Polish innovation at Expo – ASTOR and Kawasaki sign agreement on the development of the Astorino educational robot

At the World Expo in Osaka, Polish innovation is being prominently showcased. Collaboration with the Polish Investment and Trade Agency (PAIH) at Expo 2025 has strengthened the international profile of the Cracow-based company ASTOR and helped reinforce strategic relationships with global partners.

The Polish-Japanese Investment Forum was one of the most important economic events accompanying Poland’s presence at the World Expo 2025. With organizational support from PAIH, the Memorandum of Understanding signed on September 30 between ASTOR and Kawasaki gained additional significance and economic context. This marks the next stage in strengthening relations, combining Polish technological creativity with Japanese engineering precision.

“The signing of this agreement is significant for the overall cooperation between Poland and Japan. It is a positive indicator for further collaboration between our countries. They are connected by more than business – a shared commitment to quality, reliability, and innovation. ‘Just in time,’ ‘kaizen’ – these philosophies also inspire the Polish economy. Today, Poland is among the world’s 20 largest economies. It is a good moment to invest together with Japan in energy, semiconductors, defense, and space technologies. In uncertain times, our cooperation represents not only economic growth but also stability and security,” emphasizes Michał Jaros, Secretary of State at the Ministry of Development and Technology, who attended the signing of the document alongside Jacek Tomczak – Commissioner General of the Polish Section at Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai, and Łukasz Gwiazdowski – Deputy Chairman of the Board of Polish Trade and Investment Agency.

The collaboration between ASTOR and Kawasaki Robotics, part of the global Kawasaki Heavy Industries group, has been ongoing since 2007. For over a decade, ASTOR has benefited from the experience of its Japanese partner, developing expertise in automation and robotics.

“For 18 years, we have been learning robotics from Kawasaki. Today, thanks to the Astorino robot, we are able to share Polish ingenuity with Japan. This is a great source of pride for us and a testament to the trust we have steadily built over the years,” says Andrzej Garbacki, Vice President of ASTOR.

Astorino is a six-axis educational robot that uses 3D printing technology with a special carbon fiber filament, allowing users to print replacement parts using STL files in case components are damaged. It also supports programming in the AS language – the same language used in Kawasaki robots.

The robot was developed by the ASTOR team under the leadership of Marek Niewiadomski, a designer and R&D expert. Today, Astorino supports the educational process in Polish technical schools and universities, enabling students to acquire practical skills and prepare for the workforce. Thanks to the collaboration with Kawasaki, the robot has the potential to enter international markets, including Japan. The joint efforts of both companies focus on preparing future engineers to work with industrial robots, aligning with their mission to promote robotics and new technologies.

“We have long-standing relations with ASTOR. Europe and Japan are currently facing common demographic challenges: declining birth rates and aging populations. One of our most important tasks is educating a new generation of robotics engineers. ASTOR has already established a strong position in this field in Poland, and we see great potential to develop this initiative in Japan as well,” says Kenji Bando, Executive Officer and General Manager of the Robot Business Division at Precision Machinery & Robot Company, Kawasaki Robotics.

Fot.: A. Stykowski / PAIH