There’s a robotics race in Europe as investors chase a cohort of companies building products which can perform tasks on par with (or better than) humans, with the cutting-edge technology needed to master the built environment becoming cheaper and more powerful.
The technology is transforming factory production lines. Industrial installations on the continent rose 9% in 2023 to a new high, an uptick driven by the automotive industry, according to the International Federation of Robotics, an industry body.
But robotics startups in Europe aren’t just supplying factories with the tools to replace human labour. Some are building humanoid robots to do household chores like making coffee, ironing and hoovering.
Norwegian company 1X — which has raised more than $100m from investors such as EQT Ventures, Tiger Global and OpenAI — is one of them. Germany’s Neura Robotics is also developing a humanoid robot, and raised a €120m Series B in March this year.
Since the start of 2024 most robotics deals have been in the UK (25) Germany (18) and France (17), according to Sifted data. There have been 12 deals in Switzerland, with eight of those happening in Zurich — home to research powerhouse ETH.
To find out where the next hot deals might come from, Sifted polled investors from Founderful, Capnamic, Atomico, Startup Wise Guys and NP-Hard Ventures for the non-portfolio companies they’ve got an eye on.
Robotics startups to watch
Anke Huiskes, cofounder and managing partner at NP-Hard Ventures
Highcat — Germany
With China producing more than 80% of global drone components, Europe is dangerously exposed in times of geopolitical tension. Highcat, a Munich-based startup I got to know over the past few weeks, is tackling this head-on by building a sovereign, vertically integrated drone platform for Europe’s security sector.
Its product line up will range from ultralight reconnaissance to tactical and industrial drones, and vertically integrated. Its first product, the HCI, is a multicopter, a modular design that allows for rapid assembly, sensor swapping and compact transport — making it ideal for military and emergency scenarios.
Fizyr — Netherlands
Fizyr, a startup based in Delft, the Netherlands, is quietly powering the brains behind some of the world’s smartest robots. Its vision software helps robotic arms make sense of messy, unpredictable environments — like warehouses full of crumpled parcels and overlapping items.
Instead of needing perfect setups, Fizyr enables robots to see, adapt and pick almost anything on the fly. It works with major players like DHL and ABB, proving it’s not just a lab project. In a world where logistics needs to scale fast and labour is scarce, Fizyr is making automation actually work — and doing it with serious engineering chops behind the scenes.
Alex Stöckl, founding partner at Founderful
Xelerit — Switzerland
Xelerit is a Zürich-based startup working on industrial automation using a suite of three AI agents: one to connect your hardware together, one to convert your ideas into industrial-grade code and another to test, simulate and debug your code before you push it live. The team is made up of talent from ETH Zurich and the University of St Gallen.
Duatic — Switzerland
Duatic is a startup founded in Zürich by a team with more than 25 years of robotics, software and mechatronics experience. The company has developed three products: a robotic arm for mobile robotics use cases such as machine assembly or polishing on the production line, actuators (the ‘muscles’ which enable robotic movement) and a half-humanoid robot for things like floor to shelf object manipulation, which can carry up to 200kg.
Gravis Robotics — Switzerland
Gravis Robotics is developing an autonomous platform for heavy industrial vehicles and machinery using technology developed at ETH Zurich. Its tech is designed to turn any ‘earthmoving machine’ into a robot, and target industries include construction, mining and agriculture.
Olaf Jacobi, managing partner at Capnamic Ventures
Rivr — Switzerland
Rivr (formerly Swiss-Mile) is revolutionising delivery and robotics through General Physical AI, using hybrid wheeled-legged robots that navigate complex urban environments, including stairs and gates, to deliver directly to doorsteps. Backed by $25.7m in funding from investors such as Bezos Expeditions and Amazon’s Industrial Innovation Fund, Rivr is scaling real-world deployment with partners such as Veho and Evri.
Its robots generate valuable data with every run, creating a powerful learning loop that advances autonomy and manipulation skills. It was initially focused on last-100-yard delivery, but its platform is expandable to areas like security, inspections and infrastructure maintenance.
Neura Robotics — Germany
Neura Robotics — founded in 2019 in Metzingen, Germany — is pioneering ‘cognitive’ robots with AI, vision, touch and learning built directly into its hardware. In January 2025, it raised €120m in a Series B led by Lingotto, along with BlueCrest, Volvo Cars Tech Fund and others.
Its use cases include manufacturing (machine tending, welding, inspection), logistics (autonomous transport, inventory tasks), healthcare and in‑home services.
It is also building a cloud-based software platform, called the ‘Neuraverse’, through which its partners and customers develop their own robotic applications. That knowledge base then trains Neura’s robots.
Anybotics — Switzerland
Anybotics was founded in 2016 as an ETH Zurich robotics spinout, and develops four-legged autonomous robots called ‘ANYmal’ for industrial inspection. Its robots are capable of navigating complex, multi‑floor industrial environments, and use cases include routine inspections in oil & gas, chemicals, mining, utilities, rail and power plants. Its product can be used to detect gas leaks, check for thermal anomalies and monitor the condition of assets.
It last raised $60m from investors such as Bessemer Venture Partners, Swisscom Ventures and Qualcomm Ventures.
Ben Blume, partner at Atomico
Sunrise Robotics — Slovenia
Sunrise is building robotic cells that are designed to slot directly into existing factory setups, minimising disruption and reducing the need for costly reconfiguration. Its dual-arm systems are simulation-trained and quick to deploy, making automation accessible even for high-mix, low-volume manufacturers. It’s a practical, systems-first approach to modernising production without reinventing the shop floor.
Monumental — Netherlands
Construction sites are some of the messiest, most variable environments in the physical world. Monumental has taken the right approach by starting on-site from day one, building robots to handle real-world complexity from the ground up. Its robots can already transport materials and lay bricks autonomously, early proof of what it looks like when automation meets the realities of construction.
Ascento — Switzerland
Whilst most robotics efforts cluster around a few obvious verticals, Ascento is breaking that pattern. Its autonomous security robots combine agility, all-terrain capability and AI-driven surveillance in a category few startups are focused on. It’s a strong wedge into physical security, where reliability, cost-effectiveness and 24/7 coverage matter more than ever.
Automata — UK
Life sciences is already a sophisticated buyer of automation, which makes usability and workflow integration the true battleground. Automata gets that. Its LINQ platform — a fully integrated lab automation platform — is built to be open, intuitive and easy to adopt, making it possible for labs to move faster without needing a robotics PhD to do it. A rare example of deeptech that’s user-first by design.
Read the orginal article: https://sifted.eu/articles/12-robotics-startups-to-watch/
