In a move that signals a continued convergence between traditional industrial robotics and modern software engineering, Universal Robots has entered into a partnership with Viam, a New York City-based software platform company. The collaboration, announced in November 2025, positions Universal Robots' UR Series collaborative robots — commonly referred to as cobots — as a flagship hardware partner for Viam as the software firm expands its footprint in industrial robotic solutions.
The announcement was made jointly by the two companies, with statements from key executives on both sides. Jean-Pierre Hathout, President of the Teradyne Robotics Group — the parent organization under which Universal Robots operates — expressed enthusiasm about the alliance. According to the source material, Hathout stated that Viam's AI-powered software opens new applications for Universal Robots' collaborative robots and sets the stage for rapid innovation in the marine sector and across industries in the years ahead.
On the software side, Eliot Horowitz, founder and CEO of Viam, underscored the complementary nature of the partnership. Horowitz, who previously co-founded and served as CTO of MongoDB, noted that Viam's intelligent software layer combined with Universal Robots' cobots can enable rapid adoption of automation. He characterized Universal Robots as a true industry leader in robotic hardware and expressed confidence that the partnership would help scale Viam's solutions globally, both in the marine sector and in manufacturing broadly.
The partnership comes at a time when the industrial automation landscape is undergoing significant transformation. Force- and power-limited robots — a category that includes many collaborative robots — have long been considered limited in their utility for industrial processes. This perception has been a persistent challenge for the cobot industry, which has sought to demonstrate that collaborative robots can handle a wider range of tasks than initially believed. The Viam partnership appears to be a direct response to this challenge, leveraging AI-powered software to expand the functional envelope of Universal Robots' hardware.
Viam, founded in 2020, describes itself as a modern software engineering platform for robotics. The company's platform is designed to provide everything companies need to build and run intelligent machines, with a focus on enabling engineers of all disciplines to collaborate efficiently and build robotic solutions that are fast and future-proof. The company reports that its platform powers solutions across sectors including manufacturing, marine, climate, logistics, entertainment, and more.
The partnership was first reported by Robotics & Automation News on November 26, 2025, and the announcement was also carried via PRNewswire on November 18, 2025, with a New York dateline. The timing of the announcement — mid-November 2025 — places it within a period of heightened activity in the robotics software space, as enterprises increasingly seek to bridge the gap between hardware capabilities and software-driven intelligence.
Product and availability details
While the partnership announcement provides a clear strategic direction, specific product details remain somewhat limited in the public domain. What is known is that Universal Robots' UR Series collaborative robots will serve as a flagship hardware partner for Viam as the software company expands its industrial robotic solutions. This designation suggests a close integration between Viam's software platform and Universal Robots' hardware, though the exact nature of the technical integration — whether it involves pre-installed software, certified compatibility, or joint development efforts — has not been fully disclosed in the source material.
The source material indicates that Viam's platform is designed to be a unified software layer for building, deploying, and managing robotics applications at scale. The company emphasizes that its platform enables enterprises to manage robots with the same level of visibility and control as traditional IT systems. This positioning is significant, as it speaks to a broader trend in industrial automation: the desire to treat robotic fleets as manageable, observable, and controllable assets within the enterprise IT ecosystem, rather than as isolated, bespoke installations.
Viam's approach to robotics software is rooted in modern software engineering practices. The company's platform is described as enabling engineers of all disciplines to collaborate efficiently, which suggests a multi-disciplinary approach to robotics development. This could be particularly relevant for Universal Robots' customer base, which spans a wide range of industries and includes users who may not have deep expertise in traditional robotics programming.
The partnership's emphasis on the marine sector is notable. While Universal Robots has historically been associated with manufacturing and light industrial applications, the marine sector represents a newer frontier for collaborative robotics. The source material mentions the marine sector explicitly in statements from both Hathout and Horowitz, indicating that this is a strategic focus area for the partnership. However, specific marine applications — whether they involve vessel maintenance, underwater inspection, offshore operations, or other use cases — are not detailed in the source material.
In terms of availability, the source material does not specify a particular timeline for when Viam's software will be available on Universal Robots' hardware, nor does it disclose pricing, licensing models, or geographic availability. What can be inferred is that the partnership is structured to facilitate rapid adoption of automation, with both companies expressing a shared interest in scaling solutions globally. The phrase "rapid adoption" appears in Horowitz's statement, suggesting that the companies are prioritizing speed-to-market and ease of deployment.
It is also worth noting that Viam has been actively expanding its partnership ecosystem beyond this single announcement. The source material references a separate partnership with Tech Mahindra, announced in June 2026, in which Viam works with the global technology consulting firm to provide enterprise clients with direct access to the Viam platform for managing and maintaining robotic fleets at scale. Additionally, the source material mentions Viam's work with KONGSBERG, beginning in 2025 with the integration of Viam's technology on the Simrad SY50 sonar, and the subsequent launch of Sonar AI, a virtual sonar operator designed for Simrad By KONGSBERG's fish-finding sonars, announced in March 2026. These developments suggest that Viam is building a broad ecosystem of hardware and software partners, with Universal Robots serving as a key industrial robotics partner within that ecosystem.
For Universal Robots, the partnership with Viam represents a strategic bet on software as a differentiator. The company, which has long been recognized as a leader in the collaborative robot market, faces increasing competition from both established players and new entrants. By aligning with a modern software platform, Universal Robots appears to be positioning itself to offer customers not just hardware, but a complete solution that includes AI-powered software capabilities.
