AI robotics start-up Binabik establishes presence in Winterthur

(CONNECT) The deep-tech start-up Binabik has selected Winterthur as its place of origin. The company, which was launched in January 2026, is a spin-off from the also newly founded Centre for Artificial Intelligence at Zurich University of Applied Sciences (ZHAW). The process of establishing a presence at Technopark Winterthur was supported by the two investment promotion agencies Greater Zurich Area and House of Winterthur.

As detailed in a statement, the proximity to ZHAW and ease of access to the Zurich technology ecosystem both played a vital role in start-up’s choice of location. “Winterthur offers the ideal combination of industrial tradition and technological innovation”, comments Binabik's CEO Jorgen Peña Queralta. Jakob Bächtold, Managing Director and Head of Business at House of Winterthur, is of the view that Binabik’s business presence emphasizes “Winterthur’s growing importance in the field of AI and robotics. The combination of ZHAW, the Technopark and an active start-up ecosystem creates an environment that not only appeals to deep-tech companies but allows them to thrive as well”.

Binabik is developing an “agentic brain” using physical AI. This orchestration platform enables mobile humanoid robots to act situationally, interact with humans and perform tasks without having to be retrained. In this way, Binabik robots assume responsibility for repetitive tasks such as sorting and loading processes. The start-up is seeking to address the skilled labor shortage in the areas of logistics and production, in addition to easing the burden on existing teams. Over the next 12 months, the five-person founding team plans to grow to 15 people. ce/mm