OTTO, a Rockwell Automation Company, Wins IERA 2025 Award for High Load Ability Autonomous Mobile Robot Fleets

The winner of the prestigious Innovation and Entrepreneurship in Robotics & Automation (IERA Award) for 2025 is the Canadian company OTTO – a Rockwell Automation company, the International Federation of Robotics (IFR) announced.

According to the International Federation of Robotics (IFR), OTTO was recognized for the development of an AMR system designed to transport heavy loads in manufacturing environments and to operate in fleets exceeding 100 units. The award was announced on 19 November in Seoul.

The award was presented during the International Robotics Symposium (ISR), which took place as part of the 20th edition of the RobotWorld exhibition in Seoul (South Korea) from 5 to 8 November. Established in 2005, the IERA Awards also celebrated its 20th anniversary this year and are initiated by the IEEE Robotics and Automation Society’s Industry Activities Council and IFR. The awards are presented annually to inventors with innovative, value-added concepts and entrepreneurs who transform cutting-edge concepts into world-class products.

Why did OTTO robots impress the jury?

Autonomous mobile robot (AMR) developer OTTO, owned by Rockwell Automation, was recognized by the prestigious competition jury for its pioneering range of self-propelled platforms for logistics with high payloads and the ability of these systems to operate reliably in large fleets of over 100 robots.

“OTTO is the first company in the world to create a portfolio of AMR solutions capable of transporting particularly heavy loads in factories and warehouses and operating smoothly, even when their number at one site exceeds 100 units. This is a turning point in the development of professional service robotics,” IFR commented.

OTTO mobile robots successfully automate repetitive and dangerous tasks related to the processing and manipulation of materials and objects in production and industry. They transport parts, pallets and consumables through the different areas of factories and warehouses without the need for any intervention from an operator, the Federation added.

OTTO’s AMR solutions combine advanced hardware components and specialized software for autonomous operation, with capabilities for easy integration with existing factory systems, functions for analyzing the performance of robots in a group, as well as remote monitoring and diagnostics. The software platform is specifically designed to manage large fleets, with precise navigation without compromising speed, and fast movement in line with high safety standards. This ensures both efficiency and predictability, as is clear from the IFR publication.

“OTTO is a milestone in the evolution of autonomous mobile robots,” said the chair of the competition and secretary general of the IFR, Suzanne Bieler, at the official awards ceremony. She emphasized that the judges’ decision was based on the excellent development and maturity of the company’s solution, which advances the development of AMR systems for the transport of goods and materials.

“We are very honored to receive the prestigious IERA award and thank the jury for this great recognition of our work. The distinction encourages us to continue to push the boundaries by developing valuable and innovative technologies in robotics,” said Ryan Garipi, vice president of the robotics division at Rockwell Automation, co-founder of OTTO and former CTO of the Canadian company before its acquisition by Rockwell Automation.