Kassow Robots: Interview with founder and CEO Kristian Kassow

One of the highlights of the 2018 "automatica" trade fair was certainly the stand of Kassow Robots. At the time, the Copenhagen-based team around founder Kristian Kassow presented the first prototypes of its 7-axis and black cobots, which today include a payload of up to 18 kilograms and reach of up to 1800 millimeters. Since then, the company has launched not only these three models, but two more. "In 2018, we had the goal to introduce into the market a broad product range of strong and easy-to-use 7-axis cobots within three years. We did what we promised." Kristian Kassow refers to the fact that the young company launched all five models in subsequent years in 2019 and 2020 and is now producing them - and that these cobots are also already being used successfully by industrial end customers.

Robotics engineer Kristian Kassow was one of the founders of Universal Robots in 2005 and remained associated with the company until 2009, most recently as COO. Well acquainted with technology and the market as well as its niches, he developed the seven-axis cobots and founded Kassow Robots at the end of 2014.

Kassow is very satisfied with the development

Three years and two more models later, I had the opportunity for a telephone interview, the content of which is reproduced here. The first question was whether the expectations he had when he entered the market had been met. He is absolutely satisfied with the development. Literally, he said, "I'm very happy about sales, production capacity and models." The first goals were successfully achieved. One is the market launch of five models, which Kristian Kassow particularly emphasizes: "This broad product range of five cobots in combination with the 7th axis` benefits meets the needs of different kinds of customers and applications." Kristian Kassow also mentions the establishment of the company's own production facility in Copenhagen. He is also satisfied with the sales figures. The partners, who now number more than 40, have probably contributed significantly to this, and it is important to Kassow Robost that they "speak the same language as the industrial end customers and are a reliable partner at eye level". Kassow Robots' partners are primarily located in Europe and North America. There are also already partners in Asia and Oceania, but the focus of the further expansion of the network currently remains Europe and North America.

Design as USP

Kristian Kassow is also visibly satisfied with the special articulation of his cobots. Thanks to the seventh axis, only a small amount of space is required even with a long reach "a true benefit for example for all those who have to automate in confined spaces, due to the fact that they are not able to enlarge or completely redesign their production site for implementing further automation". Kassow sees another differentiating feature in the minimalist design with few components. This reminds many of the Danish-Scandinavian tradition.

Future of robotics is difficult to predict

Still impressed by the heavily AI-based presentation of Agile Robots at the Dresden Robotic Festival, I asked about corresponding plans with him and the future of sensors, on which Neura Robotics relies heavily. In general, he thinks that the future of robotics is difficult to predict. Moreover, he does occupy a niche. What is certain is the high relevance of sensor technology. His cobots already have them. AI is necessary to make cobots smart, but first it needs the task for AI, says Kassow. I also think that the task for AI must not yet be too complex.

Especially in Asia, a region that is not yet in the highest focus for Kassow Robots today, cobots currently seem to be approaching consumers/households. With this in mind, I asked if he would see households as a market in the medium term. He clearly answered in the negative, pointing out that his products were designed as easy-to-use cobots for industrial use and were designed for continuous use (24/7) in terms of quality. This performance is also reflected in the price, whereby Kassow Robots is at a normal market level for its type of applications.

I myself think it's going to be exciting: We're seeing a younger generation of real estate buyers in the metropolises who are willing and able to spend a higher seven-figure sum on a nice apartment and also treat themselves to a lot of other things. Why should these people be massaged by a cobot in plastic design instead of matte black?

Kassow is a friend of the cluster idea - also at EU level

In view of the fact that, in addition to the German-Chinese cobot startups, there are also purely Chinese robotics manufacturers who could offer their robots to us at absolutely competitive prices and are presumably receiving massive state funding, the "cluster question" arose. Following the example of Odense, the German Robotics Association, for example, is calling for a cobot cluster. Odense in Denmark used to be dependent on shipbuilding. When this went down, the Danish government pushed for a robotics cluster. Through this, the transformation in Odense has been successful and Denmark today has some of the most interesting robotics companies. Today, the Odense cluster has over 100 robotics companies. Kassow has clearly embraced the cluster idea and can also envision a European cluster. In any case, Kassow said, Europe needs a significant robotics industry; after all, robotics is a key technology. (For this reason, robotics is also explicitly addressed in China's 5-year plan).

Kassow Robots sees itself well positioned for the coming years

In his view, the market leader Universal Robots is likely to remain Kassow Robots' main competitor for the foreseeable future. The company itself, on the other hand, still sees itself as a "small, albeit successfully operating market player" "despite the encouraging development". It points out that it only presented itself in 2018 and has only been launching products on the market since 2019. With its broad product portfolio and the advantage of the seventh axis, however, Kassow Robots sees itself well positioned for the future.   

The question of whether it would be problematic for accessory suppliers such as gripper manufacturers etc. to not be as attractive as a result of the lower turnover, he answered in the affirmative for the time of market entry. In the meantime, the network has been established and is being successfully expanded, and OnRobot and Robotiq, among others, offer numerous grippers for Kassow Robots and its cobots have sufficient interfaces.

In any case, Kristian Kassow is not worried about the future. Hardware and software are continuously being developed. In five years, he wants to be a significant market player.

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The author of this blog is heavily involved in "Opdra", the software that eliminates the need for interfaces by reading the (manufacturing) screen using a normal camera. He advises robotics companies and investors on market (entry)/business development and funding/subsidies. The standard book about cobots is also written by Guido Bruch (however, the book is already 2 years old and therefore not quite up to date). More about him can be found here.