*Idealworks, Jungheinrich, Libiao Robotics, Nomagic, The Mobile Robot Company, and Wiltsche Fördersysteme win IFOY AWARD 2026 trophies. Germany-based Pyck has been named IFOY Start-up of the Year 2026
The awards ceremony, attended by guests from industry, academia, politics, and the media, was hosted by IFOY event partner AEB at its corporate headquarters in Stuttgart, Germany.
The best innovations in intralogistics have been selected: In Stuttgart, the winners of the IFOY AWARD 2026 from five countries were honoured.
A first in the 14-year history of the international innovation award occurred in the Robot Warehouse System category, where a tie in the jury voting resulted in a shared victory for Libiao Robotics and Nomagic. Additional awards were presented to Idealworks, Jungheinrich, The Mobile Robot Company, and Wiltsche Fördersysteme. Germany-based Pyck was named IFOY Start-up of the Year 2026. The award ceremony was hosted by IFOY event partner AEB.
Adding to the excitement and the signature IFOY atmosphere, the winners were revealed only during the live ceremony. The International Intralogistics and Forklift Truck of the Year (IFOY) AWARD is regarded as one of the world’s leading technology awards in intralogistics. A total of 49 products and solutions were entered into the competition. Seventeen products and solutions qualified for the finals and underwent the multi-stage IFOY Audit during TEST CAMP INTRALOGISTICS in April.
“Artificial intelligence is the defining technology of our time, and it was the dominant theme of this year’s IFOY AWARD competition. During the audit process, the finalists demonstrated impressively what can already be achieved in real-world operations using AI. The final decision was a nail-biter, full of surprises, in an exceptionally strong field of competitors,” said Anita Würmser, Executive Chairperson of the IFOY Jury, in Stuttgart.
Jungheinrich claimed victory in the premier IFOY category, Integrated Customer Solutions, in a photo-finish decision. The Hamburg-based intralogistics specialist impressed the jury with an AI-powered warehouse management solution developed for Liebherr’s new central spare parts distribution center in Ehingen, Germany.
The system orchestrates all warehouse and shipping processes on a single platform – from the high-bay pallet warehouse with 18,000 storage locations and the shuttle system for small parts with 40,000 tote locations to nine manual storage areas. Using self-learning algorithms, the solution determines the optimal timing for order picking and retrieval operations and dynamically adapts workflows to changing priorities and shipping windows. This ensures the reliable global supply of spare parts for cranes.
The jury particularly recognized the solution’s consistent use of artificial intelligence to automate decision-making rather than individual process steps. According to the jury, the project demonstrates impressively how data-driven control can increase the efficiency of complex logistics systems. Its high forecasting accuracy, significant reduction in manual intervention, and proven operational improvements make it an outstanding example of intelligent intralogistics.
The finalists in the Warehouse Robot Systems category delivered one of the closest contests in IFOY history. Following a tie in the jury voting (ex aequo), the IFOY AWARD was presented to two winners in the same category for the first time ever: China’s Libiao Robotics and Poland’s Nomagic.
Libiao Robotics impressed the jury with AirRob PRO, an innovative automation solution that combines robotics, conveying technology and storage into a single, easily deployable system. Equipped with a swivelling picking arm, the climbing warehouse robot can retrieve and place totes and cartons on both sides of a storage aisle, significantly increasing throughput and can be easily moved from dock door to dock door, significantly increasing throughput while virtually eliminating workplace injuries.
The jury particularly recognized the solution’s outstanding practical value. According to the jury, Destuff-it addresses one of the logistics industry’s most pressing challenges – the physical strain placed on employees. As a robust and cost-effective solution, the system bridges the gap between manual unloading processes and the fully automated solutions that are not yet available for this segment.
Four young companies with disruptive potential competed for the IFOY Spin-off Award Start-up of the Year. The winner was Pyck from Germany with its Open-Source Toolkit for Warehousing Software.
The Schwäbisch Hall-based start-up has developed a toolkit that uses artificial intelligence to model warehouse processes and automatically generate software from them. Unlike conventional warehouse management systems, Pyck does not impose predefined workflows. Instead, logistics experts can flexibly design, customize and expand processes, data models, and user interfaces themselves. Through its open-source approach, users also retain full control over their data and avoid dependency on individual software vendors.
The jury particularly recognized the solution’s revolutionary approach. According to the jury, Pyck offers a compelling alternative to traditional, often rigid WMS platforms and gives companies unprecedented freedom in designing and adapting their processes. Its exceptional flexibility, future-proof architecture and potential to fundamentally reshape the warehouse management software market ultimately secured the victory.