Birmingham has won the bid to host the 18th edition of the European Robotics Forum (ERF) in 2027.
The robotics community in Europe has more than 1,500 international engineers, researchers, investors, entrepreneurs and policy makers expected to attend the event.
The ICC Birmingham, part of the NEC Group will host the event from 1-5 March 2027.
The Forum is estimated to be worth £1.55m for Birmingham and the wider West Midlands’ visitor economy, with the city beating European destinations including Belgrade, Brussels, Tallinn and Zurich for the right to host the event.
The Birmingham bid was won by leading ambassadors in the region from the Manufacturing Technology Centre (MTC) in Coventry and the University of Birmingham, with the support of the Birmingham and West Midlands Convention Bureau, part of the West Midlands Growth Company, and the ICC Birmingham.
The bid attracted more than 50 letters of support, including from the Minister of State for Science, Research and Innovation Lord Patrick Vallance, Birmingham City Council and the West Midlands Combined Authority.
The event started in San Sebastián, Spain in 2010, and was established by the euRobotics association. Recent editions have taken place in Odense, Denmark (2023), Rimini, Italy (2024) and Stuttgart, Germany (2025). It has grown into a major annual forum, with the aim to strengthen Europe’s competitiveness in the field of robotics.
Cllr Sharon Thompson, deputy leader at Birmingham City Council, said: “Welcoming over 1,500 global leaders in robotics is not only a huge boost for our visitor economy, but also a fantastic opportunity to showcase the West Midlands as a powerhouse for advanced manufacturing and cutting-edge technology.”
