StartupBlink

1614 Top startups in Shanghai for August 2026

We rank UNISOC, ThePaper.cn and ROX Motor in Shanghai along with 1611 other startups based on an algorithm that scores startups based on total investment, employee count, and quarterly website traffic. Shanghai startup ecosystem ranks #8 globally and #2 in China.

Powered by

Category

Startups

Unicorns

Exits

Coworking Spaces

Accelerators

Top Unicorn Startups in Shanghai for 2026

Twenty eight startups have achieved unicorn status by exceeding USD 1 billion in valuation. Collectively, the top three unicorns in Shanghai have raised more than USD 32.4B.
1st
Xiaohongshu logo
XiaohongshuSB Score: 807

Xiaohongshu (Little Red Book) is a popular social media and e-commerce platform in China that combines lifestyle content with user reviews and shopping. It offers a unique blend of shopping inspiration and community-driven recommendations for users.

View Full Page
Website
xiaohongshu.com
Employee range
1,001 – 5,000
Web Traffic (Monthly)
Funding amount
$917.7M
National Rank(China)
Regional Rank(East Asia)
Global Rank(Worldwide)
2nd
Ximalaya FM logo
Ximalaya FMSB Score: 685

Ximalaya FM is a leading Chinese podcast platform valued at $3.5B. Despite intense competition, the company has carved out a successful niche in the industry. Engage with a variety of podcasts and content on this popular platform.

View Full Page
Website
www.ximalaya.com
Employee range
1,001 – 5,000
Web Traffic (Monthly)
Funding amount
$2B
National Rank(China)
Regional Rank(East Asia)
Global Rank(Worldwide)
3rd
Huaqin Communication Technology logo

Huaqin Telecom Technology ranks first in the smartphone and tablet ODM industry globally whose main business covers smartphones, tablets, notebooks, servers, and IoT products. Moreover, Huaqin is a Google ODM partner to provide a way for a brand company to build AndroidTM devices with Google Mobile Services which the Android team at Google certifies to ensure they are secure and ready to run apps from Google and Google Play Store. HQ focuses on the design, development, and production of phones, tablets, and other products, providing competitive products for their customers. Its products are exported to more than 100 countries and regions, covering Asia, Africa, Latin America, Europe, and other areas. By 2015, HQ accumulatively shipped more than 200 million mobile phones. The annual shipment of tablets reached more than 5 million units. And HQ can provide leading 4G products. HQ adheres to the concept of “Integrity, Diligence, Focus, Innovation” and dedicates to providing more advanced and competitive products to create a prosperous sustainable development future.

View Full Page
Website
www.huaqin.com
Employee range
10,001+
Web Traffic (Monthly)
Funding amount
$297.6M
National Rank(China)
Regional Rank(East Asia)
Global Rank(Worldwide)

Total amount:28

Best Startups in Shanghai for 2026

1st
UNISOC logo
UNISOCSB Score: 642

UNISOC is a fabless semiconductor company committed to the independent R&D of core chipsets in mobile communications and IoT. Their products cover mobile chipset platforms supporting 2G / 3G / 4G communication standards, RF chipsets, wireless connection chipsets, security chipsets, TV chipsets, and image sensor chipsets. With more than 4,500 staff, 14 R&D centers and 7 customer support centers around the world(as of Jan 2018), UNISOC has been the top 3 mobile baseband chipsets supplier in terms of global market share, and the largest pan-chip supplier in China.

View Full Page
Website
www.unisoc.com
Employee range
5,001 – 10,000
Web Traffic (Monthly)
Funding amount
$2.1B
National Rank(China)
Regional Rank(East Asia)
Global Rank(Worldwide)
2nd
ThePaper.cn logo
ThePaper.cnSB Score: 641

ThePaper.cn, an online media start-up backed by the Shanghai United Media Group .ThePaper.cn, which was created as a new media start-up under Dongfang Daily, has also launched two new units: an online video platform and an English language online publication Sixth Tone.

View Full Page
Website
www.thepaper.cn
Employee range
501 – 1,000
Web Traffic (Monthly)
Funding amount
$147M
National Rank(China)
Regional Rank(East Asia)
Global Rank(Worldwide)
3rd
ROX Motor logo
ROX MotorSB Score: 624

ROX Motor specializes in crafting off-road new energy vehicles, focusing on innovative smart car technologies. The company is dedicated to advancing research and development in new energy power, intelligent cockpits, and autonomous driving, delivering exciting solutions for adventurous drivers seeking cutting-edge vehicle performance.

View Full Page
Website
www.roxmotor.com
Employee range
10,001+
Web Traffic (Monthly)
Funding amount
$1.4B
National Rank(China)
Regional Rank(East Asia)
Global Rank(Worldwide)
4th
Xtransfer logo
XtransferSB Score: 610

XTransfer is a one-stop financial and risk management service provider committed to making cross-border payment effortless and cost-effective for SME traders. It connects large financial institutions with SMEs worldwide through technology so that SMEs may enjoy the same level of financial services as multinational groups.

