ABB AB

Their core work

ABB AB is the Swedish arm of the global industrial technology giant ABB, specializing in electrification, robotics, automation, and power systems. In EU research, they bring deep industrial expertise in power electronics, electrical machines, industrial robotics, and AI-driven manufacturing to large collaborative projects. Their contributions span from 5G-enabled smart factory solutions and additive manufacturing quality control to trustworthy AI systems and graphene-based technologies. They serve as a high-capability industrial partner that grounds academic research in real-world manufacturing and energy applications.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

ABB's early H2020 work (2016-2018) centered on process optimization, industrial robotics middleware (ROS), and energy efficiency — classic operational improvement topics. From 2019 onward, their focus shifted decisively toward AI trustworthiness, 5G-connected manufacturing, electric propulsion, and graphene applications, reflecting ABB's corporate pivot toward electrification and digital industries. The transition shows a company moving from optimizing existing industrial processes to building the next generation of intelligent, connected, and electrified systems.

ABB is converging on trustworthy AI for industrial automation and electric propulsion, making them a strong partner for projects combining intelligent systems with electrification or advanced manufacturing.

How they like to work

ABB participates exclusively as a partner — they have not coordinated any of their 15 H2020 projects. This is typical for large industrials who contribute domain expertise and validation infrastructure rather than managing research agendas. With 423 unique consortium partners across 32 countries, they operate in large, diverse consortia and function as a sought-after industrial anchor that lends credibility and real-world testing capacity to research projects.

ABB has collaborated with 423 unique partners across 32 countries, giving them one of the broadest partner networks among industrial participants. Their reach spans nearly all of Europe, with strong ties into both Western European research institutions and Nordic industrial ecosystems.

What sets them apart

ABB brings something few partners can: the ability to test and validate research outputs at genuine industrial scale, backed by a global corporation with real production lines and installed infrastructure. Their simultaneous involvement in graphene materials, 5G manufacturing, and AI trustworthiness creates rare cross-domain integration opportunities. For consortium builders, ABB offers immediate industrial credibility with EU evaluators and a pathway from lab results to deployed technology.

Highlights from their portfolio

• 5G-SMART
  ABB's largest H2020 investment (EUR 1.5M) and a flagship demonstration of 5G in real manufacturing environments — signals their top strategic priority.
• GrapheneCore3
  Part of the EU's biggest-ever research initiative (Graphene Flagship); ABB's sustained participation across Core2, Core3, and the 2D Pilot Line shows deep commitment to graphene industrialization.
• HARMONY
  Their most recent project (2021-2024) with significant funding (EUR 1M), extending ABB's robotics expertise into healthcare — a sector diversification move.