Sifted: European robotics fundraising in H1 2026 tops previous two years; VCs name Serbian startups to watch
Sifted reports European robotics startups raised more in H1 2026 than in the previous two years combined; a separate report highlights Serbian startups to watch, according to VCs.
Sifted's robotics list covers companies at Series A, B, C and D stages. The report said the mid-2026 fundraising figure had already outpaced the combined total for the previous two years, and it highlighted investor demand for European automation and robotics startups.
In a second report published the same day, Sifted turned to Serbia, a country that has long produced successful founders and world-class engineers but has rarely featured among Europe's headline startup ecosystems. Venture capitalists quoted by Sifted pointed to local startups they are watching. One company mentioned in the report has raised an $8.1m round, illustrating the early-stage activity emerging in the Serbian market.
The two reports together show a European startup landscape in which established robotics hubs continue to attract large sums, while smaller ecosystems are beginning to draw investor attention.