What is the latest update in the robotics market?

Q4 2025 was a transformative quarter for the robotics market, highlighted by SoftBank's massive $5.4 billion acquisition of ABB Robotics.

Regulatory approvals accelerated with both Medtronic and CMR Surgical receiving FDA clearances for their surgical robot systems.

This blog post covers the latest robotics market updates, and we constantly refresh it as new developments emerge.

And if you want to better understand this new industry, you can download our pitch covering the robotics market.

Summary table of the most important updates in the robotics market

We define the robotics market as all professional physical robots that sense their environment, make decisions and act in the real world for work purposes.

We include industrial robot arms and cobots, mobile robots in factories and warehouses, medical and surgical robots, and other professional service robots used in logistics, healthcare, agriculture and infrastructure.

We exclude consumer robots and toys, hobby drones, pure software automation like RPA, and non-robotic automation equipment such as simple conveyors or fixed-purpose machines.

You can also get all the latest market news for the month here.

Piece of news	Category	Exact date	Source
SoftBank acquires ABB Robotics for $5.4 billion in one of the largest robotics deals ever	M&A	October 8, 2025	Reuters
FDA clears Medtronic's Hugo surgical robot system for U.S. market, challenging da Vinci	Regulations & Policies	December 3, 2025	Medtronic
CMR Surgical receives FDA clearance for Versius Plus surgical system in the United States	Regulations & Policies	December 16, 2025	FDA
Dexory raises $165 million to scale warehouse inventory scanning robots globally	Fundraisings	October 15, 2025	Robotics247
Intuitive Surgical reports strong Q3 results with robot surgery procedures continuing to climb	Financial results	October 21, 2025	GlobeNewswire
KUKA expands job cuts to 560 positions as large industrial robot orders slip	Restructuring	November 17, 2025	Heise
Aptiv and Vecna Robotics partner to develop next-generation autonomous mobile robots	Partnerships	December 18, 2025	Aptiv
Agile Robots acquires thyssenkrupp Automation Engineering to combine AI with factory integration	M&A	November 24, 2025	Agile Robots
European Investment Bank commits 50 million euros to Comau for robotics R&D in Europe	Strategic Investments	December 23, 2025	EIB
ABB launches OmniCore EyeMotion enabling robots to see with multiple cameras and sensors	Product launches	October 1, 2025	ABB
Comau expands MyCo cobot family to six models for easier human-robot collaboration	Product launches	December 19, 2025	PR Newswire
Richtech Robotics unveils Dex mobile humanoid robot designed for real-world work tasks	Product launches	October 28, 2025	GlobeNewswire

How is the robotics market doing now?

How do we define the robotics market?

We define the robotics market as all professional physical robots that sense their environment, make decisions and act in the real world for work purposes.

We include industrial robot arms and cobots, mobile robots in factories and warehouses, medical and surgical robots, and other professional service robots used in logistics, healthcare, agriculture and infrastructure.

We exclude consumer robots and toys, hobby drones, pure software automation like RPA, and non-robotic automation equipment such as simple conveyors or fixed-purpose machines.

This is also the definition we use in our report covering the robotics market.

How big is the robotics market in 2026?

The robotics market is estimated to be worth between $85 billion and $95 billion in 2026, combining industrial robot arms, professional service robots, medical systems, and warehouse automation.

This is not a random guess, if you want to know how we have come up with this estimate, you can read our robotics market size analysis here.

To put this in perspective, the robotics market sits between the global semiconductor equipment market at $100 billion and the machine tools market at $75 billion.

The robotics market remains in early growth phase with a maturity score of 35 out of 100, but it is highly competitive with tech giants, established manufacturers, and AI startups all fighting for position.

How fast will the robotics market grow in the future?

The robotics market is expected to grow at 14% to 18% annually, driven by AI breakthroughs that enable robots to learn from demonstration and severe labor shortages pushing companies to automate.

By 2030, the robotics market should reach $198 billion to $252 billion, and by 2036, the robotics market could grow to $340 billion to $510 billion, representing roughly 4 to 5 times the 2026 baseline.

The robotics market is growing faster than machine tools at 5% to 7% annually, and roughly in line with AI infrastructure spending at 15% to 20% per year.

What does current funding activity look like in the robotics market?

Our team, who continually updates our robotics market pitch deck, is keeping a close eye on the market and tracking key signals.

One of those signals is fundraising activity across startups. Each month, we refresh this page with a list of startups of the robotics market that have raised funding, and we also publish a quarterly analysis here.

Is funding momentum accelerating or cooling in the robotics market these days?

Q4 2025 saw 3 deals totaling $314 million in robotics funding, which is down 69% from Q3 2025's $1 billion, but that quarter was entirely driven by Figure's massive humanoid robot round.

Compared to Q4 2024, which had $122 million across 3 deals, Q4 2025 funding increased by 157%, showing that robotics investment is actually stronger year over year when you remove the outlier mega-rounds.

The average deal size in Q4 2025 was $105 million, compared to $1 billion in Q3 2025 (skewed by Figure) and $41 million in Q4 2024, suggesting that robotics startups are raising larger rounds as the market matures. All three Q4 2025 deals were above $30 million, with two exceeding $100 million.

Which categories and business models are attracting capital in the robotics market?

These categories and business models of the robotics market are receiving important fundraising currently:

• Warehouse and logistics robotics led Q4 2025 deal flow with Dexory raising $165 million for inventory scanning robots, as retailers seek better visibility into their warehouses.
• Industrial AI and manufacturing robotics attracted Mind Robotics' $115 million as a Rivian spinout, showing demand for AI-powered factory automation.
• AI-powered robot workers received Tutor Intelligence's $34 million Series A, demonstrating investor interest in robots that can be trained through demonstration rather than programming.