View Full Page
Website
www.xtransfer.cn
Employee range
1,001 – 5,000
Web Traffic (Monthly)
Funding amount
$168M
National Rank(China)
Regional Rank(East Asia)
Global Rank(Worldwide)
5th
Mabang ERP logo
Mabang ERPSB Score: 605

Mabang Technology is a company that specializes in full-process cross-border e-commerce ERP management software solutions. It includes professional ERP, Amazon-specific ERP, Southeast Asia overseas ERP, WMS, cloud warehouse, TMS, cross-border distribution, SCM, and other product modules aimed at serving cross-border e-commerce practitioners at various stages and fields. Foreign sellers create digital technology infrastructure, reengineer processes, reduce costs, and increase efficiency. It primarily offers services to cross-border overseas sellers such as store opening, product selection development, order management, warehousing and logistics, supply chain, finance, and sales channel expansion.

View Full Page
Website
www.mabangerp.com
Employee range
501 – 1,000
Web Traffic (Monthly)
Funding amount
$77.2M
National Rank(China)
Regional Rank(East Asia)
Global Rank(Worldwide)
6th
Hozon logo
HozonSB Score: 574

Hozon integrates hardware products and software services through innovative technology research and development, intelligent manufacturing, and multi-channel sales services. Through the development of electricity, intelligence, and connectivity, they are committed to creating cost-effective Intelligent electric vehicles of high quality, providing users with a simple, intuitive, and comfortable travel experience.

View Full Page
Website
www.hozonauto.com
Employee range
5,001 – 10,000
Web Traffic (Monthly)
Funding amount
$3.9B
National Rank(China)
Regional Rank(East Asia)
Global Rank(Worldwide)
8th
Soul logo
SoulSB Score: 571

Launched in 2016, Soul App is now one of the leading social networking applications in China. With a robust user base among Chinese Gen Z, Soul was designed to empower self-value expression and foster genuine relationships based on interest graphs and AI algorithms. Soul aspires to build a virtual social playground for its users to socialize, connect and maintain relationships free from the geographic and social constraints. Soul is the first social networking platform in China that requires all users to interact through avatars, and has a unique business model driven by the integration of intensive user interactions and an engaging community. Soul distinguishes itself from other peers with focus on virtual identities, open-ended relationships based on interest graphs, extensive user generated content (UGC), decentralized content distribution and its proprietary technologies. Nowadays, Soul pioneers in embracing the AI technologies in the social networking industry to meet the evolving social demand from the younger generation. In 2020, Soul kicked off its AIGC technology R&D. In 2023, Soul launched a proprietary large language model (LLM), Soul X, and has seamlessly embedded AI capabilities across use cases on its platform, which epitomizes Soul's product philosophy of the “Synergic Model-application Interplay”.

View Full Page
Website
www.soulapp.cn
Employee range
1,001 – 5,000
Web Traffic (Monthly)
Funding amount
$401.6M
National Rank(China)
Regional Rank(East Asia)
Global Rank(Worldwide)
9th
Zhihuishu.com logo
Zhihuishu.comSB Score: 567
EdtechEducation-Other

Zhihuishu.com offers a credit course operation service platform that assists member colleges and universities in realizing cross-university course sharing and mutual credit recognition, as well as complete cross-university course selection. With the Zhihuishu.com platform and a three-in-one business model, it assists colleges and universities in completing the introduction of high-quality courses and the implementation of supporting services.

View Full Page
Website
www.zhihuishu.com
Employee range
1,001 – 5,000
Web Traffic (Monthly)
Funding amount
$53.1M
National Rank(China)
Regional Rank(East Asia)
Global Rank(Worldwide)
10th
China UnionPay Merchant Services logo

China UnionPay Merchant Services engages in nationwide payment services for China UnionPay-labeled cards. It provides financial services to clients such as cardholders and companies, particularly in payments. China UnionPay Merchant Services began operation in 2002, with its headquarters in Shanghai in China. China UnionPay Merchant Services operates as a subsidiary of China UnionPay.

View Full Page
Website
www.chinaums.com
Employee range
501 – 1,000
Web Traffic (Monthly)
Funding amount
$318.8M
National Rank(China)
Regional Rank(East Asia)
Global Rank(Worldwide)
11th
Zhiji Auto logo
Zhiji AutoSB Score: 563

Zhiji Automobile specializes in the fields of developing and manufacturing electric vehicles. Zhiji Automobile is jointly created by SAIC Group and Alibaba Group. The company was founded in 2020 and is headquartered in Shanghai, China.

