ROBROS Receives Next Innovator Prize at NextRise 2026
The Only Robotics Company Selected Among This Year’s Award Recipients
Recognition of ROBROS’ Humanoid Technology and Commercialization Capabilities
ROBROS, a humanoid robotics company, has been awarded the Next Innovator Prize at NextRise 2026, Korea’s largest global startup and open innovation event. NextRise is jointly organized by the Korea Development Bank (KDB) and the Korea International Trade Association (KITA).
The Next Innovator Prize is awarded to ten startups selected for their outstanding technological innovation and growth potential. Among the hundreds of startups participating in the event, the award recognizes companies demonstrating exceptional innovation and market potential. ROBROS was the only robotics company among this year’s award recipients.
ROBROS is expanding the deployment of its proprietary humanoid robot, IGRIS-C, across a wide range of industrial environments, including manufacturing, logistics, and semiconductor facilities. The robot combines imitation learning-based autonomous task execution with reinforcement learning-based bipedal locomotion and whole-body control technologies.
The company has also strengthened its position in Korea’s humanoid robotics sector by securing the largest number of projects under the national humanoid robot demonstration program led by the Korea Institute for Robot Industry Advancement (KIRIA). Through simultaneous advances in technology development and commercialization, ROBROS continues to expand its presence in the domestic humanoid robotics market.
“This award is a meaningful recognition of ROBROS’ AI humanoid technology and commercialization capabilities,” said Seungjun Roh, CEO of ROBROS. “We will continue to develop humanoid platforms that deliver tangible value in industrial environments and grow into a global leader in the humanoid robotics industry.”
At NextRise 2026, held at COEX in Seoul on June 18–19, ROBROS also showcased its humanoid robot IGRIS-C, demonstrating its AI-powered autonomous mobility technology. Throughout the exhibition, IGRIS-C navigated freely around the venue and performed a variety of movements, illustrating how humanoid robots can operate alongside people in real-world environments.
The demonstration attracted significant attention from visitors, investors, and industry professionals, highlighting the practical potential of humanoid robots across a wide range of industrial applications.
By Jiho Choi