Startups in robotics often struggle in the early days. Many founders have strong ideas but lack funding, industry connections, and the right infrastructure to turn prototypes into real companies. That early gap between research and business is where many promising robotics ideas fail.
To address this challenge, the Technical University of Munich (TUM) launched a robotics incubator, robo.innovate, through the Munich Institute of Robotics and Machine Intelligence (MIRMI). The program helps founders move from early concepts to real products and companies.
The incubator has now received fresh backing. The Bavarian Ministry of Economic Affairs will provide €3.5 million in funding over the next three and a half years, extending support for the program.
At the same time, robotics company NEURA Robotics has joined as the incubator’s first industry sponsor.
Raised €52M
The program launched in late 2021 and has already delivered strong results. Between 2022 and 2025, startups supported by robo.innovate raised €52 million in investment funding.
The incubator works closely with students, researchers, investors, and industry partners. Its goal is to help founders move from a basic idea to a working prototype and eventually to a market-ready product.
“We connect and support students, researchers, industry and investors in start-up projects and accompany founding teams on their journey from an idea to a successful company,” says robo.innovate Managing Director Nicole Ebner.
The program offers office space for founders and gives them access to the well-known UnternehmerTUM MakerSpace, where teams can build and test hardware prototypes.
It also runs robotics hackathons, workshops, and networking events to help startups develop and meet potential partners.
More than 100 startups supported
In just four years, robo.innovate has supported more than 100 startup teams.
According to Prof. Eckehard Steinbach of the Munich Institute of Robotics and Machine Intelligence (MIRMI), around half of the teams supported go on to found their own start-up.
“In total, our robotics start-ups have generated 52 million euros in revenue over the last four years,” says Steinbach.
The startups include biodiversity specialists Hula Earth, the developers of trash-picking robots at Angsa Robotics, and the team at Olive Robotics, which develops a modular robotics system.
Bavaria’s Minister of Economic Affairs Hubert Aiwanger says: “robo.innovate helps young talents in transform ideas in the future-oriented fields of robotics and AI into viable business models. This gives Bavaria’s economy a powerful boost: New start-ups are emerging, and innovations are flowing into existing companies through contracts and collaborations. We have therefore extended funding for robo.innovate until 30 June 2029 and increased it to a total of over EUR 7 million. I am delighted that so many teams have already been successful and that the Gründerland Bayern initiative has been able to accompany them on their journey. My thanks also go to the first sponsor from the industry sector!”
Alongside government funding, robotics manufacturer NEURA Robotics is now supporting the incubator as its first industry sponsor. Founder and CEO David Reger said the company wants to help the next generation of robotics entrepreneurs.
“Complex, intelligent robotics should come from Germany. That’s why we support those who want to shape the future of this technology with new ideas and entrepreneurial courage. robo.innovate is an ideal platform for this. We are delighted to support the initiative and thus assist many young talents and start-up teams on their way to the robotics of tomorrow,” says David Reger, CEO and founder of NEURA Robotics.
