EMBOTECH AG

Their core work

EMBOTECH AG is a Zurich-based software SME specializing in motion planning and trajectory optimization for autonomous vehicles. Their core product is computational software that enables autonomous cars to plan safe, efficient movements in real time — solving one of the hardest engineering challenges in the autonomous driving stack. The company pursued EU funding through the SME Instrument, first to validate market feasibility (Phase 1, 2018) and then to develop and commercialize the technology at scale (Phase 2, 2019–2021). Their work sits at the intersection of applied mathematics, optimal control theory, and automotive software engineering.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

EMBOTECH's H2020 participation spans a narrow but deliberate window (2018–2021), with both projects focused on the same core technology — motion planning for autonomous driving. There is no thematic shift between early and late projects; instead, the progression follows the SME Instrument model: a small feasibility grant (Phase 1, EUR 50K) to validate the market, followed by a substantial development grant (Phase 2, EUR 2.49M) to build and commercialize the product. This is a focused, single-technology trajectory rather than a broadening research portfolio.

EMBOTECH used EU funding as a bridge to product-market fit in the autonomous vehicle sector — any future collaboration would likely involve licensing their solver technology or integrating it into larger automotive or robotics systems.

How they like to work

EMBOTECH coordinated both of their H2020 projects independently, with no recorded consortium partners — a pattern typical of SME Instrument projects, which are designed for single innovative companies rather than multi-partner consortia. This means they operate as self-contained technology developers, not consortium builders. Anyone engaging them would be approaching a technology vendor or licensing partner, not a collaborative research group.

EMBOTECH has no recorded consortium partners across their H2020 projects, reflecting the solo-company structure of the SME Instrument scheme. Their network likely exists outside the EU project framework — through automotive OEM relationships and the broader autonomous driving industry ecosystem.

What sets them apart

EMBOTECH is a rare example of a Swiss deep-tech SME that successfully climbed the full SME Instrument ladder — from Phase 1 feasibility to Phase 2 commercial development — for a single, highly specific technology in autonomous driving. Their value is not in broad research capability but in a focused, productized software solution for one of the most technically demanding problems in the automotive sector. For consortium builders, they represent a potential technology-provider partner rather than a co-researcher.

Highlights from their portfolio

• EMP (SME-2)
  At EUR 2,489,200 this is one of the larger SME Instrument Phase 2 grants, reflecting strong evaluator confidence in the commercial potential of their motion planning technology.
• EMP (SME-1)
  The Phase 1 feasibility project directly led to the Phase 2 award, making this a textbook example of the SME Instrument escalation pathway working as intended.