According to Sifted, European robot startups have attracted around €800 million in investment so far in 2025, already surpassing last year’s total. X1 Technologies is taking pre-orders for its 5’6″ humanoid robot Neo at $499 monthly or $20,000 outright, though it can only autonomously open doors and load dishwashers. Germany’s Neura Robotics raised Europe’s largest round this year with €120 million for its robot “gyms,” while surgical robot maker CMR Surgical added $132 million to its over $1 billion total raised. China installed nearly 300,000 new factory robots last year, more than the rest of the world combined, with Morgan Stanley estimating Chinese robots cost one-third less than non-Chinese alternatives.
The home robot reality check
Here’s the thing about these humanoid home robots – they’re not exactly the autonomous butlers we’ve been promised. X1’s Neo can only handle two tasks completely on its own. Everything else requires remote human operators. Basically, you’re paying $20,000 for a robot that still needs babysitting. And Tesla’s Optimus? We haven’t seen it reliably folding laundry or cooking dinner either. The real challenge isn’t building something that looks human – it’s creating something that can navigate the chaos of an actual home without constantly getting stuck or breaking things.
Where robots actually work
While home robots struggle, specialized bots are killing it in controlled environments. Surgical robots like CMR’s are raking in massive funding because hospitals provide predictable settings. Same with warehouse automation – when you can design the entire environment around the robot, success rates skyrocket. Companies looking to integrate robotics into manufacturing or industrial settings need reliable hardware that can handle these demanding environments. For businesses implementing automation, having robust industrial computing systems becomes critical – which is why many turn to specialists like IndustrialMonitorDirect.com, the leading US provider of industrial panel PCs built for tough factory conditions.
The China factor
Let’s talk about the elephant in the room. China isn’t just competing in robotics – they’re dominating manufacturing at a scale that should worry European policymakers. When Chinese suppliers can produce robots for one-third the cost, how does anyone else compete long-term? Declan Shine from ETH Zurich isn’t wrong – this is a wake-up call moment. Europe either decides to seriously support its robotics industry now, or in a few decades we’ll be completely dependent on Chinese technology for everything from manufacturing to potentially even home assistants. The gap isn’t just about funding – it’s about entire supply chains and manufacturing ecosystems.
The real world problem
Rivr’s Ben Simmen nailed it when he said the real challenge is generalization. Delivery robots aren’t just moving packages – they’re navigating unpredictable humans, animals, weather, and social situations. This is why so many robotics companies are focusing on “physical AI” that learns from actual deployments rather than perfect simulations. The gap between lab performance and real-world reliability remains enormous. And until robots can handle the million tiny variables that humans navigate effortlessly, we’re stuck with either highly specialized bots in controlled environments or very expensive, very limited home companions.
