Ajay Sharma
Finland’s mobile robotics sector is at an exciting crossroads. Despite facing challenges such as climate, market size, talent gaps, and regulatory hurdles, Finnish companies continue to innovate and expand globally. Building on this foundation, the ongoing RoboFlex project (2024) takes the concept a step further.
Where are we now?
Finland has an active and growing robotics ecosystem that includes global industry leaders as well as domestic landscape of established companies and startups focused on localization and broad range of solutions. Several Autonomous Mobile Robots (AMR) / Automated guided vehicles (AGV) manufacturers and integrators operate or partner in Finland, from international suppliers to local specialists and research organizations, which actively support autonomous industrial vehicle research and safety work.
Research centers, local startups, and major original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) now offer AMRs and the software ecosystems that run them. However, its broad adoption among small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) is lagging. Simultaneously, research and recent theses work show that many Finnish SMEs remain at the early stages of mobile robotics automation adoption. “Many Finnish SMEs remain at early stages of AI adoption, with limited readiness and awareness and several barriers such as skills gaps and financial constraints (Keränen 2025). On the other hand, research studies at Europe level such as AI Watch report (Smichowski, Sarah, Néstor & Adrián 2023) identifies cost and lack of skills as key barriers to autonomous machines adoption among European firms, including SMEs. Pilot projects, experimentation, and selective automation are common. However, firm-wide implementation of mobile robotics is still relatively limited. As another research from Segarra-Blasco, Tomàs-Porres and Teruel (2025) shows variability in adoption intensity and that smaller firms adopt robotics technologies less than start-ups/scale-ups. Barriers are not only technical, but they are also financial, organizational, and regulatory.
Major challenges for mobile-robot adoption in Finnish industry (SME focus)
Let’s delve into these major challenges a little further. Despite increasing availability of autonomous mobile robots, their adoption among small and medium-sized enterprises remains constrained by a combination of economic, technical, and organizational factors. Many Finnish SMEs operate in small-batch or mixed-production environments, where frequently changing workflows make return-on-investment calculations uncertain and reduce the financial attractiveness of automation solutions designed primarily for high-volume repetition. In addition, limited in-house expertise in robotics, systems integration, and IT increases perceived operational risk, particularly when production layouts or processes evolve. Integration with existing enterprise resource planning (ERP), warehouse management system (WMS) and legacy material-handling systems further complicates implementation, as ensuring system compatibility and data reliability often accounts for a substantial share of total project costs. Regulatory uncertainty also plays a role, as safety standards and legal interpretations for autonomous machines and shared human–robot workspaces continue to evolve at both EU and national levels, creating hesitation among smaller firms. Physical characteristics of many Finnish industrial facilities, including constrained layouts, uneven flooring, and demanding environmental conditions, can further challenge reliable robot operation. Finally, the capital-intensive nature of robotics projects and the risk of unsuccessful pilots remain critical concerns for SMEs with limited access to financing or external support mechanisms.
What solutions are required in Finland’s industrial environment?
To make AMRs practical and adoptable across Finnish SMEs, solutions must address both the technical constraints of the environment and organizational barriers. There are multiple fronts to cover, such as robust localization and perception for extreme conditions, so that robots can handle uneven surfaces, outdoor-indoor transitions, and cold/condensing environments. Flexible, modular software stacks and open application programming interface (APIs) that integrate with WMS/ERP, programmable logic controller (PLCs), and fleet-management dashboards enable integrators to connect robots to existing systems without many changes in the existing system. Technology must be equipped or enhanced with mixed fleet and human-robot safety systems for standard-aligned safety layers and easy-to-prove conformance to EU/machinery directives. Simple mapping tools, easy task reconfiguration, low-code interfaces for operators, remote monitoring, and predictive maintenance reduce the need for on-site robotics experts. Additionally, a focused approach for standardized charging docks, well-placed charging spots, marked work corridors, and adaptable floor markings for fleets is required. These steps will improve the importance of practical site engineering, which is often underestimated.