What it means for buyers
For buyers and end-users of industrial automation, the Universal Robots-Viam partnership carries several implications that merit careful consideration.
First, the partnership signals a continued shift toward software-centric robotics. For decades, the industrial robotics market has been dominated by hardware considerations — payload capacity, reach, repeatability, and safety features. While these factors remain important, the Viam partnership underscores the growing importance of software in determining what a robot can actually do. The source material explicitly notes that Viam's AI-powered software opens new applications for Universal Robots' collaborative robots, suggesting that the software layer is expected to be a key driver of new use cases and capabilities.
Second, the emphasis on the marine sector is noteworthy for buyers operating in that industry. The source material mentions the marine sector in statements from both Hathout and Horowitz, indicating that this is a deliberate strategic focus. For buyers in marine-related industries — whether commercial shipping, offshore energy, aquaculture, or marine research — this partnership could signal the availability of new automation solutions tailored to their specific challenges. However, it should be noted that the source material does not provide specific details about marine applications, so buyers should exercise caution and seek additional information from the companies before making procurement decisions.
Third, the partnership speaks to the broader challenge of integration with existing systems. The source material notes that enterprises are rapidly adopting and deploying robotics across manufacturing, logistics, and industrial environments, but face steep challenges around software, speed-of-deployment, and integration with existing systems. Viam's platform is positioned as a solution to these challenges, providing a unified software layer to build, deploy, and manage robotics applications at scale. For buyers who have struggled with the complexity of integrating robotics into their existing IT and operational technology environments, this value proposition could be compelling.
Fourth, the partnership may have implications for total cost of ownership. While the source material does not disclose pricing or licensing details, the emphasis on rapid adoption and ease of deployment suggests that the companies are targeting a reduction in the time and cost associated with implementing robotic solutions. If Viam's platform delivers on its promise of enabling engineers of all disciplines to collaborate efficiently, this could reduce the need for specialized robotics programmers, potentially lowering the barrier to entry for smaller enterprises that have historically been priced out of industrial automation.
Fifth, buyers should be aware of what is not disclosed in the source material. The partnership announcement does not include specific technical specifications, performance benchmarks, or case studies. It does not disclose whether Viam's software will be available as an add-on to existing Universal Robots installations, or whether it will be bundled with new hardware purchases. It does not specify which UR Series models are covered by the partnership, nor does it provide timelines for availability in specific regions or industries. Buyers should treat the announcement as a strategic statement of intent rather than a detailed product launch, and should seek clarification from both companies on these points before making decisions.
The broader context of Viam's partnerships is also relevant for buyers. The source material references Viam's work with Tech Mahindra, which positions Viam as a core partner in physical AI for enterprise clients managing robotic fleets at scale. This suggests that Viam is not merely a point solution provider, but is building a platform that can serve as the software backbone for large-scale robotic deployments. For buyers who are planning significant automation investments, the durability and scalability of the software platform may be as important as the hardware itself.
Similarly, Viam's work with KONGSBERG in the marine sector — including the integration of Viam's technology on the Simrad SY50 sonar and the subsequent launch of Sonar AI for Simrad By KONGSBERG's fish-finding sonars — provides evidence of Viam's capabilities in marine applications. While these developments are separate from the Universal Robots partnership, they offer a glimpse into the types of AI-powered applications that Viam is developing, which could eventually find their way into Universal Robots' ecosystem.
For buyers who are evaluating collaborative robot solutions, the partnership adds a new dimension to the decision-making process. Historically, the choice of a cobot supplier has been driven primarily by hardware specifications, safety certifications, and the availability of local support. The Viam partnership suggests that software capabilities should also be a consideration, particularly for buyers who anticipate needing AI-powered features or who expect to integrate their robots into broader software ecosystems.
It is also worth noting that the partnership reflects a broader industry trend toward consolidation and collaboration between hardware and software providers. As robotics becomes more software-defined, the lines between hardware manufacturers, software platforms, and system integrators are blurring. Buyers may benefit from this trend, as it could lead to more integrated, easier-to-deploy solutions. However, it also introduces new considerations around vendor lock-in, interoperability, and the long-term viability of software platforms.
In terms of what is not yet known, buyers should note that the source material does not provide information on several key factors. These include: the specific AI capabilities that Viam's software will enable on Universal Robots' cobots; the level of integration between Viam's platform and Universal Robots' existing software ecosystem; the training and support resources that will be available to buyers; and the roadmap for future joint development. Until these details are clarified, buyers should approach the partnership as an evolving situation and monitor announcements from both companies for additional information.
The source material also does not disclose any information about service level agreements, response times, or spare-part lead times. Buyers who are considering investments based on this partnership should not assume any specific service commitments beyond what is publicly stated, and should seek contractual assurances from the companies as part of their procurement processes.
Overall, the Universal Robots-Viam partnership represents a significant development in the industrial robotics landscape. It brings together a leading hardware manufacturer with a modern software platform, with a stated focus on AI-powered applications and expansion into the marine sector. For buyers, the partnership offers the potential for new capabilities and easier deployment, but also introduces uncertainties that will need to be resolved as the partnership matures. As with any strategic partnership announcement, the proof will be in the execution — and buyers would be well-advised to track the partnership's progress through 2026 and beyond.
Sources
Universal Robots partners with software engineering platform Viam
Published by Vigla Media OÜ (Estonia).