Latest news with #CA-1
Business Wire
6 days ago
- Business
- Business Wire
Circus SE Appoints Former Bundeswehr Officer as VP Defense Strategy & Operations
MUNICH--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Circus SE (XETRA: CA1), a global technology leader in AI software and robotics for the food service industry, announces the appointment of Jan Hesselbarth as Vice President Defense Strategy & Operations. Hesselbarth brings over two decades of leadership across military operations and public-sector transformation. As a former airborne officer and senior advisor to federal and international institutions, he has led military and civil programs with teams of up to 1,000 personnel and delivered results across highly dynamic and complex environments. At Circus, Hesselbarth will take full strategic and operational ownership of defense deployment programs, including deployments of the recently introduced CA-M autonomous meal supply system for armed forces and civil protection. His scope spans logistics, deployment, and compliance in security-critical environments. Prior to joining Circus, Hesselbarth advised military commands and national authorities on geostrategy, resilience, and security. Throughout his career, he trained over 5,000 Bundeswehr personnel in mission-specific readiness, supported operational planning for Lithuanian officer training and German command structures, and co-authored a federal study on maritime security for the German Ministry of the Interior. 'Jan combines operational command experience with strategic foresight – a rare profile at the intersection of defense, logistics, and innovation,' said Nikolas Bullwinkel, CEO and Founder of Circus. As Circus ramps up its defense unit, Hesselbarth's appointment reflects the company's commitment to operational readiness, secure field logistics, and customer-centric deployment – both in Europe and globally. 'I'm excited to join Circus at this inflection point,' said Jan Hesselbarth. 'Bringing autonomous technology into real-world military and security operations requires more than innovation – it takes field experience, discipline, and trust. I look forward to building systems that deliver.' About Circus SE Circus SE (XETRA: CA1) is a global AI and robotics company developing autonomous systems for food supply in both civilian and defense sectors. Its flagship robot, the patented CA-1, is the world's first fully autonomous food production robot, now in serial production. Powered by proprietary embodied AI, Circus delivers industrial-scale, high-reliability meal output with minimal human input. Headquartered in Munich, the company is building the global infrastructure for autonomous food supply – on a mission to fuel humanity.
Business Wire
04-07-2025
- Automotive
- Business Wire
Circus SE Gets Awarded International Red Dot Award 'Best of Best' for Outstanding Industrial Design
MUNICH--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Circus SE (XETRA: CA1), a global technology leader in AI software and robotics for the food service industry, has been awarded the prestigious international Red Dot Award for outstanding industrial design in the 'Best of the Best' category – the highest recognition in the annual Red Dot Awards. As one of the most respected global design awards, the Red Dot Award honors groundbreaking innovation across industries. With this rare distinction, Circus joins the ranks of Google, Ferrari, and Apple – whose MacBook Pro and AirPods Pro have previously earned the same honor. The CA-1 was honored in the 'Ready for Market' category which is eligible only to products that are market-ready. This category recognizes innovations that have completed the design journey and are poised for commercial deployment at scale. With serial production underway and commercial deployment beginning this fall, Circus SE's CA-1 Series 4 perfectly meets the award's criteria. Following the upcoming ceremony in October, the iconic CA-1 design will be featured in the Red Dot Winner Exhibition at the Red Dot Design Museum in Singapore, where it will be showcased to an international audience of innovators, designers, and technologists. 'This award is a powerful validation of the vision and discipline that went into the CA-1,' said Nikolas Bullwinkel, CEO and Founder of Circus SE. 'We always wanted to build a system that people trust, understand, and enjoy interacting with – something truly designed for everyday life.' The design of the CA-1 was developed in collaboration with renowned German industrial designer Mario Selic, known for his work in advanced robotics and consumer innovation with companies such as KUKA, Siemens, and Bosch and was subsequently refined and engineered for serial production by Circus' in-house teams. 'From the early sketches, the ambition was to create something radically functional yet architecturally clear – a robotic system that integrates seamlessly into human spaces,' said Selic. 'We were inspired by Edward Hopper's Nighthawks, the Airstream trailer, and Bauhaus principles – clean geometry, minimalism, and design that disappears into its surroundings while elevating them.' 