KUKA has opened submissions for the 2026 Innovation Award under the theme “Circular Packaging Challenge,” aiming to find robotic and AI-driven solutions that make packaging more sustainable in light of the EU Packaging Regulation and industry demands for efficiency. Global teams can apply until the end of August, after which an international jury will select finalists. Each finalist will receive a free KUKA robot (with optional Roboception 3D vision and KUKA software) plus expert mentoring to build a functional prototype. The projects will be showcased at interpack in May 2026 at KUKA’s booth, where the winner—awarded €20,000—will be announced. Volker Schmirgel of KUKA emphasizes the potential of robotics to impact the entire packaging life cycle, from manufacturing through recycling. The Innovation Award targets developers, graduates and research teams, promoting technology transfer and fostering innovation within the robotics community
Packaging keeps the wheels of today’s economy turning, yet the sector is under intense pressure to reinvent itself. Stricter rules such as the new EU Packaging Regulation, coupled with rising expectations for efficiency and sustainability, are forcing companies to rethink everything from materials to end-of-life strategies. To spark that transformation, KUKA has launched the next round of its Innovation Award, setting the 2026 competition under the banner “Circular Packaging Challenge.”
“Robotics and artificial intelligence can revolutionize how we design, use, reuse and recover packaging—whether by cutting waste, boosting recyclability or reimagining entire processes,” explains Volker Schmirgel, Head of the KUKA Innovation and Technology Center. “We want visionary thinkers—especially emerging talent—to show us practical ways robots can be deployed across consumer-goods packaging.” KUKA is seeking concepts that span the full life cycle: from the first touchpoint on the production line right through to collection, sorting and recycling.
How to take part:
Teams worldwide have until the end of August to submit proposals. An international jury will evaluate the 
entries and select a shortlist of finalists. Those teams will then receive a KUKA robot on loan at no cost, with optional upgrades including a Roboception 3D vision system and KUKA software packages. Throughout development, KUKA specialists will mentor the finalists, helping them turn ideas into working demonstrators.
The resulting applications will debut before a global expert audience at interpack in May 2026, directly on the KUKA stand. At the trade fair, the jury will choose the winner of the KUKA Innovation Award, which carries a €20,000 prize.
About the KUKA Innovation Award
KUKA’s annual competition showcases how robotics can unlock new value for business, industry and everyday life. By encouraging collaboration between academia and industry, the award accelerates technology transfer and nurtures the next generation of innovators. It is open to developers, graduates and research teams from universities, startups and established companies alike.
