Borobotics

In loose grounds, Grabowski automatically extrudes a pipe to support the stability of the borehole.

The company received support from the Bundesamt für Energie (BfE) through the P+D Program in late 2023. The support is tied to milestones and will fund drill tests at various depths and in different geologies until mid-2025.

The company began drill tests at a test site in Winterthur. The 20 m drill tests the borehead and gearbox in a real-life environment and helps identify issues.

The company’s newsletter says it planned a booth at Startup Nights Winterthur after winning the previous edition and planned to attend the EnergyLab UnConference in Lausanne on November 2.

Borobotics added Kristian and Joel to its mechanical engineering team in March. The ETH master’s students are completing six-month internships focused on product development.

The company completed development of the gearbox for its first prototype and sent manufacturers purchase orders for the required parts. It planned to begin a 20 m drill test in late August or September.

The company added two team members.

The company developed a geothermal drilling method for small spaces, using an autonomous robot inside a 3 m by 13.5 cm tube. The robot creates a digital twin of the borehole as it drills.

The company developed a geothermal drilling method for small spaces, using an autonomous robot inside a 2 m by 9 cm tube. The robot creates a digital twin of the borehole as it drills.

Borobotics is developing electric, compact and quiet autonomous drilling technology for geothermal energy. The company is building prototypes, testing functions and advancing series production.

Borobotics started as a research project at the Zurich University of Applied Sciences in 2021.

Borobotics develops an earthworm-like drilling robot for geothermal probes to help homeowners switch from grey energy sources to geothermal heating.

Alberta awards $37 million through its Drilling Technology Challenge to support next-generation drilling technologies. The winners cover robotics to enhance drilling rig safety, AI-enabled energy management, downhole sensing, well navigation, hybrid power systems, and geothermal energy.

Jul 2026 · JPTNews article

Borobotics’ Grabowski is an autonomous drilling machine for bringing geothermal energy to urban environments. The machine reduces emissions.

Jan 2025 · InspenetNews article

The Grabowski drilling robot is a compact autonomous system designed to drill more efficiently and at lower cost than previous systems. The robot is intended to help expand geothermal energy.

Jan 2025 · heise onlineNews article

A Swiss firm has developed “Grabowski,” an autonomous drill designed to tap shallow geothermal energy. The compact machine can operate without human oversight and uses sensors to detect its surroundings.

Jan 2025 · Interesting EngineeringNews article