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Overview
Emerging robotics trends address growing demands for industrial automation, digitalization, and sustainability. Automated guided vehicles (AGVs) and autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) handle material flows in warehouses. Collaborative robots work alongside humans for pick-and-place and assembly tasks. The robotics sector has also seen significant activity and investment in drones, humanoid robots, and robotics cybersecurity. This report summarizes key robotics trends, from smart robots and robotics-as-a-service to IoT integration.
McKinsey analyzed a sample of 8,949 global startups and scaleups to examine the top ten robotics trends and related companies. The analysis highlights data-driven innovations and provides an overview of emerging technologies and startups in the robotics industry. The findings were produced in collaboration with the StartUs Insights Discovery Platform, a large dataset covering more than 2.5 million startups and scaleups. The platform provides data on startups, emerging technologies, and industry trends.
1. Autonomous Mobile Robots (AMR)
Workers can be exposed to hazardous environments in production, such as toxic chemicals, confined spaces, or heavy machinery. Startups and scaleups deploy AMRs to automate a variety of industrial processes. AMRs combine sensors, AI, and computer vision to perceive the environment and navigate autonomously. In warehouses, AMRs scan inventory levels and perform automated material handling to prevent stockouts. They move components and parts across large factory floors, speeding operations and reducing the need to push heavy carts. AMRs are also used for autonomous disinfection in cleanrooms and hospitals, housekeeping services in hotels, and food and goods delivery in hospitality. Last-mile delivery (LMD) robots enable rapid, contactless delivery.
Ottobo Robotics: collaborative AMRs
Turkey-based startup Ottobo Robotics builds collaborative AMRs that automate material transport without changing warehouse infrastructure. Their AMRs use 2D and 3D LIDAR, depth cameras, and IoT to detect obstacles and navigate autonomously. A proprietary warehouse intelligence system provides analytics so operators can optimize movements and efficiency.
OttonomyIO: autonomous delivery robots
US-based startup OttonomyIO provides autonomous delivery robots that use behavior-based contextual navigation to move accurately through crowded areas. The robots enable contactless delivery of food, beverages, groceries, and other items to sidewalks, last-mile locations, and indoor environments, helping address staffing shortages and reduce emissions.
2. Smart Robots
Integrating AI with robotics enables robots to use real-time data and optimize tasks. Startups apply computer vision, reinforcement learning, machine learning, and dynamics modeling. Large datasets and real-time training improve accuracy and performance, enabling fast object recognition and better environmental perception for autonomous navigation. AI-driven robots can automate tasks from parts picking and placement to 3D printing and quality inspection. Retail and hospitality robots also use natural language processing to support customer interactions.
Sereact: AI-driven picking
Germany-based startup Sereact developed Capto, an intelligent software solution for robotic picking. Capto uses AI to optimize picking of known items and accelerate picking for new items. The software learns from operations and adjusts a robot’s grasping performance to meet requirements, freeing operators from repetitive tasks and improving floor productivity.
Loop Robots: intelligent disinfection robots
Netherlands-based startup Loop Robots developed SAM, an autonomous hospital disinfection robot. SAM navigates hospital facilities to disinfect air and surfaces autonomously, reducing chemical disinfectant use and helping prevent hospital-acquired infections.
3. Collaborative Robots
Unlike traditional industrial robots, collaborative robots include advanced sensors and software to ensure safe behavior around humans. They typically use end-of-arm tools (EOATs) to automate assembly tasks such as welding and screw driving. Collaborative robots lift heavy or hazardous materials and augment existing production lines with minimal downtime for integration. Advances in 5G and high-performance computing will further strengthen human-robot partnerships.
Rapid Robotics: EOATs
US-based Rapid Robotics built the Rapid Machine Operator (RMO), an AI-driven EOAT. RMO is a six-axis collaborative system that automates processes such as injection molding, hot-melt, ultrasonic welding, and pad printing. These collaborative robots can switch automatically between tasks, making them suitable for time-sensitive manufacturing operations and helping manufacturers improve efficiency and quality.
