🧠 Humanoid robots? Overhyped. AI-powered cobots? Quietly making waves around the world.
That’s just one of the sharp takes from my latest episode of TheOnePoint Podcast, featuring Oliver Kahl from MIG Capital — one of Europe’s leading DeepTech investors with EUR 1.3 billion in committed capital.
We unpacked the industrial robotics revolution — not just the headlines but the real innovation happening behind the scenes in factories, logistics hubs, and startup labs.
🎧 Listen to this podcast episode on YouTube or Spotify
Here’s a taste of what we covered:
🤖 Humanoid Hype vs. Reality:
“It looks amazing on YouTube, but the reality? We’re 10-20 years away from viable humanoids.”
Power consumption, mechanics, and AI limitations still make real-world deployment a massive hurdle.
⚙️ AI Is the Game-Changer:
“AI is making robots finally see the way humans do.”
From pallet picking to dynamic part detection, AI is enabling robots to work in chaotic, real-world settings without perfect conditions. That’s why they also invested in the startup inbolt led by co-founder Albane Dersy (whom I also interviewed recently–Link)
💸 Investor Clarity:
"Scalability. Exit potential. Team. That’s what we really look for."
Oliver broke down what makes a robotics startup venture-backable — and where most pitches fall flat.
📉 The Harsh Truth About Late-Stage Funding in Europe:
"There’s a scale-up gap in European deep tech funding.”
If you’re raising a €50M+ round in robotics — chances are you’re looking at the U.S. or Asia.
🔥 We also covered:
The real cost of robot deployment (hint: it’s not the robot)
Why integration and ease-of-use will define the next robotics wave
What Europe needs to fix in its capital markets
Tactical advice for founders (especially from academic backgrounds) trying to raise in industrial tech
🎙️This one’s for:
✔️ Startup founders in robotics, AI, or hardware
✔️ Operators and engineers building the future of automation
It’s an inside look at how the robotics sector is evolving in Europe — and where the real opportunities lie.
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