Munich Startup: What does Leverage Robotics do? What problem do you solve?
Roman Weitschat, Leverage Robotics: We at Leverage Robotics are a spin-off of the German Aerospace Center (DLR) and want to make production of the future more flexible and efficient with the help of lightweight robots. To do this, we develop highly flexible and intelligent plug-and-produce robot cells for quick setup times in multitasking applications.
With our innovative robot tool technology, complex and diverse tasks in the areas of logistics, assembly, quality and especially in machine loading as well as start-of-line applications can be efficiently realized. Each of these tools has software modules, so-called robot capabilities, which enable intuitive robot programming even for non-experts. This enables regional production and prevents outsourcing with long supply chains.
Munich Startup: But that already exists!
Roman Weitschat: Well, yes and no. Conventional robot systems lack flexibility and often have long setup times to process different products or automate smaller series. Newer robot stations rely on tool change systems that are exclusively active. This means that one gripper must be completely replaced by another gripper and thus power or pneumatics must always be routed through. Additionally, extra connections to the control box and throughout the entire system are needed. Setup times are thus significantly higher than with our tooling system. Our tools are passive. This means they are purely mechanical and are operated by a conventional robot 2-finger gripper.
What robots can do thanks to Leverage Robotics is so far unique
Similar to how a tradesman squeezes his pliers, we transform this movement in our “ToolCubes” and introduce magnetism or create negative pressure. This allows us to realize magnetic or suction gripper tasks purely mechanically. This is unique on the market. With this technology, we can retrofit robot stations in a flash and realize complex robot applications much more easily and intuitively.
Munich Startup: What is your founding story?
Roman Weitschat: As a research team in the area of “Factory of the Future” at the German Aerospace Center, we researched flexible, self-reconfiguring and intelligent robot stations for many years and also collaborated with industrial partners. In doing so, we noticed the need for high flexibility, which was primarily limited by robot tooling. And that’s how we came up with passive tooling, wrote an EXIST research transfer application and developed the technology. With EXIST, the founding of a company was initiated and now we are operating independently as a company with a seed investment.
Munich Startup: What were your biggest challenges so far?
Roman Weitschat: The biggest challenge so far was of course solid technical implementation, which I think we’ve solved very well. And the ability to operate as a company. The search for investors was at the forefront here. Because they are simply necessary to further develop such cost-intensive robot technologies and add new ones.
Goal: more competitive with automated production
Munich Startup: Where do you want to be in one year, where in five years?
Roman Weitschat: So in the short term, our goal is to expand our sales network and get many of our products into industry production.
In the long term, we are working to make product manufacturing through automation competitive in Europe, avoid long supply chains and be able to produce regionally in an economically viable way.
Munich Startup: How have you experienced Munich as a startup location so far?
Roman Weitschat: Munich is a very good environment for startups. There are many events, coaching sessions and other startups that we can exchange with. But finding staff is very difficult. Because there are many large corporations like Google, Apple and others based here that offer very attractive positions. So it’s very difficult for startups to attract good people.
Munich Startup: Quick exit or long haul?
Roman Weitschat: Depends on the offer. Joking aside: we are fundamentally working to build a solid company and grow it healthily. That’s what we’ve always set out to do. However, integration into a strategic partner company is also conceivable.
