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AILOS is redefining actuation for next generation robotics
Brussels, Belgium — 02 December 2025 — AILOS Robotics has secured €3.5 million in seed funding to industrialize a new class of actuation for modern, human-centric robots. With a patented gearbox that combines the agility and safety of quasi-direct drive with best-in-class torque density, AILOS aims to enable robots that are lighter, faster, more affordable, and more energy-efficient. The round is led by QBIC and High-Tech Gründerfonds (HTGF), with participation from Wallonie Entreprendre and finance&invest.brussels, reinforcing Europe’s commitment to local, strategic component manufacturing for the rapidly growing humanoid and collaborative robotics markets.
Founded in Brussels as a spin-off from the VUB BruBotics research group, AILOS transforms nearly a decade of work on R2poweR, a new planetary gearbox architecture designed for humanoids, cobots, exoskeletons, and prosthetic devices. Supported by VLAIO and Innoviris throughout its development, AILOS has already delivered its minimum viable prototype and is now positioned as a new European alternative to current gearbox technologies — offering smooth backdrivability, high torque capability, and robust industrial scalability.
Looking forward, AILOS is engaging robot manufacturers, industrial partners, and future investors to drive its first pilot projects, build a reliable EU-based supply chain, and scale towards high-volume production. With this seed round, the company takes a decisive step toward enabling a new generation of low-weight, agile, safe, and sustainable robots capable of working alongside humans — and helping secure Europe’s position as a leader in advanced robotics hardware.
“Modern robots demand a new category of actuation,” said Pablo López García, CEO and co-founder of AILOS Robotics. “We combine Quasi-Direct-Drive-like backdrivability with the high torque density of advanced gearing — finally removing one of the main barriers to agile, lightweight, and safe robots that can operate alongside humans.”
“AILOS addresses one of the biggest bottlenecks in humanoid and collaborative robotics,” said Cédric Van Nevel, Partner at QBIC. “Europe needs strong hardware manufacturers, and this team has the technology, IP position, and industrial vision to deliver. We are happy to support the founding team in bringing years of academic research to the market.”
Anne Umbach, Investment Manager at HTGF, said: “AILOS has the potential to become a new European tech champion – despite the challenge of entering the market as a component supplier within an established value chain. Their hardware-level innovation unlocks a unique combination of mechanical parameters, addressing key challenges faced by robot manufacturers in the future markets of cobots and humanoid systems. We’re investing in strong IP and a diverse, ambitious team with a clear technological vision.”
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AILOS Robotics builds the next generation of robotic actuators through its patented R2poweR gearbox — combining quasi-direct drive-like agility with class-leading torque density. Originating from the VUB BruBotics research group and backed by strong EU innovation programs, AILOS delivers the core component for safer, lighter, more sustainable and more affordable robots.
This operation benefits from the support from the European Union under the InvestEU Fund
About HTGF - High-Tech Gründerfonds
HTGF is one of the leading and most active early-stage investors in Germany and Europe, financing startups in the fields of Deep Tech, Industrial Tech, Climate Tech, Digital Tech, Life Sciences and Chemistry. With its experienced investment team, HTGF supports startups in all phases of their development into international market leaders. HTGF invests in pre-seed and seed phases and can participate significantly in later-stage financing rounds. Since its inception in 2005, HTGF has financed around 800 startups and achieved 200 successful exits. HTGF has a fund volume of over 2 billion euros. Fund investors in the public-private partnership include the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy, KfW Capital as well as 45 companies and family offices. For more information, please visit HTGF.de or follow us on LinkedIn.
About Wallonie Entreprendre (WE)
WE contributes to the economic development of the Walloon region through awareness programmes and by supporting and financing companies based in Wallonia in a wide range of sectors, including life sciences, deep tech, energy, defence and aerospace. Alongside private investors, it provides equity and debt financing to companies of all sizes at different stages of development. By doing this, WE helps to develop ecosystems in order to generate employment, create value and attract further investment.
finance&invest.brussels is a Brussels public limited company that supports the creation and growth of businesses in the Brussels-Capital Region. It intervenes at strategic moments in their development by facilitating and complementing the financing chain of microenterprises, self-employed workers, spinoffs, start-ups, scale-ups and SMEs through loans, equity investments and guarantees. Its shareholding combines the Brussels-Capital Region, leading financial institutions and major Brussels corporates, ensuring both a strong public anchor and solid private support. The objective: to stimulate the Brussels economy, foster employment and support the transition towards more sustainable and inclusive economic models.
Vrije Universiteit Brussel is an internationally oriented university in Brussels, the heart of Europe. By providing excellent research and education on a human scale, VUB wants to make an active and committed contribution to a better society. The Vrije Universiteit Brussel assumes its scientific and social responsibility with love and decisiveness. That’s why VUB launched the platform De Wereld Heeft Je Nodig – The World Needs You, which brings together ideas, actions and projects based on six Ps. The first P stands for People, because that’s what it’s all about: giving people equal opportunities, prosperity, welfare, respect. Peace is about fighting injustice, big and small, in the world. Prosperity combats poverty and inequality. Planet stands for actions on biodiversity, climate, air quality, animal rights... With Partnership, VUB is looking for joint actions to make the world a better place. The sixth and last P is for Poincaré, the French philosopher Henri Poincaré, from whom VUB derives its motto that thinking should submit to nothing except the facts themselves. VUB is an ‘urban engaged university’, strongly anchored in Brussels and Europe and working according to the principles of free research.
Qbic is a sector-agnostic seed and early-stage venture capital fund, focusing on creating impact through the transformation of technological breakthroughs into sustainable business. The fund’s goal is to support young innovative companies that valorize research from Qbic's knowledge partners. The fund typically participates in the first external investment round of a company and continues to support and invest in these companies throughout their growth. Across 3 funds, Qbic has close to € 200M in AUM. For more information, please visit www.qbic.be.
