The Swiss Excellence Foundation, which champions technological innovation from Swiss SMEs and startups, named the K900 the best product in the SME category. The robot built for the one part of the facility most automation plans overlook: the floor.

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On 17 September, KEMARO took the stage to receive the Swiss Excellence Product Award 2026 in the SME category for the KEMARO K900.

The jury judged every entry on four questions. How new is it? What value does it create? Does the business model hold up? Can it win in the market? The K900 answered all four.

The problem nobody puts in the automation budget

Warehouses and factories invest heavily in AGVs, AMRs and conveyor systems. Meanwhile, dust builds up on the floor they all run on. Sensors fail, machines wear out faster, and manual cleaning crews can't hard to keep.

For our customers, a dirty floor is more than a hygiene issue. It's a production risk.

Built for the floors other robots avoid

The K900 was designed for exactly that environment: dusty, busy, and running around the clock.

• Dry sweeping: no water and no chemicals, ideal for dust-heavy sites.

• Low profile: at around 35 cm high, it reaches under racks and machinery, where dust collects.

• Part of the smart factory: it connects to AGV/AMR fleets, WMS and ERP through KEMARO Sphere and standard interfaces such as VDA 5050.

• Data privacy by design: robot data is stored in Switzerland, and security is built into every component. [Link: Privacy by Design page]

Swiss-made and built to last, the K900 is engineered for years of reliable service on the toughest industrial floors.

Proven on 1,500+ floors worldwide

More than 1,500 KEMARO robots are in operation today in around 40 countries, supported by a team of about 60 people and a global network of authorized partners.

Why this award matters to us

The Swiss Excellence Foundation supports innovative Swiss SMEs and startups engaged in technically demanding, market-oriented research and development. Behind the foundation is a network of experts from engineering, business and research, who help companies strengthen their capacity for innovation and realise their growth potential.

Through the annual Swiss Excellence Product Award, the foundation honours outstanding developments from Switzerland, ranging from industry and construction to energy, sensor technology and medtech. In doing so, it helps foster entrepreneurship and strengthens Switzerland as a location for technology and innovation. Since 2021, a separate award has also been presented for innovative products from startups.

Industry is investing heavily in automation, but it all runs on the floor. With the K900, we've made that floor part of the smart factory. It's great to see an independent jury recognise how much that matters." - Armin Koller, CEO

Read the full interview with Armin Koller.

Thank you to the Swiss Excellence Foundation and the jury: Stefan Philippi, Dr. Clemens Jakobi, Eva Jenisch, Stève Mérillat, Prof. Dr. Petra Moog, , Gabriella Skala, for an inspiring evening.

Above all, thank you to our customers, partners and team. This award belongs to you.