Sunfish Partners Invests in Poland’s AI Robotics Pioneer

Category: Investment / DeepTech / Robotics Tags: Robotics, DeepTech, Poland

Sunfish Partners backs SI Robotics, a Polish startup building the foundation for Europe’s humanoid robot infrastructure — with a bold vision to produce 100,000 units across industry and defense

In a bold move signaling Europe’s growing ambition to build technological sovereignty in critical sectors, Sunfish Partners has announced an investment in SI Robotics, a Polish startup working to establish a scalable platform for humanoid robot development in Europe. The investment amount remains undisclosed, but its implications are strategic and far-reaching.

Founded by Patryk Szymczak and Kajetan Andrzejewski, SI Robotics aims to be the “Physical AI infrastructure” layer of the European economy — developing humanoid robots that not only mimic human motion but also learn from and collaborate with people in real-time industrial and defense scenarios. While most Western efforts in humanoid robotics remain in experimental stages or tied to consumer prototypes, SI Robotics is setting its sights higher: building 100,000 working humanoid robots in Europe.

“We don’t just want to make robots — we want to create a self-sufficient robotics economy within the EU,” said co-founder Kajetan Andrzejewski in a recent panel discussion in Berlin. “We believe robotics is now as strategic as semiconductors or energy.”


Subscribe to Startup Digest to stay ahead with the latest news, investments, and must-attend events.


A NATO-Frontline Robotics Lab

Poland, where SI Robotics is headquartered, has increasingly become a geo-strategic innovation hub — both as the eastern edge of the European Union and a defense-oriented tech hotspot. This context gives SI Robotics a unique lens into dual-use applications of its robotics: the same machines that might lift crates in a logistics warehouse could also one day support military logistics or assist medics in field conditions. In practical terms, the startup is starting from the ground up. Before manufacturing full humanoid robots, SI Robotics is engineering core modules — including actuators, balance systems, and adaptive control software — that will be licensed or integrated into broader robotics platforms. This modular-first approach not only reduces cost and complexity but also allows SI Robotics to gain early traction in industrial automation markets before launching complete bipedal units.

Not a Race to Demos — But to Infrastructure

Unlike tech giants such as Tesla (with its Optimus project) or Boston Dynamics, SI Robotics isn’t chasing viral demo videos. Instead, the founders emphasize “learning-by-doing infrastructure”, where robots improve through real-world deployment. Drawing lessons from agriculture, logistics, and manufacturing, the company is focused on robots that work, not just walk. The goal is to develop an open ecosystem where robotic units are programmable by enterprises and integrators, with AI layers that learn routines over time — creating what the team calls a cognitive mesh of physical labor.

Strategic Alignment with Sunfish Partners

For Sunfish Partners, this investment reinforces its commitment to European deep-tech with strategic upside. The Berlin- and Warsaw-based VC has already backed companies such as Asynchronics, which builds digital twin platforms for space engineering. By investing in SI Robotics, Sunfish aligns itself with sovereignty-first innovation that reduces Europe’s dependence on non-EU tech infrastructure — especially in fields critical to defense, supply chain continuity, and demographic resilience (e.g., elderly care robotics).

“Humanoid robotics is not a sci-fi playground anymore. It’s an inevitable response to workforce shortages and national security priorities,” said a spokesperson for Sunfish. “We believe SI Robotics has the right mindset and engineering foundation to make Poland — and Europe — competitive on the global stage.”

Why This Matters

Europe’s labor market is under pressure from aging populations, supply chain disruptions, and increasing geopolitical uncertainty. At the same time, countries like China, the U.S., and South Korea are pouring billions into robotics, creating a technological dependency risk for Europe. SI Robotics positions itself as the continent’s answer to this challenge, by developing robots built in and for Europe. And Poland — with its strong engineering talent, defense focus, and rising VC activity — is emerging as an unexpected but powerful launchpad for the next era of robotics.

Looking Ahead

SI Robotics plans to expand its R&D operations in Poland, collaborate with local manufacturing partners, and initiate early trials in logistics and industrial testbeds in 2025. Long-term, the startup envisions commercial production and European-wide deployment of humanoid units in sectors ranging from eldercare and defense to mining and warehouse operations. The next 12 months will determine whether SI Robotics becomes a quiet R&D lab — or the robotic backbone of a sovereign European future.

Ahmad Piraiee

Seasoned marketing strategist and blockchain advisor, I influence innovation in the Fintech/InsurTech sectors. As a public speaker and mentor, I provide strategic guidance to startups and Fortune 500 companies, driving growth and change.

https://piraiee.com/
Previous
Previous

AIP Seed invests 1 million PLN in “Ona”, the AI-powered femtech app

Next
Next

Summer Jam 2025: Kraków’s Innovation Block Party Turns 10