For the past ten years, Pictet Asset Management’s Robotics Strategy has delivered impressive returns for investors looking to take advantage of the next technology revolution and the rise of intelligent machines. In a decade characterised by geopolitical frictions, trade wars and tariffs, global supply chains have been put under serious pressure. As a result, governments and companies are shifting production closer to home, fuelling demand for software solutions, automation equipment and industrial robots in factories.
When established in 2015, robotics was a new theme in the market positioned to leverage macro trends, such as demographic challenges prompted by an ageing population and falling productivity rates which began to generate demand for automation. It was driven by the need to boost productivity, mobility and safety across industries and address labour shortages in certain high-volume manufacturing industries during peak periods of demand. The early focus of the strategy was on traditional robotics, including factory automation and industrial robotics, which has evolved through the acceleration of AI, and it now invests through the entire value chain of the robotics and automation industry, including Business Process Automation.
Since its inception on 7th October 2015, the Robotics Strategy has aimed to capture opportunities in AI – including agents, semiconductors, smart robots, spatial awareness and modelling; enabling technologies; robotic solutions and industrial automation. In this time, the strategy has delivered a remarkable 372% return, compared to the MSCI AC World Index’s 183% over the same period, up to 14th October 2025 in EUR terms. [1] The strategy identifies companies that are market leaders in emerging niches, underpinned by clear technology leadership. The Robotics Strategy looks for companies that display innovation and durable growth, an increasingly rare combination in today’s low-growth world.
Peter Lingen, Senior Investment Manager, stated: “My fascination for technological advancements is stronger than ever. In a macro environment underpinned by geopolitical frictions and complex supply chains, you need companies that are both resilient and beacons of innovation, creating the solutions we need for the smooth running of our global economies.
We are particularly enthusiastic about the rapid development of core AI infrastructure and see this as tail wind for the industry. The deployment of core AI infrastructure is backed by advances in semiconductors, semiconductor manufacturing equipment, and design software. As this infrastructure is designed and built, we see significant future opportunities in Agentic AI and Physical AI, which represent the next frontier for software automation and robotics.”
[1]Pictet-Robotics I EUR versus MSCI AC World (EUR)
