Nimrod Malinas: From Dreams to Robots Changing the World

Discover the story of Nimrod Malinas, an entrepreneur from Târgu Mureș leading Robonnement AG and revolutionizing the robotics industry and robotized coffee shops.

Nimrod Malinas, Founder and CEO of Robonnement AG, is an entrepreneur originally from Târgu Mureș, now based in Switzerland, who transformed a traditional paint accessories company into an international robotics scale-up, recognized with awards such as the Swiss Digital Economy Award and Forbes 30 Under 30. Today, he leads a team of over 40 people and coordinates the implementation of more than 150 robots in Switzerland and Germany, with the mission of democratizing access to technology through a Robotics-as-a-Service model and protecting people from dangerous and repetitive work. In parallel, he is preparing the launch in Romania of the first fully robotized coffee shop chain – YAM (You Are More) – where customers not only enjoy coffee served by robots but can also become co-owners of the robots through an app, earning money from their work.

C&B: How would you describe yourself in a single sentence that would spark curiosity among those who don’t know you yet?
Nimrod Malinas: I am an entrepreneur from Târgu Mureș who started from scratch abroad and who now leads an international robotics company, with the vision that robots should work for people, while people have the freedom to create, to dream, and even to earn money from the work of robots.
If I were to add a more personal note: I experienced financial hardship firsthand and had to work on construction sites to support myself. That experience motivated me to build a different future—one where hard, repetitive work is taken over by robots and people have the chance to use their time and talent in more valuable ways.

C&B: If we were to look at the narrative of your career or business, what were the key moments that defined you?
Nimrod Malinas: There are many key moments, but I would mention four.
The first important moment was leaving Romania. I left behind everything familiar and arrived in Switzerland with very few resources but with a clear desire to work and build something new.
The second moment was when I managed to buy a Swiss company with nearly a century of history, even though I had no capital of my own. It was a trial that pushed me beyond all limits but laid the foundation for what was to come.
The third moment was when I began bringing robots into the painting industry. It was a traditional industry where change seemed almost unimaginable, but technology gave it a new direction.
The fourth moment was being recognized in Forbes 30 Under 30. It meant a lot to me, to the team, and to those who stood by me, as validation that our work had meaning and impact.

C&B: What has been the most difficult moment in your journey so far, and how did you overcome it?
Nimrod Malinas: The hardest moment was when the company was going through enormous financial difficulties, and it seemed like we wouldn’t survive. Everything I had built was at risk of collapsing, and I could see no solution. It was a daily struggle between the fear of losing everything and the desire to keep going. During that period, I felt a deep loneliness, as if I were standing alone against an unbreakable wall.
I managed to overcome it through faith. I realized that sometimes I don’t need to have all the answers and that there is a plan greater than mine. I started to take each day as just one small step to make, without needing to see the entire road ahead. And I had a few people by my side who chose to believe in me exactly when I was doubting myself.
Looking back today, I see that moment taught me not to define myself by immediate results, but by the belief that everything happens for a purpose.

C&B: Is there a dream or ambition that has always guided you, regardless of obstacles?
Nimrod Malinas: Yes, I’ve always had a dream guiding me: to build something with global impact that changes people’s lives. I’ve always felt that work should not be a sentence to repetition and exhaustion, but a source of freedom. I chose to work with robots not for the technology itself, but because I see them as tools capable of giving people more time, more safety, and a different life.

C&B: What did you look like at the beginning of your journey, and how do you feel you’ve transformed until now?
Nimrod Malinas: At the beginning, I was a young man with no experience, no capital, and no guarantees. I started with empty hands but with the will to succeed and a dream that seemed too big for me. I was full of courage but also fear, and many times I felt alone in front of challenges that seemed impossible.
Today, I feel I’ve transformed not only as an entrepreneur but also as a person. I’ve learned to build teams, to listen more, to be patient, and to accept that I cannot control everything. I’ve matured through hardships, failures, and moments when I almost gave up. But I’ve kept the same fire from the beginning: the belief that it’s worth dreaming and working for something bigger than yourself.

