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German robotics startup Neura Robotics has announced its fifth acquisition in 16 months as it races to build a physical AI platform through acquisitions.
The company announced today (Aug. 24) that it will take full ownership of Adlatus, a German maker of autonomous cleaning and sweeping robots for industry, logistics, healthcare and public spaces.
Neura plans to add its own sensor and AI capabilities to Adlatus’s fleet, which it will then fold into its shared physical AI infrastructure, the Neuraverse
“We’re not buying ADLATUS just to add another cleaning robot to our portfolio,” Neura CEO and founder David Reger said. “We want to give machines like this a new brain. Cleaning is a massive global labour market and, at the same time, a perfect example of what physical AI can transform. When a robot doesn’t just navigate its environment but understands what it sees, senses, and needs to do, an entirely new generation of machines emerges.”
The deal follows Neura’s announcement earlier this month of its takeover of ACTIVE Shuttle, the driverless transport system from Bosch Rexroth, effective Oct. 1 this year. It will also be integrated into Neura’s physical AI ecosystem, connecting mobile platforms, industrial robots and humanoids on one shared infrastructure.
ACTIVE Shuttle is not the only bet Neura has made on driverless transport systems. Last October, the company bought Ek Robotics. That same month, it acquired the development division of German automotive supplier Huber Automotive.
Prior to those deals, in May last year, Neura announced the acquisition of BAH Industrial Solutions, a specialist in control system construction, quality inspection, industrial assembly and engineering.
Neura has a significant war chest to fund acquisitions, having raised up to $1.4 billion for its Series C in June. The expansion of its Neuraverse platform and the development of physical AI systems are key areas of focus for the company.
Physical AI is also drawing significant interest from VCs. Startups in the space raised over $8 billion globally in H1 this year, according to a recent PitchBook analyst note, more than double 2025’s annual total.
Warehouse automation is a key driver of VCs’ appetite. Warehouses spend a significant portion of their operating budgets on labor, and the sector is grappling with high vacancy rates and turnover. As wages rise and robots become cheaper to produce, investors are betting that operators will turn to automation.
Other areas like consumer humanoids, drones and driverless systems are also seeing increased appetite thanks to innovation in physical AI.
This article originally appeared on PitchBook News