36Kr Launches Its 2026 Most-Watched Companies List, Spotlighting Long-Termism and Real Value

36Kr’s venture research institute has opened its 2026 Most-Watched Companies selection, aiming to identify businesses that continue to earn sustained attention from investors as the primary market shifts from hype to value validation. The message is clear: capital is moving away from storytelling and fundraising speed toward technical moats, commercialization, sustainable growth, and real industrial deployment. Sectors such as AI, robotics, embodied intelligence, and domestic computing power are emerging as key areas to watch.

Overview and Context

This article is summarized from 36kr. The main point is: 36氪创投研究院宣布启动2026年度“最受关注”企业名册评选，试图在一级市场从追逐概念转向验证价值的新阶段，梳理真正被资本持续关注的企业样本。文章所传递的核心信号是，投资标准正在从讲故事、拼融资速度，转向技术壁垒、商业化闭环、可持续增长与产业落地能力，尤其是AI、机器人、具身智能、国产算力等方向，正成为资本重新配置资源的重要观察窗口。. It is categorized under 技术/工具 and saved in English at digest build time.

In the rapidly evolving first quarter of 2026, this development has attracted significant attention across the AI industry. According to reports from , the announcement immediately sparked intense discussions across social media and industry forums. Multiple industry analysts view this not as an isolated event, but as a microcosm of deeper structural changes in the AI sector.

Since the beginning of 2026, the pace of AI industry development has notably accelerated. OpenAI completed a historic $110 billion funding round in February, Anthropic's valuation surpassed $380 billion, and xAI merged with SpaceX at a combined valuation of $1.25 trillion. Against this macro backdrop, this development is no coincidence—it reflects a critical transition from the "technology breakthrough phase" to the "mass commercialization phase."

Deep Analysis

Technical and Strategic Dimensions

This development reflects several key trends in the current AI landscape. The industry is witnessing a fundamental shift from model capability competition to ecosystem competition—encompassing developer experience, compliance infrastructure, cost efficiency, and vertical industry expertise.

The technical implications are multi-layered. As AI systems become more capable and autonomous, the complexity of deployment, security, and governance increases proportionally. Organizations must balance the desire for cutting-edge capabilities with practical considerations of reliability, security, and regulatory compliance.

Market Dynamics

The market implications extend beyond the directly involved parties. In the highly interconnected AI ecosystem, every major event triggers cascading effects across the value chain:

  • **Infrastructure providers** may see shifts in demand patterns, particularly as GPU supply remains constrained
  • **Application developers** face an evolving landscape of tools and services, requiring careful evaluation of vendor viability and ecosystem health
  • **Enterprise customers** are increasingly sophisticated in their requirements, demanding clear ROI, measurable business value, and reliable SLA commitments

Industry Impact

Competitive Landscape Evolution

The AI industry in 2026 is characterized by intensifying competition across multiple dimensions. Major technology companies are pursuing acquisitions, partnerships, and internal R&D simultaneously, attempting to establish advantages at every point in the AI value chain.

Key competitive dynamics include:

1. **The open-source vs. closed-source tension** continues to reshape pricing and go-to-market strategies

2. **Vertical specialization** is emerging as a sustainable competitive advantage

3. **Security and compliance capabilities** are becoming table-stakes rather than differentiators

4. **Developer ecosystem strength** increasingly determines platform adoption and retention

Global Perspective

This development also has implications for the global AI landscape. The US-China AI competition continues to intensify, with Chinese companies like DeepSeek, Qwen, and Kimi pursuing differentiated strategies—lower costs, faster iteration, and products more closely tailored to local market needs. Meanwhile, Europe is strengthening its regulatory framework, Japan is investing heavily in sovereign AI capabilities, and emerging markets are beginning to develop their own AI ecosystems.

Future Outlook

Near-Term Projections (3-6 Months)

In the near term, we expect to see competitive responses from rival companies, developer community evaluation and adoption feedback, and potential investment market re-evaluation of related sectors.

Long-Term Trends (12-18 Months)

Over a longer horizon, this development may catalyze several trends:

  • **Accelerated commoditization of AI capabilities** as model performance gaps narrow
  • **Deeper vertical industry AI integration** with domain-specific solutions gaining advantage
  • **AI-native workflow redesign** moving beyond augmentation to fundamental process redesign
  • **Regional AI ecosystem divergence** based on regulatory environments, talent pools, and industrial foundations

The convergence of these trends will profoundly reshape the technology industry landscape, making continued observation and analysis essential for stakeholders across the ecosystem.