Wandelbots Robotics start-up and its no-code approach "Nova" – the magic pen to the "Windows for Robot"

Wandelbots: The turning point in robot technology made in Germany

Wandelbots from Dresden is one of the most prominent and capital-strong robotics start-ups in Germany. Founded in 2017 by a team of researchers from the TU Dresden, the company competed with a clear mission: democratizing the complex and expensive programming of industrial robots. The original idea, which made changing bots internationally known, was as simple as it was brilliant: instead of writing code, specialists were able to demonstrate robots with an intuitive input, the tracepen, movements. This no-code approach promised to make automation accessible to medium-sized companies and to combat the shortage of skilled workers.

But despite well -known customers such as Volkswagen and BMW and after investing in the amount of over $ 123 million of heavyweights such as Insight Partners, Microsoft and Siemens, convertible bots 2023 took a radical strategy chew. The company set its hardware production and has fully focused on its "Nova" software platform since then. This should act as a manufacturer-independent operating system – almost a "Windows for robots" – offer a uniform environment for simulation, control and AI-based optimization of robots of different brands. This pivot, which was also accompanied by a breakdown of around 30 % of the workforce, marks the courageous attempt to establish a scalable, global software business model and to position itself as a central player in the fragmented robotic market.

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• Innovative solutions with low code ecosystems and robotics for the electrical and logistics industry – a shortage of skilled workers? Was yesterday!

Why is change bots exciting for German -speaking countries and beyond?

Wandelbots are one of the best-known German robotics start-ups because the company has developed a no-code approach that enables non-specialist industrial robots to use without traditional programming skills. The Dresden company not only promises cost reductions in production, but also addresses the shortage of workers in many industries.

Who founded Wandelbots?

Which people are behind the foundation?

Wandelbots were founded in 2017 by Christian Piacht, Maria Piacht, Georg Püschel, Sebastian Werner, Jan Falkenberg, Giang Nguyen and Christoph Biering. All co -founders previously worked at the Technical University of Dresden, especially at the Chair of Software Technology.

What roles do the founders have today?

Christian Piachnick runs the company as Chief Executive Officer, while Maria Piachnick and Georg Püschel perform strategic tasks on product and technology issues.

How did the core idea of convertible bots come about?

Which problem did the team originally want to solve?

The founders observed that around 75% of the total costs of an industrial robot are eliminated or converted. The aim was therefore to radically simplify the process so that medium -sized companies can also efficiently automate small lot sizes.

What first approaches did the start-up pursue?

The first demonstrators were a sensor jacket and later the TracePene, an input pencil with which users could easily demonstrate robot lanes. This hardware was accompanied by agnostic software that translated the movements into controllable robot programs.

What exactly is the traceepen?

How does the TracePen work?

The TracePene is a wireless pen that is equipped with inertial sensors, light sensors and interchangeable tool peaks. Two external tracking cubes send infrared signals to precisely grasp the pin position in the room. The movement data gets into the changebots software via an industrial PC, which generates a robot path in real time.

What are the advantages for the user?

According to change bots, programming times can be shortened of up to 70 times, since only a demonstration is necessary instead of code lines. In addition, the programs generated can be transmitted between different robot factories because the software works regardless of the manufacturer.

How has the product portfolio changed?

Is the tracepene still the main product?

No. 2023 decided change bots to cling all hardware products from the core business and to concentrate fully on software. In 2024, the company introduced the "Nova" platform as a robot-independent operating system to enable developers to write its own automation apps.

What role does the original hardware play now?

The TracePen is further supported in some existing projects, but is no longer part of the long -term strategy. The experiences from the pen flowed into digital workflows, which Nova now reproduces virtually.

What software solutions currently offers change bots?

What exactly is Wandelbots Nova?

Nova is a robotic-agicic operating system that connects hardware from ABB, KUKA, FANUC, YASKAWA and other manufacturers. It combines path planning, cycle time optimization, digital twins and AI-based services in a consistent environment.

Who is Nova aimed at?

The platform is intended to address system integrators, medium -sized companies and large corporations alike. Thanks to the NO code and low code approaches, production planners can model, simulate and put into operation without profound robotics know-how.

What does the financing history look like?

Public financing rounds of change bots

Wandelbots have gone through several significant financing rounds in recent years. The company started with a Seed/Series A round in 2018, where Paua Ventures and EQT Ventures invested 6 million euros. In 2020, two further financing rounds followed: First a Series B with $ 30 million, led by 83north, Microsoft M12 and Siemens Next47. In an extended Series B round, another 26 million euros were raised by the same investors. In 2022, change bots with the Series C round achieved another milestone when Insight Partners, 83north and Microsoft provided $ 84 million. By the end of 2024, the company had raised a total of impressive $ 123 million in risk capital, which underlines the continuing trust of investors in the company.

How much capital has converted bots collected in total?

According to several sources, the company had raised € 109 million or $ 123 million to risk capital by the end of 2024.

What does convertible bots use the money for?

The funds flow into accelerated product development, the establishment of go-to-market teams in North America and Asia as well as the opening of the software platform for external developers.

Did converted bots have experienced personnel reduction?

Is it true that there were mass layoffs?

At the end of 2023, convertible bots strain around 30% of the positions; 27% went through a volunteer program, another 11 open positions were not filled. The step was part of the strategy to break away from hardware and build a pure software organization.

