Humanoid robots are designed to resemble humans in shape and movement, typically featuring a head, torso, arms, and legs. They’re built to operate in human environments, handling tasks from physical manipulation to social interaction. Although humanoid robotics has a long history, expectations were that from 2020 to 2025, the industry would enter a rapid growth phase (with projections of the global market to grow from $2.1 billion in 2020 to $7.9 billion by 2025).
In Europe, the development of humanoid robots has been at the forefront. Alongside strong private investments, the European Commission has also emphasised the importance of advancing key digital technologies through the Horizon Europe 2025 programme, reflecting a shared belief that these innovations are not merely technological curiosities but strategic priorities.
European startups today are pushing beyond research and into real-world applications, targeting industries such as manufacturing, healthcare, and home services. Their robots vary in form: some walk on two legs, others are built on wheeled bases, but all aim to merge human-like physical capabilities with sophisticated AI.
Europe’s emerging innovators in humanoid robotics
As previously mentioned, humanoid robots are making their mark in various sectors, from factory floors to hospital wards. In the automotive industry, humanoid robots are used on production lines, increasing efficiency and taking over repetitive tasks. As the European population ages, the involvement of humanoid robots in healthcare is seen as a potential solution to overcome the growing gap between patient needs and the available workforce. These robots are also finding a role in the hospitality industry and personal assistance, in short, wherever their human form and abilities can be utilised.
We will mention some of the leading European tech companies driving innovation in humanoid robotics, each developing solutions tailored to real-world applications across industries like manufacturing, healthcare, and home services.
Neura Robotics (Germany) – Cognitive humanoids for industry
Neura Robotics specialises in developing “cognitive” robots that integrate advanced AI with human-centred design principles. Its product range includes collaborative robotic arms, mobile platforms, and notably, a humanoid robot called 4NE-1. The company aims to build robots capable of safely working alongside humans across industries such as manufacturing, logistics, and healthcare. A key focus is on proprietary sensor technology and seamless AI integration, evident in MAiRA, which is promoted as the world’s first cognitive cobot. The 4NE-1 humanoid is currently in development as a fully capable robotic co-worker.
1X (Norway) – Home-ready bipedal assistants
1X focuses on developing general-purpose humanoid robots to support and augment human labour. Their first robot, EVE, features a humanoid torso on a wheeled base and has been tested in security and logistics roles. The company is now advancing NEO, a lightweight (30 kg), bipedal humanoid specifically designed for home use. NEO’s soft exterior and ability to walk on two legs allow it to safely navigate domestic spaces and assist with chores and caregiving.
1X prioritises biologically inspired actuators for realistic movement and emphasises that object manipulation (not walking) is the key challenge in robotics. The latest iteration, NEO Gamma, builds on NEO with upgraded hardware and AI, tailored for safe, intelligent operation in everyday home environments.
Oversonic Robotics (Italy) – Industry 5.0-ready humanoids
Oversonic Robotics is developing RoBee, a cognitive humanoid robot designed for industrial and professional settings. RoBee is reportedly the first humanoid robot certified for industrial use in Italy and embodies an Industry 5.0 vision, where humans and robots work collaboratively.
RoBee is approximately human-sized and equipped with autonomous navigation, dual robotic arms, and a sensor-equipped head. It is built to handle physically demanding or hazardous tasks, such as moving heavy objects or performing dangerous operations, thus improving workplace safety and supporting human workers.
Powered by advanced AI, RoBee can perceive its environment, make decisions in real-time, avoid obstacles, and manipulate tools or machinery. The emphasis is on safe, reliable collaboration, making it suitable for industries like manufacturing, logistics, and construction, particularly where labour shortages or safety concerns exist.
LuxAI (Luxembourg) – Therapeutic robots for autism
LuxAI is a health-tech startup blending robotics with therapeutic and educational support, particularly for children with autism and special needs. Its flagship product, QTrobot, is a 60 cm-tall humanoid designed to assist in therapy and learning. With a cartoon-like appearance, screen-based facial expressions, and articulated arms, QTrobot is intentionally non-realistic to remain approachable and avoid triggering discomfort in children.
