Flanders Make launches Robotics Launchpad to bring flexible robotics to industry more quickly
Linda Corstjens
PR & Communications Manager
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Diepenbeek, 15 September 2026 – Flanders Make, the research centre for industrial innovation, is today launching its Robotics Launchpad: a new programme that provides step-by-step guidance to companies on introducing robotics technology into the workplace. The launch is taking place during an event for around 300 interested parties on Physical AI – artificial intelligence that not only thinks but also acts physically – and mobile robotics on the KU Leuven campus in Diepenbeek.
The next major step in industrial robotics does not lie in robots repeating the same movement millions of times, but in applications where tasks, products and circumstances are constantly changing. It is precisely in this high-mix, low-volume production that automation often remains difficult or not yet economically viable today.
New developments in Physical AI and mobile robotics are changing this. Robots are becoming increasingly adept at perceiving their environment, making decisions and adapting their actions, meaning that even more complex, variable or physically demanding tasks are now suitable for automation.
Companies face the challenge of responding more quickly to change, increasing their productivity and addressing the shortage of skilled workers. Technology that makes production more flexible and supports people is therefore a key driver in keeping our industry competitive and resilient
Grisja Lobbestael
CEO, Flanders Make
During the event, practical applications and live demonstrations will show how this evolution is already taking shape today.
Traditional robotics performs well when the environment is predictable, but the real challenge begins when robots have to adapt to changing tasks and circumstances. Physical AI enables robots to perceive, decide and act more effectively, thereby paving the way for automation where flexibility is essential.
Koen Maertens
CTO, Flanders Make
With the new Robotics Launchpad, Flanders Make is translating these possibilities into a concrete pathway for businesses, from the initial idea to a robotic application on the shop floor.
“Many companies recognise the potential of new robotics technology, but the step towards implementing it on the shop floor remains a significant one. With the Robotics Launchpad, we are lowering that barrier and guiding companies from an automation requirement to a solution that works both technically and in practice,” says Wouter Favoreel, Sector Manager at Flanders Make.
For Flanders Make, therefore, Physical AI and mobile robotics are not an end in themselves, but a means to enable companies to operate more flexibly, safely and productively, and to respond more quickly to change.
