Belgium’s AILOS Robotics has raised €3.5 million in seed funding to industrialise its breakthrough actuator technology, designed to make next-generation robots lighter, safer and far more energy-efficient.
The round was led by QBIC and High Tech Gründerfonds, with participation from Wallonie Entreprendre and finance&invest.brussels, bringing together Belgian and German deep tech investors focused on strengthening Europe’s robotics supply chain.
Founded as a spin off from VUB’s BruBotics research centre, AILOS has spent the past decade developing its patented R2poweR gearbox — a new class of actuation that merges the smooth backdrivability of quasi direct drives with dramatically higher torque density.
A New Gearbox Architecture for Modern Robots
The R2poweR system is engineered for the emerging wave of humanoids, cobots, exoskeletons and prosthetic devices.
Its design enables:
• Smooth human friendly interaction
• Extremely high torque density for demanding joints
• Lower robot weight and reduced energy consumption
• Minimal noise during operation
• Cost effective industrialisation and scalability
• Compatibility with high volume manufacturing
“Modern robots need a different kind of actuation,” says Pablo López García, CEO and co founder of AILOS Robotics. “By combining backdrivable behaviour with high torque density, we remove one of the biggest barriers to building agile, lightweight robots that can safely operate alongside humans.”
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From Research Lab to Scalable Production
With the MVP validated, AILOS Robotics is now preparing to scale production and is actively engaging with:
• Robot manufacturers for first pilot integrations
• Industrial partners to expand manufacturing capacity
• Investors supporting Europe’s push for strategic automation hardware
“AILOS Robotics is solving one of the most significant bottlenecks in collaborative and humanoid robotics,” says Cédric Van Nevel, Partner at QBIC. “Europe needs strong hardware players, and this team has both the technological foundation and the industrial mindset to deliver.”
Anne Umbach, Investment Manager at HTGF, adds: “Their innovation unlocks a unique combination of mechanical performance parameters. We see strong IP, a high calibre team and a clear pathway to becoming an important European component supplier.”
About AILOS Robotics
AILOS Robotics develops next-generation robotic actuators powered by its patented R2poweR gearbox. Originating from VUB’s BruBotics group and supported by major European innovation programmes, the company enables the creation of lighter, safer and more sustainable robots for industrial and human centric applications.
About HTGF
High Tech Gründerfonds is one of Europe’s most active early stage investors, supporting deep tech, industrial tech, climate tech and life sciences startups. With more than 800 funded companies, over 200 exits and more than €2 billion under management, HTGF helps founders scale from seed stage to global market leadership.