Safetics: collaborative robot safety analysis
South Korea-based startup Safetics offers safety analysis for collaborative robots. Their solution uses AI to analyze collision safety for robots operating alongside humans, enabling companies to develop safety-certified robots without installing extensive fences or additional sensors, thereby reducing costs while improving worker safety.
4. Robotics-as-a-Service (RaaS)
Developing and maintaining robots is costly and time-consuming, which limits adoption, especially among small businesses. RaaS offers a subscription-based model that allows companies to rent robots on demand and scale with changing market conditions. Cloud-based robotics enables providers to update configurations quickly and improve performance using real-time data.
Dynamic Division: industrial cleaning robots
Croatia-based Dynamic Division offers industrial floor-cleaning robots via subscription. Their robots are built with remanufactured components for cost-effectiveness and circularity. They autonomously navigate and automate processes such as detergent or water refilling, charging, and cleaning, reducing manual labor and cleaning time for small companies and warehouses.
Formic: industrial automation as a service
US-based startup Formic provides RaaS for industrial automation. Formic collaborates with robot manufacturers to build custom robots and offers them on a subscription basis. This enables manufacturers to automate maintenance, material handling, inspection, and welding, and to scale operations faster while automating difficult, dangerous, or time-consuming tasks.
5. Robotics Cybersecurity
Increased connectivity and IoT integration make robots vulnerable to cyberattacks. Applications in defense, manufacturing, healthcare, and aerospace require protection against unauthorized access. Robotics cybersecurity solutions protect endpoints and the connectivity stack to prevent data breaches and downtime. Startups deploy AI and machine learning for continuous network and device monitoring, enabling real-time detection of suspicious activity and reducing operational and financial losses.
Alias Robotics: robot endpoint security
Spain-based Alias Robotics offers the Robot Immune System (RIS), an endpoint protection platform for robots. RIS provides malware protection for robots and components and integrates antivirus, data encryption, and data loss prevention to address various threats. Alias Robotics also provides a secure data logger for investigating cyber incidents or robot failures, helping developers and users secure robots in industrial and commercial environments.
DroneSec: drone threat intelligence
Australia-based DroneSec developed DroneSec Notify, a threat-intelligence software for drones. It monitors fleets to provide real-time visibility and inspects drone data streams and sharing relationships to add data security layers. The software issues real-time alerts for suspicious activity so security teams can ground drones or migrate them to safer airspace to avoid sensitive data exposure.
6. Drones
Advances in edge computing, high-performance computing, and connectivity enable startups to build drones with greater range and functionality. Drones are used across industries for package delivery, aerial data capture, and infrastructure inspection. Agricultural drones monitor crops and livestock and deliver pesticides or seeds to precise locations. VTOL technologies increase usability in confined spaces, supporting emergency services during natural disasters and pandemics.
AgMaps: agricultural mapping
US-based AgMaps develops drones for crop mapping and reconnaissance. Their drones capture aerial imagery to provide overviews and close-ups of plants, weeds, and soil. This accelerates scouting and crop analysis and supports farm management and yield optimization.
Arventek: construction aerial surveying
Turkey-based Arventek provides drones for remote construction management. Their drones use computer vision to capture geospatial data. Arventek’s cloud platform RemoteSite creates 3D digital twins of sites for analysis, quality control, and budget monitoring, enabling project managers and clients to track progress, manage assets, and make data-driven decisions.
7. Machine-to-Thing IoT for Robotics
IoT supports sensing, monitoring, and tracking, while robots perform production, interaction, and autonomous tasks. Connected robots collect data and send it to edge computing platforms that drive performance and enable feedback-driven workflows. Edge IoT developments allow manufacturers to move computation closer to data sources, enabling near-real-time optimization. Machine-to-machine and machine-to-human communication improves collaboration between people and robots.
