The spotlight is firmly on robotics.
Capable of harvesting grapes or welcoming visitors in multiple languages, humanoid robots were among the stars of VivaTech, as European startups sought to showcase their innovations against the backdrop of Chinese dominance in the sector.
With its long orange ears and large blue eyes, Mirokai—the humanoid robot developed by French startup Enchanted Tools—can communicate in more than 50 languages, explained the company’s Head of Communications, Richard Malterre, on the stage of Europe’s largest technology event.
The Paris-based startup, whose prototypes are already being deployed in hospitals and airports to assist visitors, hopes to deliver its first commercial units by the end of the year.
“At least 60% of the robot is manufactured in Europe, and we’re fighting to keep it that way,” Richard Malterre told AFP.
He points out that some key technologies are simply “not necessarily available” in Europe, citing the graphics processing units (GPUs) produced by American giant Nvidia that power Mirokai and much of the artificial intelligence industry.
Labor Challenges
Yet it is China that dominates manufacturing capacity, thanks to companies such as Unitree and Agibot, whose robots—with their sophisticated choreographed performances—captivated visitors at VivaTech.
According to a study by British research firm Omdia, China produced 87% of the 13,000 humanoid robots deployed worldwide in 2025.
“China is leading the way,” says Joern Buss, robotics expert at consulting firm Arthur D. Little, pointing to the emergence of fully automated facilities known as “dark factories,” which operate without human workers.
Still, he believes Europe is beginning to catch up.
“Europe is making progress and has some strong players.”
One of those players is German startup Neura Robotics, which develops industrial, domestic, and humanoid robots as well as a dedicated training platform. In June, the company secured $1.4 billion in funding.
“We receive requests from everywhere—even from dentists,” CEO David Reger told AFP.
“Everyone asks whether they can have a robot to help them because they can’t find enough people to hire.”
Europe’s aging population is expected to create labor shortages across manufacturing and service industries, making robotics an increasingly strategic sector.
For Reger, robots represent nothing less than Europe’s “last chance” to preserve a critical pillar of its economy.
While he laments Europe’s regulatory burden and the relative difficulty of raising capital compared with the United States, he remains committed to building the company on the continent.
“We want to stay in Europe and build here,” he insists.
Neura Robotics already collaborates with German industrial groups Bosch and Schaeffler, and its order pipeline and strategic deployment projects now exceed $1 billion.
Sovereignty Concerns
For Francesco Ferro, CEO of Spanish robotics company Pal Robotics, the issue extends beyond industrial competitiveness.
“If all robot production moves to Japan or China, that could become a very serious sovereignty issue,” he warns.
At VivaTech, Pal Robotics showcased its latest models, all manufactured in Barcelona: Kangaroo, a black bipedal robot, and Tiago, a robot equipped with articulated arms.
The machines are used in logistics operations as well as agricultural applications such as grape harvesting.
Like all modern robots, they are trained using vast amounts of data and continuously generate new data while operating.
According to Ferro, Europe must therefore develop a fully integrated robotics supply chain rather than focusing solely on the lower costs offered by Chinese manufacturers.
“We need a completely European production chain and not just look at price,” he says, arguing that this is necessary to prevent sensitive data from falling “into the wrong hands.”
Meanwhile, Franco-American startup Genesis, which unveiled its first general-purpose robot, Eno, on Tuesday, currently manufactures its machines in China but plans to relocate production to Europe by 2027.
According to co-founder Théophile Gervet, Europe remains an attractive market for robotics.
“There is a huge industrial base in France, Italy, and Germany,” he told AFP.
Despite fierce international competition, European robotics entrepreneurs remain optimistic.
“I’m confident in our ability and creativity to compete,” concludes Richard Malterre of Enchanted Tools.
“We need to stay determined and never give up.”
