Enchanted Tools

About Enchanted Tools

Enchanted Tools is a French robotics company founded in 2021 developing humanoid robots for service and logistics applications in social environments like healthcare and hospitality. The company was established by Jérôme Monceaux, co-creator of the well-known Nao and Pepper robots, and Samuel Benveniste, a PhD in science and former director at a national center for cognitive stimulation. Monceaux's background includes co-founding Aldebaran, which was later acquired by SoftBank, and his experience in creating interactive humanoid robots is a core element of Enchanted Tools' mission.

The Paris-based startup raised a significant seed round of €15 million ($17 million) upon its creation, which was noted as the largest in French robotics history. This funding was aimed at producing a functional prototype within a year. The company is part of the French Tech 2030 program and has been awarded the Deeptech label by BPI, with stated ambitions to produce 100,000 robots within 10 years.

Enchanted Tools' flagship products are the Miroki and Mirokaï robot characters, designed to blend advanced robotics with an engaging, character-driven approach inspired by animation. The robots are designed to be approachable, with expressive, animated faces and a unique backstory to foster user acceptance and interaction. A key technical innovation is their mobility system, which is based on a rolling globe or ball-bot, allowing for smooth, omnidirectional movement. The robots feature a humanoid torso with two arms capable of manipulating objects, claiming a 97% grasping success rate with specially designed handles. They utilize multiple AI systems for autonomous navigation, interaction with untrained users, and performing logistical tasks. The robots are designed to assist with repetitive tasks and carry loads up to 3 kg.

The company's business model is focused on deploying these robots in B2B environments such as hospitals, elder-care facilities, hotels, and airports to assist staff with logistical and service tasks. Partnerships have been established with institutions like the AP-HP Broca hospital in Paris for testing in real-world geriatric care settings. The first robot was delivered to the ISIR (Institut des Systèmes Intelligents et de Robotique) for research purposes, marking a key milestone for the company. Enchanted Tools operates on an early access program for researchers and partners, with plans for a full commercial launch and serial production starting in 2025.