The Q4 2025 robotics funding mix shows investors are diversifying beyond humanoid robots into practical warehouse and industrial applications with clearer paths to revenue.

Who's writing the most checks in the robotics market?

These investors are being very active when it comes to fundraising in the robotics market:

• Eclipse led two major rounds in recent quarters, backing both ForSight Robotics in surgical robotics and Mind Robotics in industrial automation, making Eclipse one of the most active robotics investors.
• B Capital co-led both Apptronik rounds totaling over $400 million, positioning B Capital as a major backer of humanoid robots for workforce applications.
• Capital Factory participated in both Apptronik rounds alongside Google, supporting the Austin-based humanoid robot company from Series A through its extension.
• Google invested in both Apptronik funding rounds, signaling the tech giant's interest in humanoid robots as a platform for AI applications in the physical world.

The investor activity shows that both dedicated robotics funds like Eclipse and tech giants like Google are actively building portfolios across different robotics categories.

Any big acquisitions or IPOs in the last three months in the robotics market?

These are the big acquisitions and IPOs that happened recently in the robotics market:

• SoftBank agreed to acquire ABB's robotics unit for $5.4 billion, making this one of the largest robotics deals in history and potentially reshaping a top-tier industrial robotics player.
• Agile Robots acquired thyssenkrupp Automation Engineering assets in Europe and North America, combining AI robotics with deep systems integration capabilities.

Both acquisitions show well-funded robotics players building competitive advantages through acquisition, with SoftBank going for scale and Agile Robots going for integration expertise.

How are companies in the robotics market performing overall?

We are watching this market everyday, because we need to constantly update our pitch deck. Here is a couple of things we have noticed.

Are there any standout success metrics or financial results in the robotics market?

These are the standout financial results and success metrics from Q4 2025 in the robotics market:

• Intuitive Surgical posted strong Q3 results with robot surgery procedures continuing to climb, demonstrating the power of recurring procedure revenue in surgical robotics.
• FANUC published its interim results, providing useful data on robot demand and regional mix as a bellwether for the broader industrial robotics market.
• Yaskawa released 1H results showing robotics remains a core driver even in a shaky demand cycle, confirming the resilience of motion control and robot arm sales.

The financial results from major robotics companies show a split market: surgical robotics continues strong growth while industrial robot demand remains mixed across regions.

Have there been any major partnerships in the robotics market?

These are the major partnerships that happened recently in the robotics market:

• Aptiv and Vecna Robotics announced a collaboration to co-develop next-generation autonomous mobile robots, combining automotive-grade sensors with warehouse autonomy expertise.

The Aptiv and Vecna partnership shows how automotive technology suppliers are finding new markets in warehouse and factory automation as vehicles become more autonomous.

Have there been any notable technology or infrastructure breakthroughs in the robotics market?

These are the notable technology breakthroughs from Q4 2025 in the robotics market:

• ABB launched OmniCore EyeMotion, enabling robots to see with multiple cameras and sensors from different vendors, not just ABB's own equipment.
• Richtech Robotics unveiled Dex, a mobile humanoid robot designed for real-world work rather than just demonstrations, pushing humanoids toward practical applications.
• Yamaha shipped a new 7-axis cobot with compact controller, targeting tight factory spaces where standard 6-axis robots cannot reach around obstacles.

The technology launches show robotics companies are focusing on flexibility and integration, making robots easier to deploy in varied environments without custom engineering.

Have any companies restructured or shifted pricing or business model in the robotics market?

These are the restructuring updates from Q4 2025 in the robotics market:

• KUKA expanded planned job cuts to 560 positions as large industrial robot orders slipped, signaling demand weakness in parts of the European manufacturing sector.

KUKA's job cuts serve as a warning that industrial robotics demand remains cyclical, and companies need to manage costs carefully during periods of weak manufacturing orders.

Are there any other notable wins or successes in the robotics market?

These are other notable wins from Q4 2025 in the robotics market:

• Yamaha formed the TY ROBOTICS joint venture to strengthen production capacity and expand the robot model lineup for broader market coverage.
• Yamaha expanded the Robonity lineup to 54 models, giving automation buyers more options across different payload and reach requirements.
• Comau expanded its MyCo cobot family to six models, targeting easier and safer human-robot collaboration for small and medium enterprises.

The product expansions from Yamaha and Comau show established robotics players are rapidly broadening their catalogs to compete across more use cases and price points.

What is the overall sentiment in the robotics market right now?

Are there any notable recent opinion pieces, thought leadership about the robotics market?

These are notable opinion pieces and thought leadership from Q4 2025 in the robotics market:

• Yamaha previewed next-generation transport concepts at iREX 2025, proposing smart factory solutions where material movement becomes as automated as manufacturing itself.

The focus on smart factory transport at iREX 2025 suggests industry leaders see material movement as the next frontier for robotics adoption in manufacturing.

Are there any interesting and recent market research reports about the robotics market?

Unfortunately, no, it seems like there has not been any notable or interesting market research conducted during Q4 2025 in the robotics market that our team identified as worth highlighting here.

Have there been any regulatory changes, policy updates, or new compliance requirements in the robotics market?

These are the regulatory changes from Q4 2025 in the robotics market:

• FDA cleared Medtronic's Hugo surgical robot system for the U.S. market, creating a serious challenger to Intuitive Surgical's da Vinci dominance in robotic surgery.
• FDA cleared CMR Surgical's Versius Plus system, adding another credible surgical robot option for U.S. hospitals and intensifying competition in medical robotics.
• European Investment Bank committed 50 million euros to Comau for robotics R&D, showing European governments are actively funding domestic automation capabilities.

The two FDA clearances in a single quarter mark a turning point for surgical robotics competition in the United States, while European funding shows governments are prioritizing robotics as a strategic industry.

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