching. The industry could be on the verge of rapid growth over the coming years and decades, supported by the advances in artificial intelligence currently unfolding before our eyes.
The vast majority of companies specialising in humanoid robotics – particularly pure-play start-ups – are still privately held. However, major players in the sector are already listed on stock exchanges, while the first acquisitions and a new wave of IPOs are beginning to emerge in both the United States and China.
At present, the United States is home to much of the software and AI expertise at the forefront of humanoid robotics. Prominent examples include Tesla’s Optimus and Boston Dynamics’ Atlas, with Boston Dynamics itself owned by South Korea’s Hyundai Motor Group.
Competition is intense and, importantly, increasingly significant from a geostrategic perspective, particularly between the United States and China. After all, the potential applications of humanoid robots may ultimately be limited only by human imagination. The robot that set the new 100-metre “record” was also developed by a Chinese company: the Beijing Humanoid Robot Innovation Center, established in 2023 as a collaborative initiative bringing together a number of companies within the robotics ecosystem. At the same time, the mass production and commercialisation of robots designed for everyday civilian and household use have already begun. One of China’s largest manufacturers recently debuted on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, and its products can already be ordered – although at a price comparable to that of a well-equipped passenger car. While sales have been restricted in the United States, elsewhere a two-legged humanoid robot can already be added to an online shopping cart with a single click – or, for owners looking for a somewhat less talkative companion, even a robotic dog.
From an investment perspective, it is important to recognise that the manufacturer of the final product is not always the most compelling investment story. Other participants in the value chain – particularly suppliers – may be equally, or even more, interesting. The current AI infrastructure boom provides a good example. As investment in data centres has surged, Taiwanese and South Korean processor and memory manufacturers have emerged as major beneficiaries of the massive capital expenditure programmes of US hyperscalers such as Microsoft, Apple, Amazon and Alphabet (Google). This has been driven by the dramatic increase in demand for processors and memory components.
Europe may also have an important role to play in the robotics revolution, even if it currently trails the leading players somewhat. Its strength could lie in component manufacturing – for example, in producing critical magnetic encoders and calibration systems required for robotic joints and motion control.
Of course, we do not yet know which companies will ultimately emerge as the stock-market winners of the future. What is clear, however, is that the industry has substantial long-term growth potential.
This is why the sector represents an important investment theme for the VIG MegaTrend Equity Investment Fund, which focuses on major technological trends, the VIG InnovationTrend ESG Equity Investment Fund, which focuses on innovative technologies and the VIG Emerging Market ESG Equity Investment Fund, which provides exposure to the full AI value chain, from the United States to South Korean and Taiwanese high-tech companies.
Featured fund: VIG Emerging Market ESG Equity Investment Fund
Through its exposure to Taiwan and South Korea, the fund’s portfolio participates in the growth of the semiconductor, memory chip, artificial intelligence and data-centre industries, while not being built exclusively around any single investment theme.
The combination of different industries and thematic exposures helps create a more diversified, balanced and resilient portfolio, while maintaining its ability to participate in global structural growth trends.
The fund is managed by Csaba Miklós, Portfolio Manager.
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