ETH Robotics Club
The ETH Robotics Club is a student association at ETH Zurich, founded in 2025, that aims to help the university's next generation of robotics talent reach its potential. It has grown to more than 350 members and calls itself Europe's fastest-growing robotics community. Members work on flagship projects in humanoid robotics, autonomous drone racing and dexterous manipulation, and the club also runs public events such as a humanoid robot boxing match. Its best-known project is XALUN, presented in September 2026 as Switzerland's first humanoid robot and the first built entirely in Switzerland. Club president Declan Shine has said he wants XALUN to become a lighter, friendlier and softer home robot than rival humanoids, and the team has discussed raising money to take the work further. The club lists OpenAI as a partner and is advised by ETH professors including Marco Hutter and Raffaello D'Andrea. Because it is a student club, XALUN is a research and education project rather than a product on sale.
💡Notable Achievement: Presented XALUN in September 2026 as Switzerland's first humanoid robot, built entirely in Switzerland by students.
What Does ETH Robotics Club Do?
The ETH Robotics Club is a 350-plus member student association at ETH Zurich that built XALUN, billed as Switzerland's first humanoid robot.
“Students building Switzerland's first humanoid.”
Flagship Projects
Humanoids, drone racing and dexterous hands.
XALUN
A lighter, friendlier home-robot concept.
ETH Ecosystem
Advised by leading ETH professors.
What Can ETH Robotics Club Robots Actually Do?
Cross-portfolio operational capabilities, manipulation tasks, and environmental competencies
Student research humanoid.
Humanoid Research
XALUN humanoid built entirely in Switzerland.
ETH Robotics Club Robots
Showing 1 Humanoid Robots of 1 total model
XALUN
Manufactured by ETH Robotics Club
XALUN is a humanoid robot built entirely by students of the ETH Robotics Club at ETH Zurich and billed as Switzerland's first humanoid and a '100% Swiss-made' one. Club president Declan Shine wants it to become a lighter, friendlier and squishier home robot than rival humanoids. It was reported by Sifted on September 14, 2026, when the team said it was looking to raise funding. ETH Robotics Club has not published specifications, pricing or a launch date, so most details on this page are estimates.
ETH Robotics Club Timeline & Milestones
Evolutionary history, landmark prototypes, major acquisitions, and commercial roadmap
ETH Robotics Club founded
Students at ETH Zurich found the ETH Robotics Club to support robotics talent through hands-on flagship projects.
Source: ethrobotics.ch
XALUN humanoid unveiled
The club presents XALUN, billed as Switzerland's first humanoid robot and the first built entirely in Switzerland.
Source: sifted.eu
ETH Robotics Club Competitors by Category
Direct industry rivals grouped by specific robotics domain
What Makes ETH Robotics Club Different?
Editorial AnalysisOrigin of Bots objective strategic assessment, engineering moats, and commercial hurdles
Key Strengths & Moats
- ✓Access to ETH Zurich talent and advisors.
- ✓Fast-growing community with OpenAI as a partner.
Core Strategic Focus
Education and research humanoid.
Road Ahead & Challenges
- •Student project, not a company.
- •No commercial product or pricing.
- •Volunteer team turnover.
ETH Robotics Club vs Key Competitors
Strategic capability matrix across platform categories, commercial readiness, and target markets
Category / Focus
- XALUN
- Student-built humanoid
- Unitree G1
- Low-cost research humanoid
- Tiangong
- Open humanoid platform
- NEO Home Robot
- Home humanoid
Primary Use
- XALUN
- Home robot research
- Unitree G1
- High-speed bipedal running, 360° ground recovery
- Tiangong
- Electric bipedal running, blind slope traversal
- NEO Home Robot
- Household chores, object retrieval
Weight
- XALUN
- Approx. 30–50 kg
- Unitree G1
- 35 kg
- Tiangong
- 43 kg (95 lbs)
- NEO Home Robot
- 29.94 kg
Release Year
- XALUN
- 2026
- Unitree G1
- 2024
- Tiangong
- 2024 (Unveiled April 2024)
- NEO Home Robot
- 2025
| Strategic Dimension | XALUN | Unitree G1 | Tiangong | NEO Home Robot |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Category / Focus | Student-built humanoid | Low-cost research humanoid | Open humanoid platform | Home humanoid |
| Primary Use | Home robot research | High-speed bipedal running, 360° ground recovery | Electric bipedal running, blind slope traversal | Household chores, object retrieval |
| Weight | Approx. 30–50 kg | 35 kg | 43 kg (95 lbs) | 29.94 kg |
| Release Year | 2026 | 2024 | 2024 (Unveiled April 2024) | 2025 |
Corporate Ecosystem & Ownership Structure
Parent company relationships, historical acquisitions, and global operating facilities
ETH Zurich
The club is a student association at ETH Zurich.
Ownership & Acquisition History
The club is a student association at ETH Zurich.
Global Facilities & Operating Hubs
ETH Robotics Club Headquarters
HQZurich, Switzerland
Frequently Asked Questions
8 AnswersVerified answers, company specifications, and deployment details about ETH Robotics Club
What is the ETH Robotics Club?
The ETH Robotics Club is a student association at ETH Zurich, founded in 2025, with more than 350 members. It runs flagship projects in humanoid robots, autonomous drone racing and dexterous manipulation.
What is XALUN?
XALUN is a humanoid robot built by ETH Zurich students in the club. It was presented in September 2026 as Switzerland's first humanoid and the first one built entirely in Switzerland.
Who leads the ETH Robotics Club?
Declan Shine is the club's president. He has said he wants XALUN to be a lighter, friendlier and softer home robot than rival humanoids.
Can you buy XALUN?
No. XALUN is a student research and education project, not a commercial product. The club has discussed fundraising to develop it further, but no price or sales plan has been announced.
Who supports the ETH Robotics Club?
The club lists OpenAI as a partner and is advised by ETH Zurich professors, including legged-robotics expert Marco Hutter and drone pioneer Raffaello D'Andrea.
How large is the ETH Robotics Club?
The club says it has more than 350 members and describes itself as Europe's fastest-growing robotics community, drawing students from across ETH Zurich.
What else does the club work on?
Beyond the humanoid, members build autonomous racing drones and dexterous manipulation systems, and the club hosts events such as talks and a humanoid robot boxing match.
Why is ETH Zurich important in robotics?
ETH Zurich is one of Europe's leading robotics universities, and its labs have produced legged robots such as ANYmal and companies including ANYbotics, giving club members access to deep local expertise.
Verified Data & Editorial Assurance
Compiled from verified corporate filings, official ETH Robotics Club datasheets, and robotics engineering registries. Data is monitored and audited on an ongoing basis for accuracy. For commercial procurement or proprietary integrations, contact the manufacturer directly.