Fueling humanity with AI robotics

Founded in 2021 by serial entrepreneur Nikolas Bullwinkel, Circus SE set out to rethink how food is prepared and served. Our mission: to simplify complex kitchen operations through intelligent technology and bring lasting change to the food service industry.

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What started with a bold idea quickly turned into hands-on testing in real kitchen environments — always guided by our mission to build intelligent systems that make complex operations radically simpler.

Inspired by insights from Flink’s high-frequency operations and our hands-on experience in the food service industry, we began developing the first version of our CircusOS in 2021. Designed specifically to handle the complexity of modern kitchen workflows, the OS laid the foundation for intelligent process coordination, automation, and real-time kitchen orchestration.

After years of intensive research and development by the Aitme team, the first prototype of a fully autonomous cooking robot was brought to life — capable of preparing fresh meals on demand, with consistent quality and highest food safety standards. This breakthrough marked a new era in food robotics and laid the technological foundation for what would later become the CA-1.

Following the acquisition of Berlin-based robotics startup Aitme, we merged our intelligent kitchen infrastructure with Aitme’s robotics expertise. This enabled the launch of the first CA-1 prototypes in real-world environments, where firsthand operational data and user feedback fueled continuous product development.

After the successful launch of our first CA-1 prototypes, we entered a crucial phase of continuous testing and refinement. Real-world operations now serve as the foundation for improving performance, reliability, and user experience. Every insight from day-to-day usage feeds directly into product development, helping us optimize the system for large-scale deployment.

In January 2024, we went public through our IPO—marking a major step forward in accelerating our mission to transform food service through robotics, software, and AI at scale.

In 2024, we signed a manufacturing agreement with Celestica - a leading high-tech manufacturer with production sites in Europe, the US, and China. Enabling a rapid rollout and scalable operations. Celestica is trusted by global leaders such as Boeing, Nissan, Dell, IBM and Oracle.

With the acquisition of agentic AI startup Fully AI, we infuse intelligence into every layer of the Circus system—from guest interactions to operational workflows—enabling smarter, faster, and more personal experiences throughout.

We are aiming to ramping up mass production and scaling deployments across sectors such as defense, healthcare, mobility, and retail. Our focus is on continuously enhancing system capabilities while expanding internationally across North America, Europe, and Asia-Pacific.