Aperion Robotics, a Greek deep-tech startup developing autonomous robotic welding for heavy industry, is part of the first HARD2SCALE cohort — the EU-funded cross-border accelerator supporting digital and deep-tech startups scaling their solutions across Europe’s Energy Intensive Industries (EII) and Hard-to-Abate (HtA) sectors. In this interview, Technical Project Manager Fanis Nitsos reflects on breaking into conservative industrial markets, and on how the programme has reshaped the company’s positioning and opened the door to its first pilot projects.

COMPANY PROFILE

Company	Aperion Robotics
Headquarters	Athens, Greece
Sector	Industrial robotics / Autonomous welding
Product	An autonomous robotic welding system built on collaborative robots (cobots) that removes the need for CAD programming and fixturing — the operator tacks the parts and roughly indicates the joint, and the system uses vision and seam-tracking sensors to plan its trajectory, set optimal welding parameters and weld on the fly
Interviewee	Fanis Nitsos, Technical Project Manager
Programme	HARD2SCALE — Cohort 1

1. Please introduce yourself, your company, and your product/service in 2–3 sentences.

My name is Fanis Nitsos and I am the Technical Project Manager at Aperion Robotics. Our company has developed a groundbreaking, autonomous robotic welding solution utilising collaborative robots (cobots). Our system completely eliminates the need for CAD programming or precise workpiece positioning (jigging/fixturing). The operator simply tacks the parts into place and provides a rough indication of the start of the joint to be welded. Using vision and seam-tracking sensors, the system automatically plans its trajectory, calculates the optimal welding parameters (amperage, voltage, distance and patterns) and executes the weld on the fly, allowing the operator to make modifications for the optimal result.

2. Before joining HARD2SCALE, what were the main challenges your startup faced when approaching Energy Intensive Industries or Hard-to-Abate sectors?

Our primary challenge was the high barriers to entry inherent in heavy, traditional industries (e.g. structural steel, shipbuilding, heavy machinery). These sectors operate in high-mix, low-volume production environments. Historically, they viewed robotic automation as unviable because reprogramming CAD models for every custom or single-run part was too costly and time-consuming. Additionally, as an emerging technology provider, gaining direct access to the right decision-makers and corporate buyers in these conservative sectors without a warm introduction was highly challenging.

3. What motivated you to apply for the HARD2SCALE programme, and what were your initial expectations?

We were motivated by the programme’s direct pipeline to mature, heavy-industrial ecosystems in Europe, particularly in France and Finland. Our initial expectations were to validate our “no-CAD, no-fixture” value proposition directly with industrial end-users, better understand their specific pain points regarding energy efficiency, and secure strategic partnerships for real-world Proofs of Concept (PoCs).

4. Which activities or components of the programme were most relevant to your startup, and why?

The cross-border matchmaking events and open innovation workshops have been invaluable. Being able to pitch our solution directly to corporate procurement teams and industrial hubs in Finland and France bypassed months of cold outreach. These activities fast-tracked our exposure to industries that are already actively seeking advanced manufacturing and digitalisation tools to optimise their operations.

5. What concrete progress or results has your startup achieved during the programme so far?

Through HARD2SCALE, we have successfully refined our commercial positioning, translating our technical features (like autonomous seam tracking) into quantifiable business and environmental metrics — such as reduced material scrap, lower energy consumption and mitigation of the skilled-welder shortage. We are looking forward to some promising preliminary discussions for a pilot project.

6. How has HARD2SCALE influenced your technology, business model, or go-to-market strategy for EII and HtA sectors?

The programme helped us pivot our narrative from being just a “factory automation tool” to a “sustainable digital transition solution”. We realised that because our system monitors and dynamically adjusts welding parameters in real time, it captures critical data points regarding energy and resource consumption. This positions our software as an asset for industrial MRV (Measurement, Reporting and Verification) and ESG compliance, opening up an entirely new avenue for our sales strategy.

7. Did the programme help you access new networks, potential partners or investors? If so, can you describe the most valuable connection you gained?

Yes, it provided a gateway to a highly specialised ecosystem that would have taken us years to map out independently. KiNNO has been instrumental in helping us define our beachhead market. Through their active outreach, we are currently approaching prominent industry players to validate our system against real-world user requirements. We are highly optimistic that these ongoing engagements will secure our first pilot deployments, moving our solution outside the laboratory and establishing crucial market traction.

8. What has been the most significant impact of the project on your startup’s development so far?

The most significant impact is credibility and validation. Being vetted and backed by a prestigious Horizon Europe initiative like HARD2SCALE serves as a stamp of approval. It significantly lowers the perceived risk for conservative corporate buyers when dealing with a startup, accelerating trust and shortening our B2B sales cycles.

9. At this stage of the programme, which elements have been the most useful so far, and why?

At this stage, drafting the concept notes tailored for major players in the shipyard and maritime industries has been invaluable. Because our cobot welding technology is currently at TRL 6 (Technology Readiness Level 6), capturing direct feedback from these heavy industries provides us with the precise insights needed to fine-tune our product to their specific environmental constraints. Concurrently, strengthening our relationships with deep-tech investors through the programme is essential, as it prepares the ground and secures the capital required for our upcoming scaling phase.

For Aperion Robotics, HARD2SCALE has done more than open doors across Europe’s heavy industries — it has reshaped how the company tells its story. By reframing its no-CAD, no-fixture welding system as a sustainable digital transition solution rather than a simple automation tool, and by earning the credibility of a Horizon Europe initiative, the company has lowered the perceived risk for conservative industrial buyers and moved closer to its first real-world pilots. With a clearer beachhead market, warm access to French and Finnish industrial players and growing investor relationships, Aperion is well placed to move its cobot welding technology out of the laboratory and into the shipyards and factories it was built for.