Financing and service-based approaches such as pay-per-use, robot-as-a-service (RaaS), leasing structures and pilot subsidy initiatives, significantly reduce upfront investment hurdles for small and medium sized enterprises (SME’s). While system integrators are progressively incorporating these flexible commercial models into their portfolios, a stronger strategic commitment and clearer market positioning are still required to fully unlock their potential and accelerate broader adoption.
Supporting SMEs on the Path to Automation
Across Finland and neighboring regions, automation providers and system integrators are taking increasingly hands-on approaches to help small and medium-sized enterprises move toward robotics and automation. Rather than focusing solely on technology sales, many initiatives now emphasize real-world experimentation, allowing companies to see how automation performs in practice before making major investments. One example is the RoboDemo (2022) project led by Centria University of Applied Sciences, which has delivered more than 25 tailored technology demonstrations for SMEs. Through pilot setups and demonstration events, participating companies have been able to observe concrete robotics applications in realistic production workflows. These hands-on experiences help reduce uncertainty, clarify potential benefits, and make return-on-investment discussions more tangible.
Building on this foundation, the ongoing RoboFlex project (2024) takes the concept a step further. RoboFlex focuses on producing practical studies, simulation results, and physical demonstrations that support regional organizations in evaluating mobile robotics and automation solutions. The project directly addresses common challenges faced by Finnish SMEs, such as identifying suitable applications, understanding hardware requirements within existing systems, and planning necessary changes that minimize downtime while improving production efficiency.
Throughout the project, the RoboFlex team regularly organizes pilot projects and demonstration days, giving companies opportunities to explore real operational scenarios and assess the business impact of automation in a low-risk setting. Close collaboration with local software developers and sensor specialists ensures that solutions are adapted to regional operating conditions, including low-light environments and slippery surfaces. At the same time, vendors are increasingly offering modular, plug-and-play systems designed to simplify integration with existing ERP and WMS platforms, further lowering barriers to adoption.
Conclusion
Finland’s mobile robotics sector is at an exciting crossroads. Despite facing challenges such as climate, market size, talent gaps, and regulatory hurdles, Finnish companies continue to innovate and expand globally. With advances in AI, connectivity, battery technology, and sensors, combined with strong research & development (R&D) and strategic partnerships, the future of AGVs and AMRs appears exceptionally promising.
Few global players like Teradyne, ABB, and NEURA Robotics represent the forefront of this transformation, signaling a new era in which smarter, more autonomous robots become essential partners across industries. As Europe continues to embrace automation, Finland’s robotics ecosystem is well positioned to play a significant role in shaping the future of intelligent mobility.
References
Keränen, T. 2025. Adoption of AI in Finnish Small and Medium Size Enterprises: AI Opportunities, Challenges and Misconceptions. Oulu: Oulu University of Applied Sciences. Master´s thesis. Available at: https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2025101325968. Accessed 30.12.2025.
Smichowski, B., Sarah, N., Néstor, DB. & Adrián, M. 2023. AI Watch : Adoption of autonomous machines. Publications Office of the European Union. Available at: https://data.europa.eu/doi/10.2760/459292. Accessed 30.12.2025.
Segarra-Blasco, A., Tomàs-Porres, J., & Teruel, M. 2025. AI, robots and innovation in European SMEs. Small Business Economics, 65(1), 719–745. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11187-025-01017-2. Accessed 28.12.2025.
RoboDemo-project. 2022. Centria University of Applied Sciences. Available at: https://net.centria.fi/hanke/robodemo/. Accessed 18.1.2026.
RoboFlex-project. 2024. Centria University of Applied Sciences. Available at: https://net.centria.fi/hanke/roboflex/. Accessed 18.1.2026.
Ajay Sharma
RDI Expert
Centria University of Applied Sciences
p. 050 407 1534
