Czech Startup Lets Factory Workers Train Robots in Minutes

Teaching a robot to spray paint metal parts now takes about a minute instead of hours of complex programming, and factory workers with zero coding experience are doing it themselves.

Prague-based startup RoboTwin has cracked a problem that kept automation out of reach for countless small manufacturers. Their handheld device captures a worker's movements as they perform a task once, then instantly converts those motions into instructions any industrial robot can follow.

"The robot basically copies the human demonstration," said Megi Mejdrechová, RoboTwin's co-founder and chief technology officer. "People with no coding skills can transfer their know-how and experience to robots."

The technology launched in 2021 after Mejdrechová, a mechanical engineer from Czech Technical University in Prague, noticed a gap in European manufacturing. Large automotive companies already deploy thousands of robots annually, but smaller businesses couldn't justify the cost or complexity of traditional robot programming.

RoboTwin focused first on the jobs people least want to do: spray painting, powder coating, and polishing tasks that require protective gear and repetitive movements. These industries face serious worker shortages because the jobs are physically demanding and unhealthy.

The system works with various industrial robots, including collaborative models designed to safely work alongside humans. Sensors tell the robots when to stop if a person gets too close, making the technology practical even in tight factory spaces.

The Ripple Effect

The impact reaches beyond individual factories. Small manufacturers across Central Europe, the Netherlands, Mexico, and Canada are now automating production for the first time. Companies producing small batches or frequently changing products can finally justify automation because creating new robot programs takes minutes instead of days.

RobPainting, a Dutch company serving small manufacturers, uses RoboTwin to teach robots precise painting trajectories for each unique product. The speed means production lines rarely need to shut down for reprogramming.

Mejdrechová's work earned recognition on Forbes Czechia's 30 Under 30 list in 2025. She received backing from Women TechEU, an EU program supporting women founders of deep-tech startups, which helped RoboTwin showcase their technology at Hannover Messe 2025, a major global manufacturing trade fair.

The company has partnered with surface treatment specialists including Surfin Technology in the Czech Republic, bringing automation to shops that handle coating and finishing work for car factories and other industries.

"Even if the batch of products you are producing is small, with our approach you can create a robot programme fast and easily," Mejdrechová said. For workers who once spent their days in protective suits breathing paint fumes, the robots now handle the hazardous work while humans focus on supervision and quality control.

Factory floors are getting safer one demonstration at a time.