SKY POWERLINES: powerline inspection drones
Portugal-based SKY POWERLINES developed an IoT-enabled drone for aerial photogrammetry. It captures images of transmission and distribution lines to create 3D maps. A SaaS platform analyzes the images and produces reports, offering utilities a cost-effective alternative to large helicopters, manned aircraft, and laser scanning.
Marut Drones: agricultural IoT drones
India-based Marut Drones builds IoT-enabled agricultural drones. Using IoT and cameras to collect field data, their Agricopter supports accurate fertilizer application, irrigation, direct seeding, pest management, and crop monitoring for precision agriculture. Seedcopter focuses on rapid reforestation by identifying sites and sowing seeds.
8. Humanoid Robots
Startups develop humanoid robots for education, entertainment, hospitality, and healthcare. Post-pandemic demand has increased for humanoids used in non-contact cleaning and hospital operations. They can inspect and maintain power plants, support disaster recovery, and provide companionship for elderly or hospitalized people. Humanoids can also automate tasks to reduce costs and increase productivity.
Doozy Robotics: AI humanoid
Singapore-based Doozy Robotics developed Doozy, a humanoid robot. Using AI-based facial recognition and 3D depth sensing, Doozy can detect a person’s emotion, gender, age, and ethnicity. It combines lidar to distinguish objects from people and respond accurately. Doozy performs tasks such as teaching assistance and social interaction.
Jumple: in-store humanoids
Italy-based Jumple produces humanoid robots for retail. Their robots display product information and promotions as multimedia or gamified content, interact with customers to improve in-store experience, and collect data on buying behavior to help brands refine product recommendations and marketing strategies.
9. Automated Guided Vehicles (AGV)
AGVs transport materials in warehouses, distribution centers, and manufacturing facilities, following predictable paths guided by software and sensor-based navigation. Variants include AGCs for various payloads and forklift AGVs that move pallets without human intervention. AGVs reduce operating costs and time, and software controls acceleration and deceleration to reduce accidents and enhance worker safety. Many AGVs include automatic obstacle-detection bumpers for safe movement.
Filics: automated pallet transport
Germany-based Filics provides AGVs for automated pallet transport. Their AGVs feature two digitally controlled fork plates to lift and move pallets to desired positions, enabling floor-based pallet movement without separate transfer stations. AGVs can sort pallets in tight spaces and automatically load and unload trucks, saving time and infrastructure costs.
Multiway Robotics: material handling AGVs
A China-based startup Multiway Robotics develops driverless AGVs for material handling. With precise positioning and speed control, their AGVs automate palletizing, docking, and truck loading for internal logistics, helping manufacturers optimize on-site logistics while minimizing labor, time, and ground incidents.
10. Assistive Robots
Assistive robots enhance independence and quality of life for people with diverse abilities. They combine sensors and intelligent algorithms to perceive and process sensory information and interact with humans. Startups improve cognitive decision-making in robots to help elderly people, individuals with disabilities, or patients perform activities of daily living (ADLs) safely at home. Robotic assistive devices, such as powered exoskeletons, serve as rehabilitation tools to restore mobility for impaired individuals. Wearable robotic units also protect industrial workers from repetitive strain and fatigue while providing ergonomic support.
ORTHOPUS: robotic arm exoskeleton
France-based ORTHOPUS manufactures robotic exoskeletons for arm movement. Their devices assist people with movement disorders, neuromuscular diseases, and musculoskeletal conditions who find lifting their arms difficult or fatiguing. Exoskeletons support free or programmatic motion patterns and can be mounted on powered wheelchairs to enable daily tasks independently from caregivers.
Verve Motion: industrial wearable support
US-based Verve Motion developed the SafeLift Suit, a wearable robotic assistive device for industrial workers. Worn like a backpack, the suit helps prevent injury during lifting. It uses intuitive control systems and motion analysis to customize support for each worker, providing ergonomic protection for logistics, retail, and manufacturing personnel.
