The second half of the industrial year isn’t slowing— it’s shifting gears. Robotics is moving from pilots to production, AI is embedding into daily operations, and industrial leaders face decisions they can no longer postpone.
By 2030, digital and connected technologies are expected to generate $5.5–$12.6 trillion in new value, driven by adoption in factories, supply chains, and healthcare (McKinsey, 2025). The question: who will capture it?
In a recent conversation with Frost & Sullivan, Momenta Founder Ken Forster explored the transformations redefining Europe’s industrial future. The discussion touched on where innovation is accelerating the fastest, which technologies leaders continue to underestimate, and how the shift from Industry 4.0 to 5.0 will unfold.
For executives, investors, and innovators, the signals are clear:
Europe’s Strategic Role: A powerhouse in industrial revenues but challenged in scaling globally.
Industrial AI’s Edge: Still overlooked, yet already driving resilience, efficiency, and sustainability.
Future-Proof Startups: AI ventures with deep industry expertise (like Edge Impulse, Composabl, and Luffy AI) stand to endure beyond the hype.
Industry 5.0 Horizon: Human-centric, sustainable innovation is advancing from concept to reality.
👉 Download the full interview here.
Cobots Gain Ground (FT) – Now 11% of new robot installs, growing >30% annually.
China Targets Mid-Market (Reuters) – ABB’s quick-setup, voice-controlled robots open automation to mid-sized firms.
AI Scales Custom Manufacturing (IBD) – Xometry’s 166% surge shows AI marketplaces turning bespoke into scalable.
Portfolio in Action – NODE Robotics partners with Advantech (a Momenta LP) to advance AMR innovation.
So what?
The market is shifting from pilot hype to measurable impact—and it’s also visible across Momenta’s portfolio.
AICA SA Modular, drag-and-drop robot programming that enables sensor-driven, reactive behaviours. 👉 Watch the AICAdemy webinar
Fleet Space accelerates mineral discovery with quantum sensing + AI (mDetect, Nomad Atomics, DeteQt) while lowering environmental impact.
HighByte introduces Intelligence Hub 4.2 with MCP server + agentic AI; native hooks to Amazon Bedrock, Azure OpenAI, Google Gemini, OpenTelemetry, and Git.
Litmus delivers next-gen edge AI: real-time analysis, GPU-accelerated reasoning, and on-prem LLMs (Phi, Llama) inside Litmus Edge.
NODE Robotics enables faster, simpler AMR deployments via NODE.OS + Advantech controllers (Intel Core Ultra, NVIDIA AGX), setting a new benchmark for scalability.
Advantech MIC-742-AT Jetson Thor Robotics Dev Kit with built-in Holoscan, delivering powerful edge-AI for next-gen robotics.
Nippon Steel completes $14.9B acquisition of U.S. Steel; $11B earmarked for U.S. investments through 2028.
Rockwell Automation 61% of manufacturing cybersecurity professionals plan to adopt AI/ML security next year; cyber risk is now a board-level concern. 👉 Download the Rockwell Report
Semtech 4th-gen LoRa® showcased at IOTSWC 2025, enabling faster, more flexible long-range IoT.
Unlike traditional consultancies, Momenta’s Advisory practice is led by practitioners who have built and scaled digital businesses themselves. We don’t just advise, we embed with senior leaders to shape strategy, drive M&A, and execute effectively.
📺 Watch our Telematics Webinar to see how these shifts are playing out in real time.
Top 10 Global VC (PitchBook), two years running. Proof that focus, discipline, and vision deliver results—and why we’ll keep backing the innovators defining the future of industry. 👉Read more
TOP 100 Swiss Startup Award 2025 - September 3, Zürich
Deloitte Smart Manufacturing & Operations Forum 2025 -September 3–4, Deloitte University in Westlake, Texas.
The Things Conference 2025 - September 23–24, Amsterdam
Pack Expo 2025 - September 29–October 1, Las Vegas.
Noise is easy. Insight is rare. Each of these sources offers sharp takes on innovation, industry, and strategy. Whether you’re a founder, investor, or industrial leader, they’re must-reads (and listens) to stay ahead.
Looking Ahead, we’ll be back in October tracking the signals that matter most — what’s gaining momentum, what’s fading, and what’s next.
📬 Stay Ahead: Subscribe to get future editions direct to your inbox.
Let’s talk — our Venture and Advisory leaders are ready to help you shape what’s next.
Momenta is the leading Industrial Impact® venture capital firm, accelerating industrial innovators across energy, manufacturing, smart spaces, and the supply chain. Our team of deep industry operators has helped scale industry leaders and innovators to improve critical industries, the environment, and people's quality of life for over a decade. PitchBook recognized Momenta as a Top VC Fund Manager from 2023 through 2026 in its Global Manager Performance Score League Tables. For more information, please visit http://www.momenta.vc
Schedule a call to learn more about our Industrial Impact investments.