Universal Robots was founded in 2005 by Esben Østergaard, Kasper Støy, and Kristian Kassow, who met at the University of Southern Denmark. Inspired by the huge potential of robotics but frustrated by the limitations of existing industrial robots, they set out to revolutionize the field.
A vision born from innovation
They envisioned robots that were not only easily reprogrammable but also versatile enough to be repurposed for various functions on factory floors. This vision stemmed from two university research projects aimed at simplifying and enhancing automation.
From research to reality
The first project aimed to create a toy robot so simple to program that a child could do it within half an hour. The second addressed the Danish food industry's need for a flexible automation solution, enabling factory employees to reconfigure production lines for new products. Traditional industrial robots proved too rigid and complex for the task, leading the team to seek a better solution.
The birth of the cobot
By merging the learnings from these projects, Universal Robots' founders created the world’s first commercially viable collaborative robot (cobot). This groundbreaking invention was easily programmable and highly versatile, transforming the way businesses approach automation. Universal Robots' cobots empowered employees to manage production changes quickly and efficiently, making advanced automation accessible to companies of all sizes.
A mission that endures
Our founders' original quest is still reflected in our company's mission - Automation for anyone. Anywhere.
Founded on collaboration
Building an ecosystem was an important goal for our company's founders. From the very beginning, they envisioned an open-source system where others could use the cobot platform to build new, breakthrough solutions. They were convinced that collaboration would create more value for the developer community and end-users.
By inviting others to join the cobot movement and leverage each other’s strengths, our founders built something truly unique. Today, a global team is in place to grow and support the hundreds of developers on the platform.
