Technology Spotlight: An Interview with Adapta Robotics

As part of Beaumont Bailey’s mission to connect founders, innovators, and key players that make up the fabric of our industry, our latest Technology Spotlight series highlights the successes of our incredible members and wider network. In this instalment, we speak with Diana Baicu, Co-Founder of Adapta Robotics about the company’s journey, technological breakthroughs, and the future of robotics. Adapta Robotics is a cutting-edge startup that is redefining automation with its innovative robotics solutions.

Tell me about your organisation, your career path and the idea of starting Adapta Robotics.

My co-founders, Mihai and Cristi, and I founded after meeting on our university robotics team, where we competed in international robotics competitions. After winning several of them, we realised we wanted to take our passion further and make a real impact. However, the robotics industry in Romania – and even in Europe – was not as developed as we hoped, making job opportunities in the field quite limited.

Our solution? Start our own company. We began by joining a software company, RinfTech, which gave us the opportunity to develop our first product: MATT, a robot for device testing automation. That was our turning point. While automation initially faced industry hesitation , the pandemic changed everything, accelerating the demand for our solutions. From there, we expanded our product line, including ERIS, our robot designed for the retail industry. Today, we continue to adapt our solutions to new industries and challenges.

What are the main challenges your solutions are designed to solve?

Our robotics solutions bridge the gap between industrial automation and mass-market accessibility. Traditional automation systems can be costly and complex, making integration a challenge for many companies. Our goal is to provide an alternative that is more adaptable, cost-effective, and easier to implement.

For example, MATT is used in industries like automotive, medical, and consumer electronics to automate device testing. It interacts with screens and buttons using human-like gestures while leveraging computer vision for performance and quality checks. ERIS, on the other hand, is built for retail, helping businesses monitor shelf stock, track product placement, and validate pricing accuracy in stores.

What differentiates Adapta from competitors?

Many companies opt for robotic arms or industrial automation solutions, but these often require in-house expertise to customise and integrate. Our approach is different – we offer out-of-the-box solutions that are ready to use with minimal setup.

We put a strong emphasis on user-friendly software, automation simplicity, and accessibility. Our solutions come with features like code generation and graphical user interfaces, allowing companies to deploy automation without needing an expert engineering team. This dramatically reduces the time and resources required to implement robotic solutions.

Can you share any partnerships or case studies that highlight Adapta’s capabilities?

We’ve been fortunate to collaborate with incredible clients who have helped shape our solutions. A few examples:

• DXOMARK (France): They use MATT for device benchmarking, assessing the performance of smartphone batteries, displays, and cameras in an impartial, standardised manner.
• Zebra Technologies (US): We worked with Zebra to automate device testing and configuration processes, reducing manual labour and increasing efficiency in their logistics and retail divisions.
• Flip.ro (Romania): As a fast-growing refurbished device marketplace, Flip needed an automated inventory-checking solution to streamline its operations, which we developed based on our robotics technology. As a fast-growing refurbished device marketplace, Flip needed an automated inventory-TRACKING solution to streamline its operations. Using our robotics technology and AI based detection, we developed SIDD.

These partnerships showcase how our adaptable robots can integrate into diverse industries and improve operations.

What’s next for Adapta Robotics?

Our primary focus right now is scaling up and refining our solutions. For example, we are enhancing MATT so it can interact with multiple devices simultaneously while conducting advanced hardware quality checks. We are also leveraging our accumulated knowledge to develop even more intuitive and industry-specific automation tools.

In parallel, we’re working on expanding into new markets, finding the industries where our technology can have the most impact.

Robotics is a specialised field. Are you facing challenges in finding the right talent?

Absolutely. Robotics education is still limited, and there aren’t many programs that provide end-to-end training in designing, prototyping, and mass-producing robotic systems. As a result, we focus on hiring for potential and passion rather than just existing expertise.

We invest heavily in training and mentoring our interns and employees. Both Mihai and I are teaching assistants at the University Politehnica of Bucharest, where we help nurture the next generation of robotics engineers. This involvement allows us to directly contribute to expanding the talent pipeline and growing the robotics ecosystem.

It’s inspiring to see Adapta Robotics pushing boundaries in automation. Any final thoughts you’d like to share?

Thank you! Our mission is to make automation more accessible, flexible, and impactful across industries. We’re excited about what the future holds and look forward to continuing to adapt and innovate.

If you would like to discuss any of the topics raised in this piece or if you need support with your leadership resourcing strategy, please get in touch with Alex Catana on: alex.catana@beaumontbailey.com.