Munich Startup: What does your startup do? What problem do you solve?
Christoph Tullius, Co-Founder and Managing Director: Today, thousands of pallets are moved daily with forklifts, tow trains, and trucks – a manual, dangerous, and expensive process.
Ecoro enables fully automated pallet transport on industrial and logistics sites as well as between locations – cost-effective, CO₂-free, and around the clock.
Our system consists of driverless shuttles that automatically transport pallets via a dedicated, secure track network and independently load and unload at intelligent loading terminals. This way, we automate the entire transport process, from loading to unloading.
Our system is modularly scalable and can be used both for short distances on factory grounds and in industrial areas as well as for long-distance connections between hubs (e.g., city logistics).
Munich Startup: But that’s been around for ages!
Christoph Tullius: Semi-automated systems exist, yes – but there’s no solution that truly automates the entire pallet transport continuously, including in outdoor areas.
Classical automated guided vehicles (AGVs) and autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) only work with expensive sensors and at low speeds. Rail-based systems, on the other hand, lack flexibility and require high investments.
Ecoro closes this gap exactly: we combine cost-effective camera-based automation technology with intelligent loading and unloading terminals, creating a fully automated system. Our vehicles can drive up to 60 km/h, around the clock. This brings automation beyond the factory floor.
Experience from automotive and logistics as a foundation
Munich Startup: What’s your founding story?
Christoph Tullius: The idea emerged from our shared experience in the automotive and logistics industry, as well as Daniel’s experience with Hyperloop systems. We recognized that automated transport is still in its infancy because complex regulations, expensive and complicated technology, and safety concerns slow development. At the same time, our customers are actively seeking automation solutions.
From this insight, we founded Ecoro to finally fully automate pallet transport. Our founding team brings together over 40 years of experience in automotive, robotics, and logistics – and we share a long-standing friendship.
What began as a shared vision is today a multi-award-winning deep-tech startup with partners from industry, research, and infrastructure.
Munich Startup: What were your biggest challenges so far?
Christoph Tullius: Our biggest challenges lay in combining hardware and software – very different worlds that have to mesh perfectly.
Our ambition is not only to develop a driverless vehicle that works reliably outside of halls, but also to integrate various system components into a functioning overall system – united in our Ecoro software platform. Only this way can we offer our customers an affordable system solution as a one-stop-shop.
In parallel, it was challenging to secure funding and convince investors of our product before a physical demonstrator was available. These hurdles forced us to work very focused, creative, and in partnership – and they significantly strengthened us as a team.
From pilot projects to international scaling
Munich Startup: Where do you want to be in one year, where in five years?
Christoph Tullius: In October this year, we will present our next, significantly improved shuttle generation and a fully functional demonstration facility – the foundation for our first pilot projects from 2026 onwards. In one year, we want to have delivered the first vehicles to our pilot customers.
In five years, we see ourselves as the leading provider of automated pallet transport – with hundreds of shuttles in operation, an industrial series partner at our side, and first projects in international markets.
Long-term, our goal is to widely deploy our cost-effective camera-based control technology while establishing a new transport category: automated freight transport on dedicated tracks as the backbone of climate-neutral logistics.
Munich Startup: How have you experienced Munich as a startup location so far?
Christoph Tullius: Munich is an ideal location for us, particularly because of its proximity to technology, industry, and science. The exchange with partners like the TU München, the Garching Research Center, and programs like EIT Urban Mobility has significantly accelerated our development. At the same time, Munich offers a strong network of investors, innovation centers, and corporates who are open to deep-tech collaborations.
The biggest challenge remains competition for talent and high cost of living, but the innovative environment and quality of contacts more than make up for it.
Munich Startup: Quick exit or long game?
Christoph Tullius: Clear: long game with strategic perspective. We’re building technology that will sustainably change industrial processes – that takes time, strong partners, and solid growth. A quick exit was never our goal. Instead, we want to develop Ecoro to the point where a strategic acquisition by an industrial or automotive company makes long-term sense – ideally from 2029 onwards, when our technology is production-ready and internationally scalable. Until then, we’re investing in innovation and substance, not hype.
