With the establishment of the “Robotics Saxony” innovation cluster, the federal state of Saxony is pooling a wide range of expertise from the region, thereby strengthening its position as one of the most dynamic locations for robotics and automation in Europe. Saxony will be funding the cluster with several million euros from its own resources over the coming years.This region, which already forms a very dense ecosystem, is home to over 340 companies, 44 research institutions, and more than 30 start-ups that develop highly innovative solutions, particularly at the interface between robotics manufacturers and new areas of application (such as life sciences, the textile industry, agriculture), as well as the automotive industry and microelectronics.

This new innovation cluster is a platform for technological excellence and sustainable innovation in the Free State of Saxony. Strong synergies and impetus from a broad-based, internationally established research and development base, as well as exchange with a strong network of cooperating industrial companies, are driving forward the use of robotics and artificial intelligence. The aim is, for example, to bundle application data centrally and make it available for AI applications. The goal is to put these technologies into practice, especially for small and medium-sized enterprises, in order to solve real problems, optimize processes, and promote technology transfer to these companies. Japan and Saxony are in an ideal position to cooperate, as both countries face the challenge of establishing automation and robotization in small and medium-sized enterprises. At the same time, this represents a huge new joint market.

The diverse range of practical services offered by research institutes and test centers in the field of robotics and automation solutions provide clear added value for companies. In Chemnitz, for example, there is the SchAz training and application center of the ICM Chemnitz Institute for Mechanical Engineering and Plant Technology, the Fraunhofer IWU research factory, and the BEAS Robot Studio.The “FutureTEX” future research and testing facility at the Saxon Textile Research Institute (STFI) uses application examples with robot-assisted tape bonding and 3D room monitoring camera systems to demonstrate the potential of using robots in textile production.In Dresden, companies can use real-world laboratories such as the Smart System Hub and the Robotics Center of the Chamber of Crafts (HWK). Several collaborative robot arms (cobots), training cells for welding, material transport, and milling (with classic industrial robots), several exoskeletons, and autonomous transport robots are already installed there.

After 2023, the robotics cluster will also be represented at IREX in Tokyo in December 2025.

In cooperation with the German Foreign Trade Association (GTAI), an exclusive C-level event for Japanese companies will be organized near the exhibition grounds, offering networking, cooperation, and business opportunities. 

If you have any questions about the event, please contact Andreas Lippert, COO of the Investment Services department at Wirtschaftsförderung Sachsen (WFS).

For Japanese companies, this location offers ideal development conditions and opportunities for collaboration and cooperation in the robotics industry. WFS acts as a traditional one-stop agency and has supported more than 20 Japanese companies with projects in Saxony in recent years.