SCHUNK establishes technology spin-off for humanoid robot hands

With the spin-off of a new company at the beginning of January 2026, SCHUNK is consolidating its activities in humanoid robotics and positioning itself as a key player in the growing market.

SCHUNK announced the creation of SCHUNK Humanoid Robotics GmbH, a new technology spin-off established to consolidate and accelerate its activities in humanoid robotics. Through this initiative, the company aims to strengthen its position in a rapidly growing market and speed up the commercialization of advanced solutions for industrial applications.

The new company will focus on developing modular humanoid robotic hands designed to expand the use of humanoid systems in manufacturing and automation environments. SCHUNK has been working on human-inspired gripping technologies for more than a decade and believes these capabilities will be essential for enabling robots to perform increasingly complex tasks with greater flexibility and precision.

The spin-off builds on a strong foundation, leveraging SCHUNK’s decades of experience in gripping technology and automation, its existing infrastructure, robot application centers (CoLabs), and an international research and development network. It also benefits from an established global customer base and access to key humanoid robotics markets.

Its primary technological focus is the development of a next-generation modular anthropomorphic five-finger robotic hand with an integrated wrist and forearm. Designed as a scalable component for industrial humanoid systems, the solution aims to provide enhanced dexterity, adaptability, and manipulation capabilities. According to SCHUNK, a new prototype is already approaching deployment readiness.

By creating an independent spin-off with a startup mindset, SCHUNK seeks to accelerate innovation cycles and bring new technologies to market faster. The company believes this structure will help transform research and engineering advances into commercially viable products while contributing to the establishment of global standards for humanoid robotic hands.