About
About Kateryna
I believe the future of robotics depends on what happens after the prototype.
Kateryna Portmann works at the intersection of robotics, product management, commercialization and responsible innovation. As a robotics product leader, educator, speaker, community builder and mentor, her work spans building products, teaching future leaders, supporting the robotics community and mentoring people shaping the next generation of technology.
Her core conviction is simple: robotics is not only a technology challenge. It is a product challenge, a business challenge and a people challenge — and the projects that succeed are the ones that treat all three as connected from day one.
That conviction plays out across four connected dimensions of her work: building robotics products as a Senior Product Manager at ANYbotics, teaching the next generation of technology and business leaders, speaking on international stages about robotics and responsible AI, and building the people and communities — including Women in Robotics Switzerland — that will carry the field forward.
The intersection she works in
Four areas that inform and strengthen each other.
Robotics
Hands-on experience with robotics products, from product strategy and development to real-world deployment.
Product Management
Product strategy, discovery and roadmapping applied to hardware and physical AI, where the rules differ from pure software.
Commercialization
Turning promising pilots into repeatable, scalable business — the step where most robotics projects struggle.
Responsible Innovation
Building robotics products and governance approaches that hold up to scrutiny as adoption grows.
Recognition & Media
- IndustrySenior Product Manager, ANYbotics — building robotics products from technology to scaled deployment.
- RecognitionTop 10 Women in Robotics 2025 — International Federation of Robotics. Read the IFR portrait feature →
- Featured inSilicon Republic — "8 Women to Watch in AI, Robotics and Automation," plus additional coverage, and The Robot Report
- VideoROBOTICS.SCALED — "What Stops Robotics Pilots From Becoming Real Production Deployments." Watch →
- PodcastsTech Inspired, TechRadio Ireland, The Techne Connect
- CommunityWomen in Robotics Switzerland — building the community behind the country's robotics ecosystem.
- TeachingExecutive education at HWZ, FHAW and Fast Future Executives, across robotics, AI, product management and leadership. Lecturer & thought leadership profile →
- SpeakingSelected speaking engagements including ICRA, WiDS Zurich, Dublin Tech Summit, AI House Davos and PROFIBUS Get Together for Robotics.
- PublicationCo-author, Innovation-Sandbox für Künstliche Intelligenz — "Build & Share" (Kanton Zürich), on real-world AI testing, regulatory clarity and the path from pilot to scaled deployment. Read →
- WhitepaperFeatured expert contributor, Greater Zurich Area — "Europe's Leading Robotics Hub", alongside ZHAW, EY-Parthenon and the ETH Robotics Club. Read →
Frequently asked questions
Does Kateryna Portmann currently teach at ETH Zürich?
No. CAS AMI and CAS AUT at ETH Zürich are potential programme collaborations under discussion, not current teaching roles. Her current teaching is at HWZ, FHAW and Fast Future Executives.
What is Kateryna Portmann's current role?
She is Senior Product Manager at ANYbotics, where she works on autonomous robotics products from strategy through to deployment.
What does "Robotics Product Leadership" mean?
It's the practice of building robotics products that succeed as businesses, not just as technology — spanning product strategy, commercialization, responsible development, and the organizational readiness needed to move from pilot to scaled deployment.
How can I invite Kateryna to speak, teach, or mentor?
Use the contact page, which has separate pathways for speaking invitations, teaching invitations, work enquiries and mentoring.