How was the transition accompanied?

According to its own information, management offered severance payments, coaching and mediation services to support released employees.

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Which customers use change bots?

What well -known companies work with change bots?

The earliest pilot and serial customers include Volkswagen, BMW and Infineon, who have already used the traceepen for welding and gripping programming. Later, users such as Fraunhofer, Schaeffler, Rotop, Vitesco and Bayer were added, who tested the platform in different applications.

Are there any examples outside the automotive industry?

Yes. A Danish system integrator installed robots in large bakeries with changebots software to decorate cake surfaces, which drastically lowered manual time.

How borders convertible bots from established robotic companies?

What distinguishes changing bots from classic robot manufacturers?

While traditional providers such as KUKA or ABB rely strongly on proprietary controls, change bots are positioned as a manufacturer-independent software layer that combines different robot stamps via a common interface.

How about changing bots on other German robotics start-ups?

The German robotics scene recently experienced bankruptcy at Franka Emika and Gestal Robotics, which shows the risks of hardware-heavy business models. Wandelbots tries to counter this trend through a software focus and an ecosystem approach.

What key concepts do convertible bots use?

What does "no-code" mean for industrial robots?

NO code refers to tools that make complex functions accessible through graphic or gesture-supported surfaces. In the case of change bots, the demonstration via tracepen or virtual models in Nova replaces classic programming languages such as Rapid or KRL.

What role does artificial intelligence play?

Ki helps to filter out processing fluctuations and tremors in human demonstrations, to smooth paths and to optimize trial speeds. Later, AI was also used for anomaly recognition and self -confident process management.

Which markets addressed change bots?

Where does change bots see the greatest growth potential?

Managing Director Pichchnick sees the greatest opportunities in medium-sized machine and plant engineering, where flexible lot sizes are required and specialists are missing. In addition, the company aims at North America and East Asia because there is a high robot density with growing software requirements.

Which industries are specifically addressed?

In addition to automotive and electronics production, convertible bots of logistics, construction element production, food processing, life science laboratories and even wood and metal craft.

How does change bots earn money?

What does the business model look like after the pivot?

Mandelbots sells Nova as a subscription license, supplemented by add-on modules for simulation, real-time AI services and open APIs that can monetize third-party developers. Customer-specific integration projects are deliberately reduced to establish a scalable SaaS model.

Are there hardware sales?

Only in niche projects. The majority of the income should come from software licenses, training courses and a future marketplace for robot apps.

What influence did the change of strategy have on investors?

How did the investors react to the pivot?

According to interviews, the management had to intensively convince its investors of software focusing, but was able to keep all major donors such as Insight Partners, Microsoft and 83north on board, which the Series C showed.

Which arguments particularly drawn?

A hardware -free platform promises higher margins, fast iterations and global scale effects, similar to a "Windows for robots", as Piacht put it.

How big is the team today?

How many employees are currently working on convertible bots?

According to the company, around 100 to 110 people from 17 countries work for change bots; Before that there were about 140.

What locations does the company operate?

The headquarters are in Dresden, plus an office in the technology hub in 1871 in Chicago for the US market.

What partnerships exist?

Does convertible bots cooperate with robotics manufacturers?

Yes. The company lists ABB, Kuka, Fanuc, Yaskawawa and Universal Robots as supported brands. There is also a strategic partnership with Yaskawa Motoman for welding applications.

Are there technology partnerships?

Microsoft delivers cloud and AI infrastructure, Nvidia supports simulations via omniverse, and 3M controls tools for grinding and connection processes.

What prices and awards have convertible bots received?

Was the company awarded?

Wandelbots at Techcrunch Disrupt 2017 were one of the Battlefield finalists. In addition, the tracepene was recognized as an innovation product for several industrial awards, including at the Automatica 2020 trade fair.

What are the challenges?

What are the risks despite the success?

The market for industrial robotics is fragmented, dominated by ten large manufacturers and requires deep integration into existing production IT. In addition, economic fluctuations can brake investment willingness, as the bankruptcies of competitors show.

How does the company want to deal with these risks?

Through the openness of the platform, strong focus on software and long -term binding of the community, convertible bots wants to create a network effect that increases changing barriers for customers.

What does the outlook look like until 2030?

Which roadmap has converted bots communicated?

The company plans to expand Nova by 2027 to expand app stores, AI-supported process autotuning modules and standardized interfaces to MES systems. By 2030, convertible bots are aiming for a leading role as an operating system for collaborative robotics, which is represented in all important factories.

Which key figures should this underpin?

According to the business plan, convertible bots with annual growth rates over 40% in software sales and a user base of several ten thousand active robots expect until the end of the decade.

Summary of the most important points

What are the central findings about change bots?

• Change bots were founded in Dresden in 2017 to democratize robotics through no-code approaches.
• So far, the company has collected $ 123 million risk capital, led by Insight Partners and 83north.
• According to the first hardware products such as the TracePene, a pivot was carried out to a pure software platform called Nova in 2023.
• Nova combines robots of different manufacturers, offers simulation and AI optimization and is aimed at medium-sized companies and large industry.
• Despite a wave of discharge of around 30%, the management looks optimistic about a scalable SaaS business model.
• Customers such as BMW, VW, Schaeffler and Fraunhofer validate the concept in real manufacturing environments.

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