C&B: If we met your team or collaborators, what do you think they would say about you?
Nimrod Malinas: I think they would say I’m someone who dreams big and pushes others to believe that the impossible can be achieved. They’d probably say I sometimes have high expectations and can be hard to please, but also that I inspire them to do things they might not have thought possible.
They might also say I’m restless and rarely stop, but that beyond the intense pace, I know how to be present for people and give them confidence when they need it most. Essentially, I think they would say I’m a leader who demands a lot but also gives just as much: vision, energy, and the belief that together we can build something truly great.

C&B: What is the most important decision you’ve made that changed your trajectory?
Nimrod Malinas: The most important decision was to risk everything to build Robonnement and to choose a different business model, based on monthly subscriptions for robots. The second major decision was to launch the YAM – You Are More project, a very bold project here in Romania, not in Switzerland.

C&B: How did you develop your leadership style or decision-making approach?
Nimrod Malinas: My leadership style was built from mistakes, from trials, and from a lot of learning along the way. At first, I made decisions only with my heart, based on intuition and the desire to move fast. Some were inspired, others were very costly.
Over time, I learned to combine intuition with reason. I started listening more to those around me, weighing long-term impact, and seeking balance between vision and reality. For me, leadership is not just about showing the way, but about making others believe in it and see themselves in the story.
Today, I make decisions more carefully, but I haven’t lost the courage to take risks. I think that defines me: a leader who listens, but who isn’t afraid to step forward when others hesitate.

C&B: What do you think sets your business apart from the rest of the industry?
Nimrod Malinas: What sets us apart is that we don’t see robots merely as machines, but as a resource that can be shared and accessible to everyone. While the industry focuses on selling expensive robots to large corporations, we created a model where SMEs and even ordinary people can benefit from technology.
We transformed robots from a hard-to-reach product into an accessible service, through subscriptions, and we opened the door to digital co-ownership with projects like YAM – You Are More. That’s the difference: the democratization of technology. Not just industrial efficiency, but freedom for people—the chance to own a part of the future.

C&B: What does a typical day look like for you now, and what moments bring you the most satisfaction?
Nimrod Malinas: A typical day for me starts early, with an hour of quiet time where I organize my thoughts and set my priorities. Then follows a series of meetings, decisions, and discussions with the team, investors, or partners. They’re intense days, shifting from operations to strategy, from vision to technical details.
But the greatest satisfaction doesn’t come from ticking off tasks. It comes from moments where I see the real impact of our work: a robot installed at a client’s site that changes the way they work, a team growing and learning together, or a message from someone telling me they were inspired by my story. In those moments, I realize that the journey, with all its sacrifices, is worth it.

C&B: What values or principles guide you in what you do, and how do you apply them day by day?
Nimrod Malinas: The values that guide me are faith, courage, and responsibility. Faith gives me the strength to move forward even when I don’t see the solution. Courage makes me choose paths that seem impossible and take risks where others hesitate. And responsibility keeps me grounded: toward my team, my clients, and my family.
Day by day, this translates into simple things: being present for the people around me, not avoiding tough decisions, keeping my word, and working with integrity. I may not always succeed perfectly, but I always return to these principles as a compass that keeps me on track.

C&B: How did you come up with the idea to start this business and give it this name?
Nimrod Malinas: The idea came from a real need I saw in the industry. The company I took over produced painting equipment, and I immediately noticed the lack of labor and the fact that people were avoiding hard, dangerous work. That’s when I thought: “Why not solve this with robots?” That’s how it all started—from a simple question with huge potential.
The name Robonnement comes from a combination of “robot” and “abonnement” (subscription in French). It says exactly what we do: we make robots available to people through an accessible subscription model. Behind the name lies our entire philosophy—that robots should not be the privilege of a few big corporations, but a resource anyone can use.

C&B: If you were to send a message to people following your example, what would it be?
Nimrod Malinas: I would tell them not to be stopped by the idea that they don’t have everything they need to succeed. I started without money, without a diploma, and without guarantees, but with the belief that my dream was worth trying. The truth is that nobody has all the perfect conditions at the beginning. What matters is to take the first step and not give up when it gets hard.
And one more thing: have the courage to dream bigger than seems reasonable. Sometimes it’s precisely those “outrageously big” dreams that light the path and inspire others as well.

Nimrod Malinas is an example of an entrepreneur who turned challenges into opportunities and truly believes in the power of technology to free people from repetitive work.