According to EU-Startups, Bologna-based robotics startup Adaptronics has raised €3.15 million in a funding round led by 360 Capital. The round included participation from Galaxia and existing investors who backed the company’s 2023 pre-seed round. Founded in 2022 as a University of Bologna spin-off by Lorenzo Agostini, Camilla Conti, and Rocco Vertechy, the company develops electro-adhesive grippers for industrial automation and space applications. The funding will accelerate technological innovation, expand facilities with a pilot plant, and strengthen international product reach. This comes amid significant European robotics investment in 2025, including Germany’s Sereact raising €25 million and Switzerland’s mimic securing €13.8 million.
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So how does this electro-adhesive magic work?
Adaptronics’ secret sauce is something they call the Electro Active Adhesive Layer (EAAL). Basically, it uses electrostatic forces to create a controllable adhesive grip on pretty much anything – different shapes, materials, weights up to several kilograms. The system activates and releases in less than 10 milliseconds, which is crazy fast compared to traditional grippers. And here’s the thing: it’s up to 1000 times more energy efficient than standard systems. The technology includes integrated tactile sensing that detects contact and proximity, allowing for precise manipulation without needing pneumatic, mechanical, or magnetic systems. With only two main components – an electronic control module and replaceable gripping surface – maintenance costs drop significantly.
Why this could be a game-changer
Look, traditional robotic grippers have always faced the same fundamental problem: they’re specialized. You need different grippers for different objects, which means constant tool changes and limited flexibility. Adaptronics is essentially creating the universal gripper – one system that can handle virtually anything thrown at it. In industrial automation and packaging, where seconds count, this could dramatically reduce downtime and increase throughput. But the real kicker? Space applications. Imagine using this technology for orbital debris removal or satellite maintenance, where you can’t exactly send up a toolbox full of specialized grippers. The company already completed ESA’s incubation program in 2024, so they’re serious about the space angle.
Where this fits in Europe’s robotics push
This funding isn’t happening in isolation. Europe is pouring serious money into robotics and automation right now. Germany’s assemblean got €1.8 million, Unchained Robotics raised €8.5 million, and Sereact landed a massive €25 million. Norway’s Saga Robotics secured €9.5 million for farm robots, while Switzerland’s mimic got €13.8 million. Against that backdrop, Adaptronics represents Italy’s stake in the continental robotics race. What’s interesting is they’re focusing on the fundamental hardware – the actual gripping technology that makes automation possible. While everyone’s talking about AI and software, Adaptronics is solving the basic physical problem of how robots interact with the world. And honestly, that might be the smarter play long-term.
The road ahead for Adaptronics
With €3.15 million in fresh funding, the company plans to scale up production, expand across European markets, and build out their team. The pilot plant expansion suggests they’re getting serious about manufacturing at scale. But here’s the challenge: electro-adhesive technology isn’t entirely new – the real test will be whether Adaptronics can make it reliable and cost-effective enough for mass adoption. Industrial customers are notoriously conservative, and space applications demand absolute reliability. Still, when investors like 360 Capital’s Alessandro Zaccaria call it “a true paradigm shift in robotic manipulation,” you have to take notice. If they can deliver on their promises, we might be looking at the future standard for how robots handle objects – both in factories and in orbit.
