Italy Steps Into the Humanoid Race: Generative Bionics Secures €70M to Bring “Physical AI” Robots to Market
Generative Bionics — the new spin-out from the Italian Institute of Technology (IIT) led by renowned roboticist Daniele Pucci — has closed a landmark €70 million funding round, one of Europe’s strongest deep-tech investments in humanoid robotics to date. The deal signals Italy’s intent to stake a claim in the rapidly accelerating global market for humanoids and embodied AI systems.
The round was led by CDP Venture Capital’s Artificial Intelligence Fund, joined by AMD Ventures, Duferco, Eni Next, RoboIT and Tether, bringing heavyweight industrial and semiconductor players to the table.
A Human-Centric Humanoid Built for Real Work
Generative Bionics aims to commercialize a new class of “Made in Italy” intelligent humanoids designed for industrial, healthcare, and retail environments. These robots are intended for repetitive, hazardous, or labor-intensive tasks — but with a strong emphasis on design, ergonomics, and safe physical interaction with people.
The company begins with an extraordinary advantage: around 70 IIT engineers will now join its technical division, supported by new staff in management, certification, and manufacturing. The capital will accelerate:
Product development and industrial validation
Training of advanced Physical AI models
Construction of the company’s first manufacturing plant
Finalization of industrial contracts, expected to be announced in early 2026
“Our mission is to build a future where intelligent humanoids collaborate with people every day,” said Pucci. “Physical AI enables human-inspired robots that deliver clear value across industry. By 2035, the humanoid market could surpass $200 billion, and by 2050 exceed $5 trillion. This is a moment of profound transformation.”
A National Opportunity and a European Play for Leadership
For Italy, the rise of humanoid robotics represents what CDP Venture Capital calls “an unmissable opportunity.”
“This team has the potential to make Generative Bionics a European and global champion,” said Alessandro Scortecci, Director of Direct Investments at CDP. “Italy can be a leader in a market defined by generative growth trends.”
The company builds on more than two decades of IIT research, including:
iCub – the world-famous cognitive research robot
ergoCub – a humanoid co-developed with INAIL for workplace support
iRonCub – the world’s only jet-propelled flying humanoid
These programs produced the three core pillars of Generative Bionics’ next-generation platforms:
A distributed tactile/force sensor network (from iCub) enabling safe human-robot contact
A Physical AI architecture (from ergoCub) designed for real-world learning and task specialization
Adaptive AI control methods (from iRonCub) for extreme operational conditions
All wrapped in a distinctly Italian industrial design ethos — balanced proportions, thoughtful materials, and an emphasis on aesthetics that support trust and collaboration.
The Premiere: CES 2025
The first complete version of the company’s debut humanoid will make its international premiere at CES in Las Vegas (6–9 January 2025), marking Italy’s bold entrance into the global humanoid robotics competition.
“With Generative Bionics, IIT puts another foundational piece of its mission on the ground,” said Giorgio Metta, IIT’s scientific director. “This initiative supports national industry and advances the next generation of robotics.”