QTrobot engages children through speech, gestures, facial expressions, and interactive games. It’s especially effective for children with autism, who often benefit from predictable and consistent interactions. The robot helps them practice skills such as emotional recognition, communication, and social behaviour.
Controlled via an intuitive app, QTrobot offers pre-programmed activities, like storytelling, emotion demonstrations, or guided exercises, designed by therapists and educators. A key strength of LuxAI’s approach is that non-technical professionals can easily use and customise the robot’s functions without needing programming skills. Beyond therapy, QTrobot is also used in academic research on social robotics.
Devanthro (Germany) – Remote-controlled eldercare avatars
Devanthro is a startup born from the renowned Roboy project, is pioneering the development of highly human-like robotic avatars called “Robodies”. These humanoids are modelled after the human musculoskeletal system, using motor-driven artificial muscles and tendons to enable smooth, lifelike motion.
The company’s primary focus is on eldercare, where a trained caregiver can remotely "inhabit" a Robody and interact with patients in distant care facilities. Through this advanced telepresence system, the caregiver sees, hears, and potentially even feels what the robot does, extending their presence and allowing one professional to support multiple patients across different locations. Unlike traditional screen-on-wheels systems, Robodies offer full mobility and human-like interaction, including gestures, movement, and simple facial expressions.
Devanthro’s long-term vision is to use these robotic avatars to address labour shortages in healthcare while preserving the human touch, letting caregivers deliver empathy and oversight from afar.
Furhat Robotics (Sweden) – Expressive social interaction via robotic heads
Furhat Robotics specialises in social robotics through a unique focus on expressive, human-like interaction via a robotic head rather than a full humanoid body.
The Furhat robot uses rear-projection to display lifelike or stylised faces on a translucent mask, enabling natural eye contact, facial expressions, and gestures. Equipped with advanced speech, audio, and visual systems, it engages in realistic, intelligent conversations. Used in customer service, education, and research, Furhat can adopt different personas by changing its face and voice, making it highly adaptable. By focusing on face-to-face interaction, Furhat avoids the complexities of full-body robotics while still offering a rich human-like experience.
Navigating innovation, ethics, and market reality
Developing humanoid robots is one of the most complex and ambitious challenges in modern technology, requiring a blend of cutting-edge engineering, economic feasibility, and deep ethical reflection. The challenges that European researchers and companies face go far beyond technology alone. While technical issues (such as processing visual, auditory, and tactile data, or managing power limitations that restrict operating time) remain central, they are just one part of a broader set of obstacles affecting the development and market adoption of humanoid robots.
Economically, high production costs, driven by the need for advanced sensors, actuators, and processors, make mass production difficult. Companies are caught in a difficult cycle: they need scale to bring down costs, but cannot reach scale without making their robots affordable. Moreover, it remains difficult to clearly demonstrate that general-purpose humanoid robots offer better value than existing task-specific machines.
Social and ethical challenges further complicate the picture. Public anxiety about job displacement is growing, especially in sectors like healthcare and logistics, even as those sectors face worker shortages. The human-like appearance of these robots can provoke discomfort, and their reliance on constant data collection raises serious privacy concerns, especially in sensitive settings like homes or hospitals.
Legal and regulatory frameworks are still evolving. Although new rules such as the EU AI Act are emerging, many uncertainties remain, particularly concerning liability, safety, and how robots should be classified in terms of employment law and taxation.
Ultimately, building humanoid robots isn’t just a technical issue, it’s about integrating these machines responsibly into human life. Success in Europe will depend not only on innovation but also on the ethical and social foresight of those designing and deploying these systems.
Despite these challenges, the momentum is real. Humanoid robots are moving out of labs and into everyday environments, driven by a vision of a future where human-like machines help us work, care for others, and manage daily life. With its unique combination of research excellence, strategic investment, and commitment to ethical responsibility, Europe is well-positioned to lead in this transformative era of technology.
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