By Leo Marchandon

May 6 (Reuters) - Genesis AI, a French robotics startup backed by former Google CEO Eric Schmidt and telecoms tycoon Xavier Niel, on Wednesday unveiled an AI model designed to make robots more adaptable, along with a human-like robotic hand.

Co-founded by former Mistral researcher Theophile Gervet, the company said its GENE-26.5 model can run a range of robots, including those made by other companies. It is in advanced talks with potential customers in France, Germany and Italy.

The launch - alongside the robotic hand capable of tasks such as chopping tomatoes and solving a Rubik's Cube - comes as Europe pushes to reindustrialise and cut reliance on Asian manufacturing.

Demand for industrial robotics is also rising. Germany's Schaeffler SHA0n.DE said this week it expects its robotics order book to reach hundreds of millions of euros by 2030.

Founded in early 2025, Genesis AI raised $105 million in an initial funding round, one of France's largest and matching the record seed round of Mistral AI - Europe's leading AI company. Backers also include state investment bank Bpifrance.

EUROPE FOCUS

Gervet told Reuters the company was prioritising Europe.

"There were two big reasons. The first one was the talent base," he said. "The second reason was the industrial base as a market for us."

Genesis is targeting sectors such as automotive, electronics, pharmaceuticals and logistics, where conventional robots struggle with delicate or variable tasks such as wire harnessing, which involves bundling and taping cables.

The company said it is signing customers but declined to name them. Engagements will typically run three to five years, depending on client needs, said Vivian Sun, vice president of commercial and strategy.

It is also working with partners to build robotics datasets, including collecting real-world data from tens of thousands of industrial workers using sensor-equipped gloves.

HUMAN-LIKE HAND

Genesis' robotic hand is designed to more closely mirror human anatomy than standard grippers, enabling more direct transfer of human motion to machines.

In a video seen by Reuters, the robot cut tomatoes, cracked eggs, solved a Rubik's Cube and played the piano.

The launch puts Genesis in competition with China's Linkerbot, which Reuters reported is targeting a $6 billion valuation as demand grows for highly dexterous robotic hands.

Both companies are developing hardware to enable more human-like manipulation in industrial settings.

Genesis said it expects to raise more capital but that a public listing remains premature.