RIG Stage at automatica 2025
A Recap of Innovation in Robotics & AI
Thank you for joining us at the RIG STAGE for an exciting showcase of cutting-edge robotics and AI research! From June 24–27, we explored the future of robotics through interactive demos, panel discussions, round tables, demo pitches, and startup presentations.
We’re proud to have highlighted Germany’s role in shaping the future of robotics, driving innovation, and fostering collaboration.
Program
Day 1
Day 2
Day 3
Day 4
Day 1 - June 24, 2025
Elevator Demo Pitches - Environment
Elevator Demo Pitches - Mobility
Panel: Transfer & Industry
Innovation through Cooperation – RIG as the key to innovative strength in the industry
Innovation through Cooperation – RIG as the key to innovative strength in the industry
Moderator:
Prof. Dr. Alin Albu-Schäffer, Director, Institute of Robotics and Mechatronics, German Aerospace Center (DLR)
Participants:
Dr. Peter Kampmann, Head of Maritime Robotics, Rosenxt Holding AG
Dr. Leif Christensen, Team Leader Maritime Robotics, German Research Center for Artificial Intelligence (DFKI)
Thomas Mattern, Head of Development and Design Automation Systems, Liebherr Gear Technology and Automation Systems
Richard Bormann, Head of Research Team Handling Processes and Dexterity, Fraunhofer Institute for Manufacturing Engineering and Automation IPA
Dr. Georg von Wichert, Head of Autonomous Systems and Control, Siemens AG
Prof. Dr. Markus Grebenstein, Deputy Director of the Institute, Head of the Mechatronic Systems Department, DLR Institute of Robotics and Mechatronics
Prof. Dr. Debora Clever, Principal Scientist Motion and Control Technologies, ABB
Prof. Dr. Torsten Kroeger, Chief Science Officer, Intrinsic Innovation
Dr. Leif Christensen, Team Leader Maritime Robotics, German Research Center for Artificial Intelligence (DFKI)
Thomas Mattern, Head of Development and Design Automation Systems, Liebherr Gear Technology and Automation Systems
Richard Bormann, Head of Research Team Handling Processes and Dexterity, Fraunhofer Institute for Manufacturing Engineering and Automation IPA
Dr. Georg von Wichert, Head of Autonomous Systems and Control, Siemens AG
Prof. Dr. Markus Grebenstein, Deputy Director of the Institute, Head of the Mechatronic Systems Department, DLR Institute of Robotics and Mechatronics
Prof. Dr. Debora Clever, Principal Scientist Motion and Control Technologies, ABB
Prof. Dr. Torsten Kroeger, Chief Science Officer, Intrinsic Innovation
Opening Speech & Exchange
Speaker:
Prof. Dr.-Ing. Tamim Asfour, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology
Opening munich_i
Moderator:
Prof. Dr. Lorenzo Masia, Technical University of Munich
Participants:
Stephanie Jacobs, Head of Office, Bavarian State Ministry of Science and Arts
Prof. Dr.sc.tech. Gerhard Kramer, Senior Vice President for Research and Innovation, Technical University of Munich
Dr. Reinhard Pfeiffer, CEO, Messe München
Prof. Dr. Lorenzo Masia, MIRMI Executive Director, munich_i Director, Technical University of Munich
Prof. Dr.sc.tech. Gerhard Kramer, Senior Vice President for Research and Innovation, Technical University of Munich
Dr. Reinhard Pfeiffer, CEO, Messe München
Prof. Dr. Lorenzo Masia, MIRMI Executive Director, munich_i Director, Technical University of Munich
Panel: Science and Engineering of AI-Powered Robotics - Bridging Research Gaps for Building Tomorrow's Intelligent Robotics
Moderator:
Prof. Dr.-Ing. Tamim Asfour, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology
Participants:
Prof. Antonio Bicchi, Italian Institute of Technology & University of Pisa
Prof. Seth Hutchinson, Northeastern University College of Engineering
Dr. Francesco Nori, Google DeepMind
Prof. Seth Hutchinson, Northeastern University College of Engineering
Dr. Francesco Nori, Google DeepMind
End of the trade fair day
Day 2 - June 25, 2025
Elevator Demo Pitches - Health
Panel: Healthcare Robotics - From Research to OR: Pathways to Clinical Translation and Industrial Scale-Up in Germany
Moderators:
Prof. Dr. Stefanie Speidel, Technical University of Dresden, Member of RIG
Dr. Julian Klodmann, Team lead Surgical Robotics, DLR, Member of RIG
Dr. Julian Klodmann, Team lead Surgical Robotics, DLR, Member of RIG
Participants:
Prof. Dr. Nassir Navab, Chair of Computer Aided Medical Procedures & Augmented Reality, Technical University of Munich, Member of RIG
Hanno Matthaei, Professor of Surgery, Director Clinical Robotics at BOSTER, University Hospital Bonn
Pietro Valdastri, Professor and Chair in Robotics & Autonomous Systems, University of Leeds
Stefan Joerg, Distinguished Software Architect | Technical Fellow, R&D Surgical Robotics, Medtronic Deutschland
Tobias Luksch, Manager of R&D for Robotics, ITK Engineering
Rayan Younis, Clinician Scientist at the Professorship of AI-Based Assistance Systems in Surgery, University Hospital Dresden
Hanno Matthaei, Professor of Surgery, Director Clinical Robotics at BOSTER, University Hospital Bonn
Pietro Valdastri, Professor and Chair in Robotics & Autonomous Systems, University of Leeds
Stefan Joerg, Distinguished Software Architect | Technical Fellow, R&D Surgical Robotics, Medtronic Deutschland
Tobias Luksch, Manager of R&D for Robotics, ITK Engineering
Rayan Younis, Clinician Scientist at the Professorship of AI-Based Assistance Systems in Surgery, University Hospital Dresden
RIG - Demo Pitches
Round Table: Benchmark & Challenges
Moderator:
Prof. Dr. Sven Behnke, University of Bonn, Member of RIG
Participants:
Dr. Raphael Memmesheimer, Univeristy of Bonn
Prof. Dr. Rudolph Triebel, DLR
Prof. Oskar von Stryk, TU Darmstadt
Andrea Herold, Innovation Marketing Manager, KUKA
Dr. Andreas Bihlmaier, Head of Robotics Software Architecture, Intrinsic
Prof. Dr. Rudolph Triebel, DLR
Prof. Oskar von Stryk, TU Darmstadt
Andrea Herold, Innovation Marketing Manager, KUKA
Dr. Andreas Bihlmaier, Head of Robotics Software Architecture, Intrinsic
Panel: Women in AI & Robotics
Moderator:
Lioba Suchenwirth, Vice-President Women in AI & Robotics Germany, DLR Institute of Robotics and Mechatronics
Participants:
Annette Hagengruber, Team Leader, DLR Institute of Robotics & Founder Enabling Robotics
Nicole Formica Schiller, Entrepreneur, Author, Speaker, CEO & Founder of Pamanicor Health
Nicola Kolb, Founder: Aiina Robotics, BayFiD Alumna
Dr. Katharina Kaufmann, Philosopher, Mission AI; acatech
Nicole Formica Schiller, Entrepreneur, Author, Speaker, CEO & Founder of Pamanicor Health
Nicola Kolb, Founder: Aiina Robotics, BayFiD Alumna
Dr. Katharina Kaufmann, Philosopher, Mission AI; acatech
Get-together: RIG & Friends
After-Work Beer & Pretzel
@ Summit Stage (B4.331)
End
Day 3 - June 26, 2025
Keynote and Talk: Robotics and AI - Pillars of Technological Sovereignty
Keynote Speaker
Engelbert Beyer, Federal Ministry of Research, Technology and Space (BMFTR)
Elevator Demo Pitches - Work
Panel: AI-Powered Industrial Robotics
Moderator:
Andreas Angerer, Managing Director and CEO, XITASO
Participants:
Prof. Dr.-Ing. Martin Ruskowski, German Research Center for Artificial Intelligence (DFKI)
