Circus Reports Strong Q1 2026 Operational Progress, Accelerates Defence Growth and Expands Product Portfolio

MUNICH--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Circus SE (ISIN: DE000A2YN355 / XETRA: CA1), a global AI-robotics company developing autonomous sustainment systems, published key highlights from its Q1 Quarterly Operational Update Call, outlining significant progress across deployments, production scaling, AI capabilities, and defense sector expansion.

Strong Q1 Momentum Driven by Deployments and Operational Data

Circus delivered its strongest quarter to date, driven by the transition from R&D to serial deployments of the fourth generation CA-1 AI robot. The Company successfully deployed its autonomous systems across multiple customer sites, raising system uptime from approximately 70% at the start of the quarter to over 90% by April.

The Company is on track for deployments in Q1 and is currently counting a fleet of 17 AI-powered robotic systems deployed or in active integration, with deployments expanding across defense, retail, and enterprise environments.

Operational efficiency increased significantly, with average daily human handling time reduced to approximately 90 minutes per system to serve hundreds of meals – already leading to significant labor savings for B2B clients.

Expansion into Defense Sector Accelerates Growth

Circus continued to build strong momentum in the defense sector. During Q1, the Company successfully integrated its technology with the German Armed Forces – its first deployment at a secured military site – and secured additional contracts, including a newly awarded tender with the Lithuanian Armed Forces.

The Company is currently in active negotiations with more than ten NATO member states and is in the integration process for deployments to supply Ukrainian soldiers. Demand in the defense segment is developing faster than anticipated and is expected to contribute a fast-growing share of revenue in 2026 and beyond.

AI Platform and Product Innovation Drive Competitive Advantage

Key advancements in Circus’ proprietary AI solutions included ‘proprietary visual intelligence AI models trained on over 45,000 hours of operational data, AI-driven operator guidance systems, and expanded technological collaboration with Meta as part of the evolution of its proprietary AI-software into a scalable platform with API integrations across enterprise systems.

Strategic Portfolio Expansion Through Acquisition of Alberts

Circus announced the acquisition of Belgian food-robotics company Alberts, adding a compact autonomous robotic system to its product portfolio. The acquisition strengthens Circus’ strategy to build a diversified “house of sustainment autonomy,” complementing its flagship CA-1 system and defense-focused CA-M robot.

Alberts operates its technology across six countries for customers including Danone, Decathlon, or Sodexo. The acquisition will contribute directly to group revenues already in the current financial year.

Production Scaling and Industrialization Progress

In partnership with Celestica, Circus increased production space by 60% in Q1 and reduced manufacturing CA-1 cycle time from eight weeks to approximately four weeks, with further reductions expected.

The Company is targeting 1,000 units of annual production capacity at its current facility through process optimization and multi-shift operations, without significant additional capital expenditure for infrastructure.

Commercial Acceleration Through Financing and Leasing Models

Circus successfully implemented leasing structures with leading financial partners, reducing customer upfront investment and accelerating sales cycles by up to 70%. In addition, the Company placed a first bond together with FINEXITY AG (XETRA: FXT) and signed an additional agreement for the structuring and placement of further capital markets financings for AI robotics with a total volume of up to EUR 50 million.

Outlook

Circus expects continued acceleration in system deployments throughout 2026, supported by improved system reliability, expanding production capacity, and strong demand across both commercial and defense sectors. The Company remains focused on scaling its global autonomous sustainment systems and growing recurring revenue streams from software, AI, and supply chain integration.

The Company will host its next Quarterly Operational Update on July 16, 2026 at 4:00 PM CEST via the Airtime platform, details here:

https://www.circus-group.com/quarterly-update

About Circus SE

Circus (XETRA: CA1) is a global AI and robotics company developing autonomous sustainment systems for food supply in both civilian and defense sectors. Powered by proprietary AI robotics, Circus delivers industrial-scale, high-reliability meal output with minimal human input. Headquartered in Munich, the company is building the global infrastructure for autonomous food supply – on a mission to fuel humanity.