Pisa, Italy – 18 February 2026 – Fluid Wire Robotics (FWR), a deep-tech spin-off from Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna in Pisa developing robotic systems for extreme environments, has been selected for €2.5 million in grant funding under the European Innovation Council (EIC) Accelerator. The EIC Accelerator is the European Union’s flagship programme for high-impact, high-risk innovation in startups and SMEs. In one of its most competitive calls – the challenge “Innovative in-space servicing, operations, robotics and technologies for resilient EU space infrastructure” – Fluid Wire Robotics has been selected as one of a small group of European companies entrusted with strengthening the resilience of EU space infrastructure.

 

Making satellites serviceable at scale

Space infrastructure underpins the economy and security, from communications and navigation to Earth observation. Yet most satellites were never designed to be serviced, upgraded or safely de-orbited. As orbital traffic grows, routine, cost-effective in-orbit operations are becoming essential to protect high-value assets and limit space debris. Those operations hinge on one critical capability: reliable, dexterous robotic manipulation. In orbit, this includes tasks such as:

• satellite inspection, repair, upgrade and life-extension
• capture and removal of debris
• in-orbit assembly of new structures

Today, however, most space robotic arms are bespoke systems for one-off missions, with costs and lead times misaligned with the emerging in-orbit servicing market. This is both a commercial and strategic bottleneck: without scalable, European-built manipulation capabilities, Europe risks relying on non-European providers for critical in-orbit services and space resilience.

 

A new class of robotic arms for space manipulation

FWR addresses this gap with a new robotics architecture built around a different approach to actuation and force transmission. Based on its patented Fluid Wire actuation technology, motors, sensors and electronics are relocated from the arm into a compact actuation unit inside the spacecraft body. The external arm, exposed to the harsh space environment, becomes a simple, robust structure, while motion and loads are transmitted through the Fluid Wires, avoiding the need for sensitive components inside the arm itself. For in-orbit space operations, this translates into:

• Lower joint mass and inertia for more stable and precise proximity manoeuvres
• Intrinsic force-interaction capability, without relying on force/torque sensors;
• Improved resistance to thermal excursions, radiation and vacuum;
• Modular architectures that are cost-effective and adaptable to different mission requirements.

As a result, FWR’s robotic manipulators can be deployed as a reusable subsystem for in-orbit servicing spacecraft, enabling safer, more cost-effective operations.

 

From lab to flight heritage

The Fluid Wire architecture has already been validated in harsh environmental conditions representative of the space environment, including high radiation levels, wide thermal excursions and vacuum. EIC Accelerator funding is designed to bridge the gap between this proven prototype and a commercially deployable, flight-validated product. The grant will enable FWR to:

• design and build a space-grade qualification model of its manipulation subsystem;
• execute a full qualification campaign, including vibration, thermal-vacuum and radiation testing;
• carry out an in-orbit demonstration mission to retire key technical and commercial risks; and
• prepare initial production and scale-up of early flight models.

 

Building with European primes and in-orbit operators

FWR is developing its space roadmap with a clear integration and validation path, working alongside European industrial actors to align interfaces and mission requirements. In this context, Fluid Wire Robotics has been selected as one of the winning startups of the “New perspectives for space inspection” challenge, launched through Solvers Wanted, Leonardo’s technology scouting platform for advanced space robotics solutions in inspection, maintenance and debris management. These initiatives, together with other European industrial collaborations, are helping to mature FWR’s manipulation architecture towards flight qualification, in-orbit demonstration and early commercial applications.

 

Sovereign EU robotic toolkit for space infrastructure

Fluid Wire Robotics’ manipulators are designed to become part of a sovereign European toolkit for in-orbit servicing and space logistics. By enabling inspection, servicing, debris-mitigation and assembly with European-built hardware, the company contributes directly to the EIC challenge axes of in-orbit servicing and maintenance, in-space transportation and space-based resilience. These capabilities support longer-lived infrastructure, more sustainable use of orbit and reduced dependency on non-European servicing solutions.

 

A message from Fluid Wire Robotics

“Space is moving from ‘launch-and-leave’ to continuous operations where assets are maintained, upgraded and protected like any critical infrastructure on Earth,” said Marco Bolignari, CEO and Co-Founder of Fluid Wire Robotics. “This EIC Accelerator selection is a strong signal that Europe wants scalable, sovereign capabilities for in-orbit inspection, maintenance and assembly. Our job now is to turn this technology into an operational in-orbit capability, helping to strengthen the scalability and resilience of the European space market.”

 

About Fluid Wire Robotics

Fluid Wire Robotics (FWR) is a 2024 spin-off of the Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna (Pisa), founded by Marco Bolignari, Marco Fontana, Ivan De Leonardis, Gianluigi Grandesso, and Francesco Damiani. The company’s mission is to enable robotic remote and unmanned inspection, maintenance, repair, and assembly in harsh, unstructured environments. FWR’s proprietary Fluid Wire technology relocates actuators and electronics from the manipulator to a remote Actuation Box. This architecture enables fully electric robotic systems capable of operating in radiation, vacuum, explosive, and high-temperature environments, while maintaining cost-efficiency, ease of deployment, and simplified maintenance.

FWR is incubated at I3P, the Incubator of Politecnico di Torino, and is part of the ESA BIC Turin programme, managed by I3P in collaboration with the Italian Space Agency (ASI), the European Space Agency (ESA), Politecnico di Torino and LINKS Foundation. Recognised as a NATO DIANA Innovator and accelerated by DualTech by Takeoff, the NATO DIANA Accelerator Site based in Turin, FWR is also a member of A.I.A.D. – the Italian Federation of Aerospace, Defence and Security Companies, and demonstrates strong potential across critical infrastructure sectors, including space, nuclear and other hazardous industries. Learn more at: https://www.fluidwirerobotics.com/