RobCo Studio software program simplifies robotic workcell configuration and operations. | Credit score: RobCo
Roman Hölzl, cofounder and CEO of RobCo. | Credit score: LinkedIn
Munich-based modular robotics firm RobCo just lately opened its U.S. headquarters in San Francisco and commissioned Sapio Analysis to survey 400 U.S. industrial decision-makers throughout manufacturing, development, engineering, and healthcare.
The Automation Readiness Index survey examines how warehouses and factories are paying for automation and present roadblocks for the following wave of robots.
The corporate additionally just lately closed a Collection C funding of $100 million to advance its bodily AI roadmap, broaden enterprise deployments, and deepen its presence within the U.S. market.
“With $100 million of further funding, we are going to grow to be the dominant AI robotics firm for manufacturing within the U.S. and Europe,” acknowledged Roman Hölzl, founder and CEO of RobCo. “It will enable us to execute on our function of automating the atypical, so people can do the extraordinary.”
The largest takeaways from the Automation Readiness Index
The Robotic Report (Mike Oitzman): What do you assume was essentially the most stunning knowledge level within the current analysis report about automation utilization within the trade?
Roman Hölzl: It must be the sheer absolute quantity representing the scarcity of labor. The numbers present greater than 1.6 million unfilled jobs within the subsequent couple of years. And so the query is, how can we resolve that? Absolutely the variety of greater than 1,000,000 jobs within the manufacturing sector between the U.S. and Europe that can stay unfilled, and that storm is simply going to extend, was astonishing. The best way we have a look at it at RobCo is: there must be a really clear, ROI pushed resolution, when it comes to the industrial viability, however then additionally the technical feasibility.
We expect at RobCo right now, we’ve got an answer that already works, that hits the necessities when it comes to precision, know-how, time cycle, time software program integration at a really engaging ROI as a result of we worth at roughly the price of a single employee, single shift per thirty days.
TRR: What takeaways ought to robotic builders take from this report concerning the trade?
Roman Hölzl: Builders have to sharpen the worth proposition [for their solutions]. The information that we printed exhibits that there must be a transparent driver for each robotic resolution suppliers and robotic purchasers. In our thoughts, the worth proposition is centered round whether or not we truly enhance productiveness with the options we deploy. And that could be a very clear benchmark: Can our prospects tackle extra orders, can they enhance the output, and enhance their productiveness ranges? That is an important takeaway, and it’s key to coping with the storm that’s brewing up within the trade round the price of labor.
What can end-users be taught?
TRR: What do you assume an finish consumer may take away from the information within the report, and what recommendation would you give to them?
Roman Hölzl: Finish customers ought to perceive the challenges which have historically been related to robotics, equivalent to lengthy implementation timelines, excessive six to seven-figure CapEx funding prices, and options that is likely to be finally solely usable by knowledgeable robotics customers.
These phrases can truly be overcome now, and it begins with a pretty enterprise mannequin. What we do at RobCo is supply what we name Robots-as-a-Service (RaaS), a enterprise mannequin priced at roughly the equal of a human employee per thirty days per shift. That is anyplace from a pair thousand U.S. {dollars} a month to 10,000 U.S. {dollars} a month. Along with deploying that enterprise mannequin, within the order of weeks, as a substitute of quarters. That’s the large unlock, particularly for mid-cap producers within the U.S. and Europe.
TRR: What do you assume are the developments to search for in 2026, making an allowance for the macroeconomic components from 2025?
Roman Hölzl: I believe that the macro developments for 2026 will likely be an extension of what we’ve seen in 2025. Primary is that most of the Western nations are reshoring their manufacturing capacities. That is paired with large stress on prices, as a result of we’ve simply gotten used to very engaging costs via Chinese language suppliers. All the areas wish to manufacture domestically. That’s a really clear governmental strategic pillar as nicely, and that will likely be a key focus level in 2026.
The query is, how can we do it? The reply can’t be a full year-long seven-figure capex funding course of to get there. It’ll must be a quick, attractively priced, and quite simple to make use of resolution that works for each mid-caps and the enterprise.
Hölzl on who can profit essentially the most from RaaS
TRR: The place do you assume RaaS works finest?
Roman Hölzl: So, we predict robot-as-a-service goes to be the predominant enterprise mannequin for robotics sooner or later, and particularly when you have a look at options being far more software-centric and AI-centric. To your level, the adoption right now is the largest in industries which are shifting quick, which have a really, very clear automation problem right now, and never the monetary means, or on the flip facet, they’re very subtle when it comes to monetary setup, and don’t wish to burden their steadiness sheet with an funding into an automation resolution.
The businesses would relatively maintain it working as an operational expenditure, enhancing margins, enhancing the steadiness sheet dimension, and albeit, setting themselves up for the longer term. And so to my thoughts, that’s going to be for each buyer on the market. However right now we see the largest uptick both in bigger firms which are very subtle financially, or conversely, with smaller prospects that don’t have, frankly, the financial institution accounts and the money statements to make sense of CapEx, robotics investments within the seven figures.
Prioritize organizational simplicity, Hölzl stated
TRR: In my expertise, having run a $50M SaaS enterprise line for a Fortune 500 software program firm, I don’t assume which you could run a enterprise each as a SaaS and as a CapEx group. It’s important to choose a lane and keep on with it. In that group, we had each SaaS and enterprise gross sales and assist groups. They didn’t combine.
I’ve heard many younger RaaS-based startups say that they’ll promote regardless of the buyer desires, nevertheless the shopper desires to purchase it. However this isn’t good for a small group, when it comes to the gross sales crew design, compensation plans, assist group, your contracts division, all of it. In the event you try and promote each CapEx and OpEx, it’s a headache throughout. As a startup CEO constructing a RaaS-based enterprise, give me your inside view on that commentary.
Roman Hölzl: We imagine in simplicity inside a company to streamline the fee mannequin, stock design, and the order-to-cash course of. Nonetheless, we predict there are two totally different, distinct enterprise fashions. The primary mannequin drives recurring income as a service mannequin, and the second is a CapEx mannequin.
All finish buyer direct deployments on-line must be ordered as a service mannequin with deep software program integration. If we co-sell with a 3rd celebration, an OEM accomplice who immediately serves their prospects, that’ll probably be a reselling CapEx movement even sooner or later. However then that’s a distinct a part of the enterprise, totally different crew, totally different incentives, totally different numbers, , totally different setup. And so then it’ll nonetheless work, whilst an organization with solely, , a pair 100 FTEs versus a a lot bigger one.
