Stuttgart to become Europe's hot spot for AI and robotics in March

After 15 years of existence, the European Robotics Forum (ERF) is coming to Germany for the first time. In the last week of March, the European robotics community will meet for its flagship event in the Liederhalle in the heart of Stuttgart. Consistent with the lines of this year's theme, “Boosting the Synergies between Robotics and AI for a stronger Europe”, the aim is to bring research and industry together, to present the current state of robotics and AI on a large stage, and to help shape future technological developments. 

Target-group-specific industry programs and inspiring keynotes

The ERF combines numerous event formats, making it unique in the European robotics community. Keynotes, workshops, and several side events such as B2B matchmaking comprise a large part of the wide-ranging program. For example, participants can choose from more than 50 workshops, which are also summarized in industry-specific program recommendations: 

• Advanced industrial robotics and humanoids
• Safety, security, and privacy of cobots
• Industrial and service robots
• AI and data solutions for robotics
• Sustainability, like disassembly or automation in agriculture
• Robots in healthcare and pharma
• Strateg policy of robotics in Europe
• Start-ups and entrepreneurships in Robotics

Several euRobotics Awards will be presented, an exhibition in the style of a trade fair will complement the program, and there will be on-site visits to the regional robotics ecosystem.
Each day, the program will begin with a keynote speech by a high-profile representative:

• March 25, 10:00 am: Jörg Burzer, Mercedes-Benz AG: “Transformation in Production: Pioneering technologies for sustainable automotive production of the future”  
• March 26, 10:00 am: Dieter Fox, Nvidia: “Where is RobotGPT?”     
• March 27, 10:00 am: Nicole Hoffmeister-Kraut, Ministry of Economic Affairs, Labour and Tourism Baden-Württemberg: “AI-Driven Robotics from Baden-Württemberg: Pioneering the Future of European Industry” and David Reger, Neura Robotics: “Cognitive Robotics – A New Economic Engine for the Entire EU”

All details about the program can be found here: https://erf2025.eu/programme/.

University of Stuttgart and Fraunhofer present intelligent robots for industry

As one of the ERF partners, the University of Stuttgart is playing a major role in shaping the event. “We are bringing robotics and artificial intelligence together in a wide range of research and application fields: interdisciplinary teams at the University of Stuttgart are working on this together with highly capable partners,” explains Rector Prof. Peter Middendorf. “Our goal is to contribute to solving the pressing challenges facing our society through excellent research and rapid transfer. The European Robotics Forum offers us a great opportunity to present and discuss new knowledge and new technologies.” Among other things, the ERF exhibition showcases the RoboCable project by the partners University of Stuttgart, Fraunhofer IPA and Innovationscampus Mobilität, as well as a bin-packing application with over 1300 grips of unknown objects per hour.

In this context, the University of Stuttgart is offering a look behind the scenes of robotics research at ERF. How can algorithms, simulation, and digital twins make industrial robots even more intelligent and precise for a wide range of applications? During tours of the Institute for Control Engineering of Machine Tools and Manufacturing Units (ISW), visitors can see, among other things, “cable robots” with potential applications in logistics, milling robots for metal and wood processing, digital twins in software-defined production and robots for the automotive industry that automatically assemble cables. The team will also explain how robots can work professionally in automotive production in the scientific track of ERF 2025, and ISW spin-off Sereact will be present in the exhibition area with AI-based software for department store robots.

Another guided tour will take ERF guests from the Liederhalle to the ARENA2036 research campus and Fraunhofer IPA. Insights will be provided into the AI-Matters project's test and experimentation facility for AI-based robots, which is currently being built up, and into the recently launched project RoX by its partner Mercedes-Benz. Further highlights include, for example, cognitive automation solutions for the circular economy and for medium-sized welding companies.