Dr. Werner Kraus, Fraunhofer Institute for Manufacturing Engineering and Automation (IPA)
Prof. Dr.-Ing. Jürgen Fleischer, Karlsruhe Institute for Technology (KIT)
Dr.-Ing. Johannes Englsberger, Versatile Robotics
Sven Parusel, Franka Robotics
Dr. Christian Liedtke, COO KUKA Digital and Chairman of the Board of the Open Industry 4.0 Alliance
Jonas Geißdörfer, Yaskawa Europe
Dr. Werner Kraus, Fraunhofer Institute for Manufacturing Engineering and Automation (IPA)
Prof. Dr.-Ing. Jürgen Fleischer, Karlsruhe Institute for Technology (KIT)
Dr.-Ing. Johannes Englsberger, Versatile Robotics
Sven Parusel, Franka Robotics
Dr. Christian Liedtke, COO KUKA Digital and Chairman of the Board of the Open Industry 4.0 Alliance
Jonas Geißdörfer, Yaskawa Europe
Panel: The next Robotics Breakthroughs: How research-driven startups are shaping industry
Moderator:
Nicole Ebner, Manager Robotics/AI Startup Incubator robo.innovate of MIRMI/TUM
Participants:
Dr. Christina Harbauer, Co-Founder and CCO of Startup Ease
Philippo Rabast, Co-Founder and Head of Hardware of Startup Angsa Robotics
Dr. Michael Overdick, VP Technology Management, SICK AG
David Reger, CEO of NEURA Robotics
Holger Schneebeck, Global Innovation Manager at Corporate Development, DHL Group
Philippo Rabast, Co-Founder and Head of Hardware of Startup Angsa Robotics
Dr. Michael Overdick, VP Technology Management, SICK AG
David Reger, CEO of NEURA Robotics
Holger Schneebeck, Global Innovation Manager at Corporate Development, DHL Group
Start-up Pitches: What’s coming next in Robotics/AI — and which Startups are building it?
Moderator:
Nicole Ebner, Manager Robotics/AI Startup Incubator robo.innovate of MIRMI/TUM
Participants:
Sascha Preget, CEO and Co-Founder of Startup SmartAIs
Dominik Eibl, CEO and Co-Founder of Startup DeepSynergy.AI
Dr. Christina Harbauer, CCO and CO-Founder of Startup Ease
Osama Atwi, CEO and Co-Founder of Startup Kyrall
Mathias Entemann, CEO and Co-Founder of Startup Ceilix
Dominik Eibl, CEO and Co-Founder of Startup DeepSynergy.AI
Dr. Christina Harbauer, CCO and CO-Founder of Startup Ease
Osama Atwi, CEO and Co-Founder of Startup Kyrall
Mathias Entemann, CEO and Co-Founder of Startup Ceilix
End of the trade fair day
Day 4 - June 27, 2025
Robothon® Award Ceremony
Moderator:
Peter So, Research Associate, TUM/MIRMI
Participants:
Dr. Korbinian Nottensteiner, Domain Head - Future Manufacturing, German Aerospace Center (DLR)
Jonas Geißdörfer, Robotics Engineer at Yaskawa Europe & Event Challenge Sponsor
Dr. Xueli An, Research Manager at Huawei Technologies & Event Gold Sponsor
Jonas Geißdörfer, Robotics Engineer at Yaskawa Europe & Event Challenge Sponsor
Dr. Xueli An, Research Manager at Huawei Technologies & Event Gold Sponsor
RIG - Demo Pitches
Panel: AI based Robotics in Europe: Transferability between Applications, Environments, Systems
Moderator:
Prof. Dr. Alin Albu-Schäffer, Director of the Institutes for Robotics and Mechatronics, DLR
Participants:
Dr. Noèmie Jaquier, Assistant Professor at the KTH Royal Institute of Technology
Prof. Dr. Anibal Ollero, Systems Engineering and Automatics Department, University Seville
Prof. Dr. Tamim Asfour, Institute for Anthropomatics and Robotics (IAR), Karlsruhe Institute for Technology, KIT
Prof. Dr. Anibal Ollero, Systems Engineering and Automatics Department, University Seville
Prof. Dr. Tamim Asfour, Institute for Anthropomatics and Robotics (IAR), Karlsruhe Institute for Technology, KIT
End of the trade fair
Venue
RIG booth in Hall B4 Stand 421
Trade Fair Center Messe Muenchen
Am Messesee 2
81829 Munich
Germany