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

After 15 years of existence, 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.

The ERF combines numerous event formats, making it unique in the European robotics community. Keynotes, workshops, and several side events such as B2B matchmaking make up a large part of the wide-ranging program. For example, participants can choose from more than 50 workshops on topics such as application trends in industrial and service robotics, generative AI in robot programming and control, the AI Act, or humanoid robots. They are also summarized in industry-specific-program reccomendations. 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.

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. As part of the workshop program, researchers from the Institute of Systems Theory and Control (IST) will also explain how an autonomously driving e-scooter works. 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.

Information about the tours can be found on the ERF website.

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. Under 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 ‘AI Infomobile’ from the ‘AI 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.

Information on the public engagement event can also be found on the ERF website.

euRobotics, the European robotics association organizes the event together with the Fraunhofer Institute for Manufacturing Engineering and Automation IPA as 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, Labor 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. “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.”

European robotics association euRobotics Fraunhofer Institute for Manufacturing Engineering and Automation (IPA), Fraunhofer Institute for Industrial Engineering (IAO), University of Stuttgart, Cyber Valley GmbH, Ministry of Economic Affairs, Labour and Tourism of Baden-Württemberg, State Capital Stuttgart.

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 especially for media contacts at 1:15 pm 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.

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 14^th, 12 CET. After that, the late registration price will apply.

International Press Release

Tours at the Institute for Control Engineering of Machine Tools and Manufacturing Units (ISW)

Public engagement event