Free public engagement event for all interested parties

On March 24, the exhibition in the Liederhalle will be open to all interested parties free of charge. In addition, the event partners Cyber Valley and the Fraunhofer Institute for Industrial Engineering IAO are organizing the afternoon in the spirit of public engagement. With the motto “Living and working with robots: Experience. Understand. Shape.”, interested citizens can take part in a three-hour program free of charge, without any previous knowledge of robotics. This includes not only an interactive tour of the exhibition, but also the ‘KI Infomobile’ from the ‘KI Studios’ project funded by the Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs, which brings artificial intelligence to life with various demo applications on site.

Subsequent parallel workshops are targeted at four groups – schools, companies and research, citizens, and employees – to develop ideas for future collaboration with robots. The event will conclude with a panel discussion in which experts from politics, business, and research will discuss future prospects for living and working with robots.

“Each and every one of us will come into contact with robots in the future, at work, at home, or both,” explains Rebecca C. Reisch, Managing Director of Cyber Valley GmbH and General Co-Chair of Public Engagement Artificial Intelligence at ERF. “Engaging with society on this important topic is therefore very important to us to highlight its potential and reduce fears of contact,” says Reisch. Matthias Peissner, Head of Human-Technology Interaction Research Unit and General Co-Chair “Future of Work”, adds: “Intelligent robotics can achieve many positive things – especially in the world of work. Technology development must not be limited to simulating human capabilities. Sustainable innovation arises when new things are made possible and people are empowered. Our public engagement aims to initiate a dialog about desirable future work with robotics.”

Registration and further information is available at: https://erf2025.eu/public-engagement/.

 
Region Stuttgart is strongly positioned with robotics and AI

euRobotics, the European robotics association, organizes the event together with the Fraunhofer Institute for Manufacturing Engineering and Automation IPA as a scientific cooperation partner and an event agency. Other cooperation partners include Cyber Valley GmbH (Europe's center of excellence in AI and modern robotics), the University of Stuttgart, Fraunhofer IAO, and the Ministry of Economic Affairs, Labour and Tourism of the State of Baden-Württemberg. On Thursday, Nicole Hoffmeister-Kraut, Minister of Economic Affairs, will also be present. “We warmly welcome Europe's leading robotics experts to the ERF 2025 in Stuttgart. Baden-Württemberg's industrial success thrives on innovations in the field of robotics. ERF is the ideal platform to showcase our expertise in modern robotics,” said Hoffmeister-Kraut.

The City of Stuttgart also supports ERF. Lord Mayor Frank Nopper will give the welcoming address at the evening reception offered by the City on March 24. “It is a unique opportunity for Stuttgart to host the European Robotics Forum 2025,” he explains. “As a hotspot for robotics and artificial intelligence, Stuttgart is proud to contribute to the further development of the field. I look forward to welcoming ERF in March 2025 for an inspiring exchange of ideas.”

Further support for the ERF is provided by the Stuttgart Region Economic Development Corporation, the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research, and the patronage of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Protection, represented by State Secretary Udo Philipp on the occasion of the opening. Other prominent guests at ERF include Prof. Holger Hanselka, President of the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft, and Lucilla Sioli, Director for “Artificial Intelligence and Digital Industry” in the Directorate-General CONNECT at the European Commission.

Information for press and media contacts

Representatives of the daily, weekly, and trade press are cordially invited to attend the entire ERF free of charge. Registration with appropriate proof is required. In addition to the program described, there will be a moderated press conference for media contacts at 13:15 on March 25. It will also be possible to join virtually. The General Chair of the event, Werner Kraus (Fraunhofer IPA), as well as the Co-Chairs Matthias Peissner (Fraunhofer IAO), Professor Alexander Verl and Professor Marco Huber (both University of Stuttgart), and Florian Mayer, Director Management & Science of Cyber Valley, will participate. Bernd Liepert will represent euRobotics as president of the association. The discussion will focus on the status and opportunities for Europe in relation to robotics and AI technologies, and each chair will be available to answer questions on their respective areas of focus.

• To prepare for your visit, a media kit is available at www.erf2025.eu/media. 
• Please register if you plan to attend ERF in person or the virtual press conference at www.erf2025.eu/register.

Further information for interested parties, media representatives, potential sponsors, and exhibitors, as well as all program and registration details: www.erf2025.eu. 