'CA-1 began with a strong conceptual foundation, and throughout the design maturation, we remained committed to preserving the original design intent. We wanted to develop an autonomous product that feels effortless – for the operator, the environment, and the customer,' added Gustavo Kemmerich, Head of Mechanical Engineering and Industrial Design at Circus SE, who was instrumental over the years in bringing the CA-1 to serial manufacturing. This recognition cements Circus SE's role as a pioneer at the intersection of robotics, design, and everyday human experience – redefining how machines live, work, and serve among us. About Circus SE Circus SE (XETRA: CA1) is a global AI and robotics company developing autonomous systems for food supply in both civilian and defense sectors. Its flagship robot, the patented CA-1, is the world's first fully autonomous food production robot, now in serial production. Powered by proprietary embodied AI, Circus delivers industrial-scale, high-reliability meal output with minimal human input. Headquartered in Munich, the company is building the global infrastructure for autonomous food supply – on a mission to fuel humanity. About Red Dot The Red Dot Design Award is one of the world's most prestigious honors for outstanding design. Each year, an international jury recognizes exceptional achievements across Product Design, Brands & Communication Design, and Design Concept. With submissions from over 60 countries, Red Dot is regarded as a global benchmark for innovation, design excellence, and business differentiation. Its highest honor – 'Best of the Best' – is internationally recognized and has been awarded to groundbreaking designs and products from companies such as Apple, Google, and Ferrari. With its museum in Singapore and global visibility, the Red Dot Design Award continues to shape the role of design in both technological and societal transformation.
Business Wire
30-06-2025
- Business
- Business Wire
Circus SE publishes 2024 Annual Report marking the completion of the R&D phase
MUNICH--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Circus SE (XETRA: CA1) today published its audited financial results for fiscal year 2024, reflecting a highly successful year in the industrialization of the CA-1 robot. The company expects a positive outlook as it transitions from research and development (R&D) to the launch of initial commercial deployments of its patented technology in the current fiscal year. The year 2024 marked the successful completion of the multi-year research and development phase. Key milestones included the industrialization of the AI-powered robotics system CA-1 and the initiation of a scalable serial production in collaboration with global manufacturing partner Celestica. The industrialization of the company's core commercial product, CA-1, has been successfully completed. Several units of the patented CA-1 are already in production, with deliveries scheduled to begin as planned in fall 2025. This makes Circus SE the first company worldwide capable of delivering AI-powered robotics for food production at an industrial scale globally. The transformation from manual manufacturing to industrial-scale serial production forms the foundation for Circus SE's future growth. With Celestica, the company has secured a global manufacturing partner operating over 40 sites in 16 countries. The initial production facility alone is capable of producing up to 6,000 CA-1 units annually. In addition to manufacturing, the partner also manages the global supply chain as well as the service and maintenance of the robotics systems. This industrial infrastructure enables Circus SE to meet the growth demands of its already secured enterprise clients – each with a projected need ranging from several hundred to thousands of units. In addition, a second product line was developed and successfully introduced during the 2024 R&D phase: the CA-M, the world's first autonomous, robot-assisted provisioning system for military and security-critical applications. Just weeks after its official launch, full accreditation as a supplier for U.S. government agencies and the Department of Defense was obtained in June 2025. As forecasted, no revenue was generated from the novel technology during the 2024 fiscal year, which was still part of the R&D phase. The EBITDA stands at EUR -11,915 thousand, in line with the previous year's guidance. The majority of funds were allocated to technology development for the CA-1 and the new CA-M for the defense sector, as well as to building out manufacturing capabilities and preparing for production—laying essential foundations for the upcoming commercialization phase. For the 2025 fiscal year, Circus SE expects initial revenues in at least the single-digit million euro range from renowned clients, including those in the prioritized go-to-market segments of mobility and retail—among them REWE, Tamoil (HEM), and the Mangal Group. Deliveries of the CA-1 are scheduled to begin in autumn 2025, with recurring software revenues expected from the fourth quarter 2025 onwards. Revenues from the newly established defense division are anticipated earlier than originally planned, already within the current financial year. The company expects to provide a forecast in conjunction with the delivery of the world's first CA-1 AI robotics units from serial production. About Circus SE Circus SE (XETRA: CA1) is a global AI and robotics company developing autonomous systems for food supply in both civilian and defense sectors. Its flagship robot, the patented CA-1, is the world's first fully autonomous food production robot, now in serial production. Powered by proprietary embodied AI, Circus delivers industrial-scale, high-reliability meal output with minimal human input. Headquartered in Munich, the company is building the global infrastructure for autonomous food supply — on a mission to fuel humanity.
