Global industrial robotics installations are forecast to surpass 700,000 units in 2028 – representing a compound annual growth rate of about 7% (CAGR, 2025-2028). On their way to strengthen competitiveness, companies actively set up strategies to benefit from female participation. Success stories from the Americas, Asia and Europe show how women contribute to the development of next-generation robotic systems. To give women in the industry more visibility and acknowledgment, the International Federation of Robotics awarded 11 women shaping the future of robotics in 2026.
“Women are critical contributors in the fast‑growing field of robotics,” says Dr. Susanne Bieller, General Secretary of the International Federation of Robotics. “This is clearly illustrated by diverse teams developing unbiased AI technology and next-generation robotics systems. These projects aim to open up new sectors for automation, not only in traditional manufacturing settings, but also in healthcare and elderly care, or in consumer markets.”
Closing the gap
The Global Gender Gap Report 2025 by the World Economic Forum showed that more and more women have entered the labor market around the world: Today, over 40% of the global workforce are women. However, the proportion of women in the workforce varies greatly by industry. While the rate of female participation in consumer services, education and care services exceeds 50%, manufacturing does not even rank among the top ten industries, with participation by women amounting to less than 35%. This result corresponds with the fact that less than 30% of women work within science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM).
Ensuring women contribute to the development of robotics is key to building future-ready industries: This is demonstrated by the success stories of IFR's 11 Women Shaping the Future of Robotics in 2026.
This year's awardees are in alphabetical order:
- Younseal Eum – AeiROBOT, South Korea
- Stefania Ferrero – Comau, Italy
- Christina Jørgensen – Universal Robots, Denmark
- Allison Krumpe – HealthTech Partners Global, USA
- Henrike Neulen – Intrinsic, Germany
- Asami Sasao – Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Japan
- Kristina Schunk – Schunk, Germany
- Mikell Taylor – General Motors, USA
- Susanne Timsjö – ABB Robotics, Sweden
- Prof. Rong Xiong – IPLUSMOBOT/ Zhejiang University, China
- Dana Whalls – Association for Advancing Automation (A3), U