The regular ticket prices will be available until March 14th, 12 CET. After that, the late registration price will apply.

Event co-organisers and scientific partners 

euRobotics:

euRobotics aisbl is a Brussels-based international non-profit association for all stakeholders in European robotics. It was founded in September 2012 to strengthen Europe’s competitiveness and ensure industrial leadership of manufacturers, providers, and end-users of robotics technology-based systems and services. The objectives of euRobotics are to boost European robotics research, development, and innovation and to foster a positive perception of robotics. ERF, the most influential meeting of the robotics community in Europe, started in San Sebastian in 2010 and is an initiative of euRobotics in cooperation with a local co-host.

Fraunhofer IPA:

With around 1,200 employees, Fraunhofer IPA is one of the largest institutes in the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft. The “Automation and Robotics” research division has been developing automation solutions, for example, for production and intralogistics, for over 50 years and has led numerous groundbreaking national and international research projects, focusing in particular on the transfer of research results relating to AI-based robotics into applications. Fraunhofer IPA is the scientific cooperation partner of ERF.

Fraunhofer IAO:

Digital technologies are changing our working world and have a profound impact on the economy and society. Long-established methods and processes are being modernized and revolutionized by digitization in the shortest of time periods. The Fraunhofer Institute for Industrial Engineering IAO works with companies, institutions and public-sector organizations to develop strategies, business models and solutions for the digital transformation. Fraunhofer IAO will contribute to ERF2025 with program items on topics of Future of Work. 

University of Stuttgart:

The University of Stuttgart is a leading technically oriented university with a worldwide reputation. With its 22,000 students and approximately 5,500 employees, it pursues the vision of “intelligent systems for a sustainable society”. With its strong research profile, successful collaborative research, and two clusters of excellence, it is one of the most successful universities in Germany. Its special profile, the “Stuttgart Way”, stands for the consistent interdisciplinary networking of complementary subject areas and the integration of engineering, natural sciences, humanities, and social sciences. The Scientific Track, i.e. the scientific part of the program, is organized by the University of Stuttgart and Fraunhofer IPA.

Cyber Valley GmbH:

Cyber Valley is Europe’s largest and leading center for excellence in artificial intelligence and modern robotics. Its mission and public mandate are to advocate for research, development, application, and acceptance of technologies and methods in the field of intelligent systems. Cyber Valley encourages entrepreneurship by uniting scientific excellence with innovation and technology transfer. In addition, Cyber Valley facilitates critical reflection on the ethical and social implications of AI through public engagement. Cyber Valley envisions a future in which the full potential of intelligent systems is leveraged for the greater good of the world. As a cooperation partner, Cyber Valley is contributing to public engagement at ERF.

Ministry of Economic Affairs, Labor and Tourism Baden-Württemberg:

Baden-Württemberg has a strong economy: high growth, skilled workforce, innovative power, low unemployment, and high exports. Economic policy aims to maintain and expand this leading position, based on a sustainable social market economy, free market access, and fair competition. Baden-Württemberg is one of the largest industrial locations in Germany and one of the most innovative regions in Europe and worldwide. In order to maintain this position, intelligent specialization in digitization, AI, Industry 4.0, mobility, health, and sustainability is the focus. The Ministry of Economic Affairs, Labor, and Tourism is an event partner of the ERF.

State capital Stuttgart:

Stuttgart is an important center of science. The city is the scientific centre of Baden-Württemberg with a high density of scientific institutions. According to the State Statistical Office, 45 percent of the state's research and development capacity is concentrated in Stuttgart, making it one of the strongest research locations in Germany. The city is the only city in Baden-Württemberg with two universities, in addition to five public colleges and a large number of private universities. With around 59,000 students, Stuttgart is the largest student city in Baden-Württemberg. In addition, numerous research-based companies contribute to Stuttgart's scientific strength and form an essential basis for the city's prosperity. The city is sponsoring the VIP reception on March 24 where the Lord Mayor Frank Nopper will hold an opening speech to the participants.