View Full Page
Website
www.immotors.com/website/l7_detail
Employee range
501 – 1,000
Web Traffic (Monthly)
Funding amount
$1.7B
National Rank(China)
Regional Rank(East Asia)
Global Rank(Worldwide)

Total amount:926

Most Funded Startups in Shanghai for 2026

The top three most funded startups in Shanghai have raised total funding of more than USD 8.34B. Hozon has 0.64% more funding than Sunwoda Electric Vehicle Battery.
1st
Hozon logo
HozonSB Score: 574

Hozon integrates hardware products and software services through innovative technology research and development, intelligent manufacturing, and multi-channel sales services. Through the development of electricity, intelligence, and connectivity, they are committed to creating cost-effective Intelligent electric vehicles of high quality, providing users with a simple, intuitive, and comfortable travel experience.

View Full Page
Website
www.hozonauto.com
Employee range
5,001 – 10,000
Web Traffic (Monthly)
Funding amount
$3.9B
National Rank(China)
Regional Rank(East Asia)
Global Rank(Worldwide)
2nd
Sunwoda Electric Vehicle Battery logo

Sunwoda Electric Vehicle Batter provides electric vehicle battery pack solutions for new energy vehicle companies through advanced lithium battery integration technology. They built the BMS with independent intellectual property rights by dedicating their entire ability to the R&D and manufacturing of electric car battery systems, and they also built up automatic production lines for cell sorting, modules, and battery packs.

View Full Page
Website
www.sunwoda-evb.com
Employee range
10,001+
Web Traffic (Monthly)
Funding amount
$2.3B
National Rank(China)
Regional Rank(East Asia)
Global Rank(Worldwide)
3rd
UNISOC logo
UNISOCSB Score: 642

UNISOC is a fabless semiconductor company committed to the independent R&D of core chipsets in mobile communications and IoT. Their products cover mobile chipset platforms supporting 2G / 3G / 4G communication standards, RF chipsets, wireless connection chipsets, security chipsets, TV chipsets, and image sensor chipsets. With more than 4,500 staff, 14 R&D centers and 7 customer support centers around the world(as of Jan 2018), UNISOC has been the top 3 mobile baseband chipsets supplier in terms of global market share, and the largest pan-chip supplier in China.

View Full Page
Website
www.unisoc.com
Employee range
5,001 – 10,000
Web Traffic (Monthly)
Funding amount
$2.1B
National Rank(China)
Regional Rank(East Asia)
Global Rank(Worldwide)

Total amount:926

Top Hiring Startups in Shanghai by Employee Number

The top three hiring startups in Shanghai have an median employee size that is between [10001+]
1st
ROX Motor logo
ROX MotorSB Score: 624

ROX Motor specializes in crafting off-road new energy vehicles, focusing on innovative smart car technologies. The company is dedicated to advancing research and development in new energy power, intelligent cockpits, and autonomous driving, delivering exciting solutions for adventurous drivers seeking cutting-edge vehicle performance.

View Full Page
Website
www.roxmotor.com
Employee range
10,001+
Web Traffic (Monthly)
Funding amount
$1.4B
National Rank(China)
Regional Rank(East Asia)
Global Rank(Worldwide)
2nd
Sunwoda Electric Vehicle Battery logo

Sunwoda Electric Vehicle Batter provides electric vehicle battery pack solutions for new energy vehicle companies through advanced lithium battery integration technology. They built the BMS with independent intellectual property rights by dedicating their entire ability to the R&D and manufacturing of electric car battery systems, and they also built up automatic production lines for cell sorting, modules, and battery packs.

View Full Page
Website
www.sunwoda-evb.com
Employee range
10,001+
Web Traffic (Monthly)
Funding amount
$2.3B
National Rank(China)
Regional Rank(East Asia)
Global Rank(Worldwide)
3rd
Longcheer logo
LongcheerSB Score: 538

Longcheer provides design solutions for mobile telecommunications devices. It offers hardware, software, and system testing and exterior design solutions. The company also manufactures, sells, and trades in mobile handsets, mobile handset printed circuits, data products, and related materials. The company is also involved in property investment activities. Longcheer Holdings Limited was founded in 2002 and is based in Shanghai, China.

View Full Page
Website
www.longcheer.com
Employee range
10,001+
Web Traffic (Monthly)
Funding amount
$100M
National Rank(China)
Regional Rank(East Asia)
Global Rank(Worldwide)

Total amount:1614

Explore More Top Startups

Explore the Startup Ecosystem of Shanghai

National Rank

(China)

2nd

0

Regional Rank

(East Asia)

2nd

0

Global Rank

(WorldWide)

8th

1

Visit

Top Cities for Startups in China - Ranked by StartupBlink

StartupBlink ranks the startup ecosystems of more than 100 countries and 1,000 cities. Download our latest Global Startup Ecosystem Report.
2026 National Rank CityGlobal RankTotal Score & National ShareAnnual Growth

Access subscores for 1000 cities and 100 countries

Quantity Score
Quality ScoreBusiness Score
1st
0
6th
-
1
107.67828.6%
0.0%
00.00
00.00
00.00
2nd
0
8th
-
1
81.43021.7%
0.0%
00.00
00.00
00.00
Microsoft Excel icon
Download CSV file