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Robot maker · registered

Circus SE

Corporate marketfoodCurated record
circus-group.com

CircusOS AI-native operating system fuses embodied intelligence, voice interaction, and real-time adaptive decision-making; FullyAI agentic AI layer (acquired May 2025) adds predictive maintenance and personalised order orchestration; computer vision monitors quality assurance and operational state throughout 24/7 operation.

HeadquartersMünchen, DE
Founded2022
Corporate funding$50M
Team11-50
Deployments6
Open roles9
01

Company overview

Identity and operating footprint

Company typeRobot maker
Market segmentCorporate
StagePublic
FoundersNikolas Bullwinkel (CEO), Carsten Wille (co-founder), Helge Plehn (co-founder), Fabio Haebel (co-founder, gastronomer)
Regions servedEurope
Countries deployedDE, LT
Service footprintHQ Hamburg, Germany; manufacturing via Celestica (Canada); CA-1 Series 4 deployed in DE at REWE supermarkets, Meta Munich corporate office, and corporate canteens; Mercedes-Benz Gastronomie Sindelfingen plant planned summer 2026; Circus Defence SE subsidi
Last reviewed2026-07-05
MX

Robot models

Specifications remain vendor-claimed

Machinefood

CA-1 Series 4

  • 120 dishes per hour

    vendor-stated maximum meal output rate

    Claim source
  • ~800 meals per day

    vendor-stated daily meal production capacity

    Claim source
  • 7 m² footprint

    vendor-stated floor area occupied by the CA-1 unit

    Claim source
  • ~1 hour daily human interaction required

    vendor-stated minimum staffing time per day for resupply and oversight

    Claim source
Machinefood

CA-M Series

  • Fully autonomous meal production for fast, fresh, and reliable service for military and emergency responders; containerized, air-deployable, with integrated drone port for autonomous resupply; keeps up to 40 meals ready to serve

    Vendor-described capability

    Claim source
DP

Deployment log

Announced and cited only

AnnouncedCustomerSiteCountryCountEvidence
2026-04-20Bundeswehrmilitary baseDENot disclosedAnnouncement
2026-04-20Lithuanian Armed Forcesmilitary baseLTNot disclosedAnnouncement
2025-12-10Mercedes-Benz Gastronomie GmbH (DE)corporate cafeteriaDENot disclosedAnnouncement
2025-11-06Ukraine Armed Forces / BRAVE1defenseUANot disclosedAnnouncement
2025-10-29REWE (DE)supermarket food serviceDENot disclosedAnnouncement
2025-09-17Meta Munich office (DE)corporate cafeteriaDENot disclosedAnnouncement
CA

Funding history

Publicly announced rounds

Investors on recordBlackMars Capital2bXWestTech VenturesVerena Pausder (Ride Capital)Hilltop Venture PartnersMatchstick Ventures
HR

Hiring signal

Public job board · 2026-07-13

Open roles9

Hiring is an operating signal, not deployment evidence. Roles are refreshed from the company’s public careers system.

Sales Operations Manager (f/m/x)Commercial · MunichField Service & Deployment Technician (f/m/x)Hardware & Manufacturing · MunichWerkstudent*in – Food Robotics Operations (w/m/d)Operations · DüsseldorfWerkstudent*in – Food Robotics Operations (w/m/d)Operations · BonnWerkstudent:in Service & Operations | Robotics Kitchen (m/w/d)Operations · KielWorking Student (Werkstudent*in) – Food Robotics Operations (f/m/d)Operations · DüsseldorfFront-Office & Operations Manager (m/f/x)Other · MunichProject Manager, Strategic Initiatives & Corporate Development (m/f/x)Other · Munich
TL

Company timeline

Milestones and announcements

2025-12-10Secured Mercedes-Benz Gastronomie GmbH as first automotive sector client; Sindelfingen plant canteen deployment planned summer 2026BusinessWire
2025-11-03Launched Circus Defence SE subsidiary to expand into dual-use autonomous AI robotics and military infrastructureBusinessWire
2025-10-29Launched CA-1 in REWE Region West supermarkets; first in-store autonomous food production deployment globallyBusinessWire
2025-05-21Completed acquisition of FullyAI (agentic AI company) to add predictive maintenance and personalised order orchestration to CircusOSBusinessWire
2025-04-04Unveiled CA-1 Series 4; entered volume production with Celestica as manufacturing partnerBusinessWire
2024-01-22IPO on Frankfurt Stock Exchange (Xetra) via direct listing; ticker CA1.DE: first direct listing without a prior Series AUnicorn Bakery
2023-08-29Acquired Aitme (Berlin robotic kitchen startup) to integrate cooking robotics technology into CA-1EU-Startups
2022-02-01Founded in Hamburg by Nikolas Bullwinkel, Carsten Wille, Helge Plehn, and Fabio HaebelEtribes
SC

Source ledger

21 unique public sources

01
Circus SECircus SE · retrieved 2026-07-05
02
Circus SE successfully completes cash capital increase and places 2,418,820 new shares (EUR 30M at EUR 12.20/share)EQS News · retrieved 2026-07-05
03
Circus SE resolves capital increase with subscription rights of up to EUR 21.3 million; Preplacement successfully completed (EUR 21.3M ceiling, actual proceeds EUR 18.7–21.5M)Circus Group · retrieved 2026-07-05
04
Circus SE successfully starts trading on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange and XETRA listingCircus Group · retrieved 2026-07-05
05
YPOG advised Circus on acquisition of cooking robot startup Aitme and financing round (€5.5M, converted from EUR at Aug-2023 rates ~1.09)YPOG · retrieved 2026-07-05
06
Hamburg-based Circus raises €11 million to create a new era for food delivery services (EUR 11M)EU-Startups · retrieved 2026-07-05
07
CA-1 by Circus Group: Intelligent Autonomous Robotics PlatformCircus Group · retrieved 2026-07-05
08
CA-M — Circus DefenceCircus SE · retrieved 2026-07-05
09
Circus Reports Strong Q1 2026 Operational Progress, Accelerates Defence GrowthBusinessWire · retrieved 2026-07-05
10
Circus Wins First Customer From the Automotive Industry For AI Robotics IntegrationBusiness Wire · retrieved 2026-07-05
11
Circus Defence makes first deployment with BRAVE1 in Ukraine — a world first for autonomous defenceTech.eu · retrieved 2026-07-05
12
Circus successfully launches its autonomous AI robotics system CA-1 in REWE supermarketsCircus SE · retrieved 2026-07-05
13
Circus SE Delivers First CA-1 AI Robot to MetaBusiness Wire · retrieved 2026-07-05
14
Circus Wins First Customer From the Automotive Industry For AI Robotics System CA-1Yahoo Finance · retrieved 2026-07-05
15
Circus Executes Strategic Launch of Circus Defence SEBusinessWire · retrieved 2026-07-05
16
Circus successfully launches its autonomous AI robotics system CA-1 in REWE supermarketsBusinessWire · retrieved 2026-07-05
17
Circus SE Successfully Acquires Agentic AI Company FullyAIBusinessWire · retrieved 2026-07-05
18
Circus SE Unveils CA-1 Series 4: New Generation AI-Robot Enters Volume ProductionBusinessWire · retrieved 2026-07-05
19
Börsengang statt Series A: Warum Circus per Direct Listing an die Börse gingUnicorn Bakery · retrieved 2026-07-05
20
Hamburg-based foodtech Circus acquires Berlin-based Aitme to integrate cooking robotsEU-Startups · retrieved 2026-07-05
21
Circus: What is behind the Flink co-founder's food tech company?Etribes · retrieved 2026-07-05