Welcome back to the EUVC Podcast.
Today Andreas is joined by Stefan Roebel, Co‑Founder & CEO of ARX Robotics — one of Europe’s fastest-rising defense tech startups.
From his 12 years in the German Armed Forces to leadership roles at Amazon, eBay, and Grover, Stefan has lived both sides: the military front line and the global business battlefield. Now, he’s combining that experience to tackle one of the most pressing challenges of our time: Europe’s ability to defend itself in a new era of war.
In this episode, Stefan shares ARX’s journey from DIY decoy robots to NATO-backed modular robotic systems already deployed in Ukraine. We dive deep into why Europe must break with its slow procurement culture, how startups can become the “new primes,” and what it really takes to build dual-use autonomy in a defense-first world.
Here’s what’s covered:
00:56 | From Afghanistan to Amazon to ARX Robotics: Stefan’s unlikely founder journey
02:30 | The broomstick that became a digital decoy — ARX’s origin story
06:34 | The first breakthrough: selling duct-taped prototypes that worked
08:30 | ARX’s modular robotics suite explained (500kg payload, autonomy, retrofits)
10:47 | Educating VCs: how defense tech went from “too weird” to oversubscribed
13:55 | Picking investors: big names vs true believers with military insight
16:53 | Real deployments in Ukraine: ammo supply & medevac in the kill zone
19:49 | Why Ukraine’s lessons are shaping Europe’s defense future
23:24 | The drone war changed everything: solving Europe’s “lack of mass”
27:31 | Will ARX become a “new prime”? Why incumbents can’t move fast enough
29:17 | Dual use beyond defense: disaster relief, critical infrastructure & NGOs
32:36 | AI in defense robotics: solving missions, not chasing the holy grail
35:21 | Hiring for defense: when military background matters (and when it doesn’t)
40:57 | Why Stefan is hopeful for Europe’s defense tech ecosystem
44:56 | Veterans, perception, and why “peace comes from strength”
Watch it here or add it to your episodes on Apple or Spotify 🎧. Chapters for easy navigation are available on the Spotify/Apple episode.
Insert spotify here✍️ Show Notes
From Broomsticks to NATO
ARX’s origin story is as wild as it is telling: a digital broomstick gun decoy evolved into a modular ground robotic system — now carrying 500kg payloads, supplying trenches, and medevacing the wounded.
Why Europe Can’t Wait
“If you tender everything up and wait for the prototype to be delivered, we are always late to the party.”
ARX argues for VC-backed, mission-first prototyping instead of Europe’s slow 5–10 year procurement cycles.
Solving the “Lack of Mass” Problem
Ukraine has shown that NATO’s traditional “few high-tech assets” approach won’t cut it.
ARX’s answer: lots of low-cost, mission-ready systems that can be lost without costing lives.
Becoming a “New Prime”
Old defense giants are locked into legacy procurement models. Stefan believes ARX and peers like Quantum & Stark can fill the gap in unmanned systems — not replacing primes, but adding crucial new capabilities.
Dual-Use Potential
Though defense-first, ARX’s tech could soon serve:
Disaster relief: robots delivering aid & medevac
Critical infrastructure: autonomous patrol & logistics
NGOs: mobile comms & casualty evacuation post-disaster
But for now:
“The innovation pain in defense is so high that it’s clearly a defense-first market.”
Why Military Background Matters
Customer-facing roles in ARX are filled by ex-service members.
“Military German is a completely different language. Soldiers will know immediately if you’ve served.”
For tech & operations, diversity is key — but speaking “military” is essential when selling to the armed forces.
Europe’s Moment
LP & VC acceptance of defense tech is finally rising
Growth funds dedicated to defense now emerging in Europe
Governments moving from dual-use only to defense direct
“Peace comes from a point of strength. Europe must build that muscle again.”
