The manufacturing and logistics industries are at a critical juncture. Labor shortages, rising costs, and the increasing demand for efficiency have highlighted a persistent challenge: the complexity and cost of programming industrial robots. Robots have historically required highly specialized expertise and expensive integrators to deploy and adapt. This dynamic is a major bottleneck in broader automation adoption.

Enter Progressive Robotics, a Thessaloniki-based company transforming industrial automation with its AI-powered, no-code software platform. By combining machine learning for 3D perception and decision making with automatic trajectory planning and an easy to use interface, Progressive Robotics removes the barriers to robotic programming and pushes the frontier of new applications, ushering in a new era of accessible and adaptable automation.

Progressive Robotics offers a user-friendly platform that empowers operators to reprogram robots in minutes without technical expertise. Through an intuitive web interface, tasks like palletizing, packing and loading/unloading can be quickly configured, reducing dependency on third-party integrators and delivering immediate operational flexibility. This is not just incremental progress; it’s a fundamental shift. By eliminating the traditional bottlenecks in robotic programming, Progressive Robotics accelerates deployment, reduces costs, and opens the door for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to adopt automation at scale.

One of the most labor-intensive tasks in supply chains is palletizing—the process of stacking products onto pallets for storage or shipment, essentially a 3D Tetris exercise. Progressive Robotics’ AI-driven software is purpose-built to address this challenge, particularly in the complex domain of mixed-case palletizing, where products of different shapes and sizes need to be stacked efficiently and securely. The software enables real-time adaptability, optimized efficiency with up to 20% faster operations, and seamless scalability across diverse industry needs, as demonstrated in first customer production installations spanning food production to pharmaceuticals. With several installations already live across multiple sectors, Progressive Robotics is proving its ability to deliver value and drive productivity gains.

Progressive Robotics is driven by a bold vision: to automate the most strenuous tasks within logistics and fulfillment centers. By focusing on software-driven automation, the company is redefining how robots integrate into industrial workflows, making advanced robotics accessible and transformative for businesses of all sizes. The company aspires to bring Amazon-like robotics capabilities to SMEs, empowering them with the same level of efficiency and innovation traditionally reserved for large enterprises. The company in a very short time has forged strategic partnerships with leading robotic OEMs such as ABB, Elite Robots, and Schmalz, ensuring seamless integration with their hardware platforms. These collaborations not only validate the company’s technology but also amplify its market reach.

The company is led by Dr. Fotis Dimeas (CEO) and Dr. Marios Kiatos (CTO), both of whom bring significant expertise in robotics and AI. Dr. Dimeas has been at the forefront of human-robot collaboration research, while Dr. Kiatos specializes in machine learning and robotic manipulation. Together, they have assembled a world-class engineering team from AUTH, driving innovation and execution at every level.

Marathon Venture Capital is proud to lead a €1.6 million seed round in Progressive Robotics, alongside repeat investors. This funding will enable the company to scale its operations, refine its product, and accelerate its global expansion and achieve its vision to simplify and streamline industrial automation.

Learn about the company and its product in the following video. 👇🏼