Business Wire
18-06-2025
- Business
- Business Wire
Circus SE wins HEM fuel stations as customer for its autonomous AI-robotics in food service
MUNICH--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Circus SE (XETRA: CA1), a global leader in AI software and robotics for the food service industry, has secured Deutsche Tamoil and its fuel station brand HEM as a new customer. Together, they are planning for the deployment of the AI-powered cooking robot, the Circus Autonomy One (CA-1). With this move, HEM is setting a forward-looking milestone: in the future, freshly prepared meals will be created fully autonomously through an integrated robotics solution within the service station. This will, for the first time, enable real-world insights into scalability and customer experience. 'We are absolutely delighted to bring the CA-1 robot into the heart of mobility – the dense network of gas and charging stations across Germany,' says Nikolas Bullwinkel, CEO of Circus SE. 'This is a major opportunity to make high-quality meals available everywhere and in the shortest time – precisely where people are on the move.' 'At HEM, we are always looking for innovative solutions to offer our customers genuine added value,' says Carsten Pohl, Managing Director of Deutsche Tamoil GmbH. 'The CA-1 allows us to implement a truly unique and innovative food offering at our stations. We look forward to taking this step into the future together – and are excited for the rollout later this year.' In addition to the CA-1 robot, the full Circus AI-software will be deployed — including a cloud-based point-of-sale system, real-time production control, user-friendly ordering terminals, and data-based performance monitoring — ensuring consistently high-quality meals, anytime and anywhere. About Circus SE Circus SE (XETRA: CA1) is a global AI and robotics company developing autonomous systems for food supply in both civilian and defense sectors. Its flagship robot, the patented CA-1, is the world's first fully autonomous food production robot, now in serial production. Powered by proprietary embodied AI, Circus delivers industrial-scale, high-reliability meal output with minimal human input. Headquartered in Munich, the company is building the global infrastructure for autonomous food supply — on a mission to fuel humanity. About HEM and Tamoil Deutsche Tamoil GmbH, headquartered in Hamburg, is part of the Netherlands-based Oilinvest Group, which operates approximately 2,450 fuel stations and owns a refinery in Hamburg. With over 400 HEM stations in Germany, the company focuses not only on fuel sales but also actively invests in digital services and alternative energy sources to drive forward modern mobility solutions. Thanks to lean structures and efficient cost management, HEM is often able to offer fuel at lower prices than major competitors. For more information, visit or follow HEM on Facebook and Instagram.
Business Wire
16-06-2025
- Business
- Business Wire
Circus SE receives official supplier certification for U.S. government institutions and the Department of Defense
MUNICH--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Circus SE (XETRA: CA1), a global leader in AI software and robotics for the food service industry, has officially been approved as a supplier for the US Government and its armed forces worldwide. The certification grants Circus access to U.S. federal procurement programs and contracts, including those of the Department of Defense and global U.S. military, marking a key milestone in the company's international expansion strategy. As the first AI-robotics player in the global food-service sector to achieve this highly regulated status, Circus is now positioned to participate in federal supply contracts across military and government agencies. This regulatory clearance accelerates the strategic deployment of its autonomous, AI-powered cooking systems, CA-1 and CA-M, within U.S. defense initiatives and dual-use technology programs. "This approval unlocks the next stage in executing our international strategy in the defense and public sector," says Nikolas Bullwinkel, CEO and Founder of Circus SE. "It confirms our operational maturity, strengthens our geopolitical presence, and opens the door to high-impact, security-critical applications." Following the recent appointment of Sasha Borovik as General Counsel, formerly head lawyer for Microsoft's global public sector business, Circus further strengthens its US market access and public sector capabilities. The certification positions Circus as a trusted partner for government institutions and paves the way for long-term contracts, and global defense collaborations. About Circus SE Circus SE (XETRA: CA1) is a global AI and robotics company developing autonomous systems for food supply in both civilian and defense sectors. Its flagship robot, the patented CA-1, is the world's first fully autonomous food production robot, now in serial production. Powered by proprietary embodied AI, Circus delivers industrial-scale, high-reliability meal output with minimal human input. Headquartered in Munich, the company is building the global infrastructure for autonomous food supply — on a mission to fuel humanity.
