Bold Ambitions
Nimrod Malinas aspires to lead "the global transformation of work by democratizing access to robotics."
The Business Idea?
Our Robots-as-a-Service model (RaaS) enables SMEs to automate efficiently without the high upfront costs of traditional robot ownership.
How did it come about?
After acquiring Klips, a 90-year-old traditional Swiss painting company, I realized that many clients were struggling — not due to lack of demand, but because of a severe labor shortage. I decided to find a solution to their problems, continued researching, and discovered that there are painting robots that can be automated.
Why the name?
Robonnement is a combination of "robotics" and the French and German word for "subscription" ("abonnement"), reflecting our Swiss roots.
Where did the startup capital come from?
Robonnement emerged as a spin-off from Klips, the company I acquired for one million Swiss francs without any startup capital, thanks to a creative deal structure. Afterwards, we bootstrapped and reinvested the profits.
How do you generate revenue?
On one hand through RaaS: SMEs gain access to advanced robotics via flexible subscription plans, securing us a steady, recurring revenue stream. On the other hand, through direct sales to customers who prefer ownership.
The Vision?
To lead the global transformation of work through the democratization of access to robotics. We aim to create a future where humans and robots collaborate seamlessly to improve productivity, safety, and efficiency across all industries.
The Greatest Strength?
Combining an innovative business model with a passionate and highly skilled team.
The Greatest Challenge?
Managing rapid growth while maintaining the quality and accessibility that Robonnement is known for. Additionally, constantly navigating a complex regulatory environment and meeting the evolving automation needs of the industry.
The Greatest Success to Date?
Winning the Swiss Digital Economy Award in the "Commercial" category and my inclusion in the Swiss "Forbes 30 under 30" list.
The Most Surprising Thing So Far?
Seeing how quickly companies adopt robotics once they recognize its potential. When we started, I expected skepticism, especially from smaller companies not familiar with automation. Instead, we experienced genuine eagerness to embrace our model as a practical solution to labor shortages and rising costs.
The Next Step?
We plan to expand into more countries, including Italy, France, the Benelux countries, and the Nordics, where we already have a customer base. At the same time, we aim to grow our team to over 60 employees to strengthen our capacity for rising demand.
"WE WANT TO CREATE A FUTURE WHERE HUMANS AND ROBOTS WORK TOGETHER SEAMLESSLY."
EXPERT OPINIONS
"Too much risk."
— Cédric Köhler, Managing Partner at Creathor Ventures
“The business model of renting out painting robots is interesting but very capital-intensive. Thanks to clever ‘sale and leaseback’ mechanisms, Robonnement can still scale well. The founder is a top performer; he quickly built traction and thinks big. His visions and goals are impressive: for instance, a cloud-based platform where robots learn and generate economies of scale — Data as a Service. However, he’s not there yet. First, he needs to create a lock-in, otherwise one day he might become redundant when robot manufacturers enter the business themselves. Instead, he is planning new business models: barista robots in Romania, exoskeletons, and so on. These are entirely different industries without much synergy. I view this critically — the company is too small for that. They should focus on painting robots. Also, the management team needs to be expanded with IT and finance expertise. Robonnement can become a good SME. Whether it becomes a true tech company or remains just a rental platform remains to be seen. From a VC perspective, the company isn't attractive because it's a one-man show. That's too much risk concentrated in one person.”
"Disruptive Potential."
— Stefan Kuentz, Co-Head of Swisscom Ventures
“The origin story of Robonnement is very unusual. Because the startup was built through the acquisition of a 90-year-old company, they didn't need to raise investor money but were able to finance development through loans. At its core, Robonnement is a service and finance company that provides robots to SME clients. This works very well today with painting robots, and the company is profitable. However, the robots must be pre-financed, and the capital requirements increase with sales. I also see geographic limits to scaling with this model. The founder comes from the construction industry and knows what hard work means. He is a very passionate entrepreneur with great drive and a big vision: to offer a platform for all kinds of robots, from cleaning to coffee preparation. But he must be careful not to end up merely as a leasing platform; there are other providers in that space. The question is: Where is the company's own value creation? Perhaps the company should dive deeper into robotics and develop its own intelligence for the systems with AI expertise.”
