D-Link has publicly confirmed its entry into robotics for the first time, establishing a dedicated subsidiary – D-Link Robot, registered with Taiwan’s Ministry of Economic Affairs last week – focused on AI therapeutic robots. CEO CJ Chang said therapeutic robots will begin shipping in Q2 2027, with initial shipments expected to exceed 100,000 units. Future versions are planned to add care-related functions including vital-sign monitoring and fall prevention.
The move is a deliberate pivot away from D-Link’s core networking equipment business, which Chang described as entering a period of reinvention after years of restructuring. He characterized the first quarter of 2026 as a restart point for the company.
A Software-First Robotics Strategy
D-Link’s approach to robotics is explicitly differentiated from hardware-focused competitors. Chang said the company will not compete in robot hardware. Instead, D-Link Robot will focus on large language models, vision models, fee-based services, and management platforms, with therapeutic robots as the initial commercial application. Several robotics companies have already approached D-Link about partnerships, according to Chang, drawn by the company’s established international sales channels and brand presence in enterprise networking markets.
The software and platform positioning is strategically coherent for a company without robotics manufacturing capability. Rather than entering a hardware market already dominated by Chinese manufacturers with government subsidies and established supply chains, D-Link is targeting the intelligence and service layer – the AI models and management platforms that sit above the hardware and generate recurring revenue.
Market Rationale
Chang cited research identifying therapeutic robots as a sector likely to sustain growth under the broader AI wave, alongside the silver economy, emotional consumption markets, and the single-person household economy as areas where D-Link sees development potential. Japan, which D-Link is already targeting for secure networking projects, is a natural initial market for therapeutic and elder care robots given its demographic profile and existing technology adoption in care settings.
On the competitive landscape, Chang observed that China’s more than 600 robotics companies benefit from strong government subsidies – but that once those subsidies taper off, the companies capable of expanding internationally will be the ones that survive. D-Link’s established international distribution infrastructure is the asset it is positioning against that eventual consolidation.
Financial Context
D-Link posted consolidated revenue of NT$3.44 billion ($109 million) in Q1 2026, up 3.1% year-on-year, with gross margin reaching 25.3% – meeting a commitment Chang made three years ago. Operating profit reached NT$31.55 million. Chang said robot and new product launches should gradually lift gross margin back toward 30%, with 2027 expected to be stronger still as two to three additional new products enter the pipeline alongside the robotics business.
