TUM Robotics Incubator Secures Additional Funding

The Bavarian Ministry of Economic Affairs is extending its support for the robo.innovate robotics incubator at the Technical University of Munich (TUM) and is providing €3.5 million in funding for the next three and a half years. In this funding phase, robotics manufacturer NEURA Robotics is also joining as the important first industry sponsor. Start-ups supported by robo.innovate attracted €52 million in investments during the first few years (2022 to 2025).

The robo.innovate initiative, launched at the end of 2021, supports founders from the initial idea all the way to a prototype and a marketable 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. Among other things, the incubator provides students with office space and access to the work spaces of UnternehmerTUM MakerSpace. Twice a year, robo.innovate also invites selected experts in robotics and AI to the exclusive SPICE event and organizes a robotics-specific hackathon, as well as various networking meetings and specialist workshops tailored specifically to the needs of robotics/AI.

More than 100 start-ups in four years

The initiative has already supported more than 100 start-ups to date. In the experience of robo.innovate co-initiator and project manager 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 start-ups include biodiversity specialists Hula Earth, the developers of trash-picking robots at Angsa Robotics, and the team at Olive Robotics with their modular robotics system.

"The fact that we are now receiving funding from the Bavarian Ministry of Economic Affairs for another three and a half years validates our approach. robo.innovate is highly familiar with the ecosystem of university research, industry, investors, start-ups and public funding agencies and can provide potential founders with targeted access to all relevant networks related to robotics, AI, medical technology, manufacturing and related technologies," says Prof. Eckehard Steinbach, Member of the Board of TUM MIRMI and Head of the Chair of Media Technology at TUM.

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!"

"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.