Circus Secures EUR 2 Million Federal Research Grant to Accelerate AI-Powered Defense Nutrition Robot

23 August 2025 | News

German Ministry of Education and Research backs Circus SE with recurring annual funding to advance CA-M, a fully autonomous AI-robot designed for reliable meal supply in defense environments.
Image Courtesy: Public Domain

Image Courtesy: Public Domain

  • The Federal Ministry of Education and Research issues recurring annual research and development funding with an initial EUR 2 million grant to support Circus’ R&D programs.
  • Funding further accelerates R&D and go-to-market of the CA-M robot, a fully autonomous nutrition system for high-risk defense environments.
  • Strengthening Circus’ Defense Unit to cement its position as the global frontrunner in AI-robotics and autonomous nutrition systems.

Circus SE a global leader in AI software and robotics for autonomous nutrition systems, has secured a EUR 2 million research and development grant from the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF). This recurring annual funding will accelerate the development of the CA-M AI-Robot, a fully autonomous nutrition system designed for reliable meal supply in defense environments.

The CA-M is built on the proven core technology of the CA-1 AI-robot, Circus’ commercial flagship robot, and extends its capabilities into the defense sector. Designed to remove manual labor from complex meal supply infrastructures, the CA-M robot enables seamless autonomous operation in mission environments, freeing up personnel for more critical tasks and enhancing operational resilience.

Backed by Circus’ patented AI-robotics ecosystem, the CA-M combines advanced AI-driven software, autonomous meal preparation, and secure system integration to deliver end-to-end nutrition at scale. With the support of the Federal Ministry, Circus will fast-track R&D, expand its defense-focused engineering teams, and further strengthen its newly established Defense Unit.

“With the funding provided by the federal research grant, we can significantly expand our technological development and decisively accelerate the rollout of the CA-M AI-Robot. It underscores our mission to shape the future of autonomous nutrition systems – not only in commercial use, but also as a key technology in the defense sector,” says Fabian Becker, CFO of Circus SE.

The grant highlights the German government’s commitment to advancing AI and robotics as strategic technologies. For Circus, it represents a supportive step toward establishing itself as the global innovation leader in autonomous defense nutrition systems.

Subscribe to our newsletter

Monthly digest of what's new and exciting from us.

We'll never share your email with anyone else.

Most Read