Soft Robotics Market Report 2026

The soft robotics market size has grown exponentially in recent years. It will grow from $2.26 billion in 2025 to $2.82 billion in 2026 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 25.1%. The growth in the historic period can be attributed to advancements in material science, early medical robotics adoption, growth in collaborative robotics research, increasing need for delicate object handling, expansion of academic robotics programs.

The soft robotics market size is expected to see exponential growth in the next few years. It will grow to $7.22 billion in 2030 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 26.5%. The growth in the forecast period can be attributed to growth in minimally invasive surgeries, rising demand for rehabilitation robotics, expansion of automation in food handling, increased investment in human centric robotics, adoption of soft robotics in space exploration. Major trends in the forecast period include rising adoption of soft grippers in delicate handling, growing use of soft robots in surgical applications, increased development of bio inspired materials, higher focus on human safe robot interaction, expansion of wearable soft exoskeletons.

Government initiatives supporting robotics, including soft robotics, are expected to contribute to the growth of the soft robotics market. Government initiatives involve support provided by federal, state, or local authorities to organizations, industries, or projects to foster innovation and development. Many governments are launching programs to advance robotic integration across key sectors. For example, in July 2024, High Value Manufacturing Catapult, a UK-based organization, reported that in November 2023 the government announced the Advanced Manufacturing Plan, which allocates £4.5 billion ($5.86 billion) over five years beginning in 2025 to strengthen industries such as automotive. Such initiatives that promote robotics development, including soft robotics, are driving growth in the soft robotics market.

Major companies operating in the soft robotics market are prioritizing technological innovations such as AI-enabled soft gripper systems that feature adaptive materials to meet growing demand for flexible, damage-free automation in industries including food processing, packaging, electronics assembly, and human-robot collaboration. Soft grippers, made from elastomers or silicone and actuated pneumatically or electrically, can conform to the shape of objects, offering advantages over rigid metal grippers that require precise alignment and may cause damage to delicate or irregular items. For instance, in March 2023, Soft Robotics Inc., a US-based industrial automation company, launched mGripAI 2.0, a next-generation gripper platform that integrates soft grippers with 3D machine vision and deep-learning capabilities. The solution enables high-speed handling of mixed and delicate food items, improving sorting throughput by approximately 28%. Its compliant soft-finger technology reduces product damage, while AI-driven vision allows automated adaptation without manual reprogramming for each product type. This innovation reflects a broader market trend toward intelligent, adaptive gripping solutions capable of addressing hygiene, variability, and throughput demands across multiple industries.

In August 2024, Schmalz Group, a Germany-based automation technology company, acquired the soft-gripping product assets of Soft Robotics Inc. for an undisclosed amount. This acquisition aims to expand Schmalz’s automation and gripper portfolio by incorporating advanced soft-finger gripping technologies, strengthening its presence in the growing food-handling and industrial automation markets. Soft Robotics Inc. was a US-based provider specializing in high-speed automated picking solutions using soft robotic grippers, 3D machine vision, and AI-driven automation systems.

Major companies operating in the soft robotics market are Festo Group, Ottobock SE & Co KGaA, SRI International Inc., SoftWear Automation Inc., Disney Research, Ekso Bionics Holdings Inc., Innophys Co. Ltd., Shadow Robot Company Limited, ReWalk Robotics Inc., Artimus Robotics Inc., Octopus Robotics Incorporated, Schunk GmbH, Roam Robotics Inc., RightHand Robotics Inc., Soft Robotics Inc., Tactile Robotics Ltd., Bristol Robotics Laboratory Limited, New Scale Robotics Inc., Asea Brown Boveri Ltd., Fanuc Corporation, Yaskawa Electric Corporation.

Asia-Pacific was the largest region in the soft robotics market in 2025. Europe is expected to be the fastest-growing region in the forecast period. The regions covered in the soft robotics market report are Asia-Pacific, South East Asia, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, North America, South America, Middle East, Africa. The countries covered in the soft robotics market report are Australia, Brazil, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Japan, Taiwan, Russia, South Korea, UK, USA, Canada, Italy, Spain.

The soft robotics market consists of sales of robotic muscles, prosthetic robots, and wearable robotics. Values in this market are ‘factory gate’ values, that is, the value of goods sold by the manufacturers or creators of the goods, whether to other entities (including downstream manufacturers, wholesalers, distributors, and retailers) or directly to end customers. The value of goods in this market includes related services sold by the creators of the goods.

The market value is defined as the revenues that enterprises gain from the sale of goods and/or services within the specified market and geography through sales, grants, or donations in terms of the currency (in USD unless otherwise specified).

The revenues for a specified geography are consumption values that are revenues generated by organizations in the specified geography within the market, irrespective of where they are produced. It does not include revenues from resales along the supply chain, either further along the supply chain or as part of other products.

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