Warehouse automation company KNAPP has established a new robotics and artificial intelligence innovation hub in Somerville, Mass., aimed at accelerating the development and commercialization of robotics technology for logistics operations.
The new company, KNAPPRobotics.ai Inc., will focus on AI, computer vision, robotics and product development, working alongside KNAPP’s existing robotics centre in Graz, Austria.
The company expects the Massachusetts facility to employ 30 to 35 people by early 2027, including approximately 20 software developers. The team will include existing KNAPP employees and new hires from the Boston technology sector.
“Robotics is developing at a rapid pace, while customers are expecting solutions that can be implemented quickly, operated reliably and scaled at a global level. With KNAPPRobotics.ai, we are laying the organizational foundation that will enable us to firmly link innovation, product development and product launch management and turn new technologies into real customer applications faster,” said Gerald Hofer, CEO of KNAPP AG.
The Boston hub will concentrate on developing robotics applications for warehouse operations, including piece picking, bin picking and inventory cycle counting.
Central to the development work is KNAPP Brain, the company’s robotics platform incorporating AI, computer vision, grip point calculation, motion planning and continuous learning.
While the Graz facility will remain responsible for robotics development, logistics expertise and preparing technology for industrial deployment, the Boston location will focus on innovation and translating research into commercial applications.
KNAPP said the new facility will also strengthen its relationship with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). The company has collaborated with MIT for several years and joined its Industrial Liaison Program in 2026.
“Boston offers an extraordinary combination of robotics research, entrepreneurship and a pool of highly qualified talent. Our goal is to build an innovation hub that adds fresh impetus to the entire KNAPP group and optimally complement the strengths of our location in Graz. This allows us to combine the innovative power of a worldwide leading robotics ecosystem with KNAPP’s decades of automation and logistics experience,” said Wolfgang Toferer, CEO of KNAPPRobotics.ai.
Toferer will lead the new company alongside chief operating officer Christopher Reiß and vice-president Thomas Zilk.
KNAPP said it is also pursuing partnerships with other companies specializing in robot learning, computer vision, autonomous systems and simulation.
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