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DHL Awards Innovation Partnership to Fast Forward Challenge Winner

3 min read•January 22, 2026
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Jacobi Robotics to Deploy OmniPalletizer with DHL Following Fast Forward Challenge Victory

EMERYVILLE, CA - October 17, 2025

Jacobi Robotics, a leader in AI-powered robotics software, today announced it will partner with DHL to deploy its flagship mixed-case palletizing solution, OmniPalletizer, in a U.S.- based DHL facility. The announcement follows Jacobi's selection as the winner of the DHL Fast Forward Challenge: Americas Edition, held this week at the DHL Now & Next Logistics Summit in Austin, Texas.

Mixed-case palletizing

Building outbound pallets from a continuously changing mix of cartons—is one of the most labor-intensive and injury-prone workflows in warehouse operations. It is also one of the hardest to automate in existing (“brownfield”) sites because real conveyor flow is rarely perfectly sequenced. As the winner of the challenge, Jacobi Robotics will work closely with the DHL Innovation team to integrate OmniPalletizer into DHL’s real-world logistics environment. The pilot aims to demonstrate how Jacobi’s advanced software can transform the efficiency and safety of mixed-case palletizing.

Jacobi’s OmniPalletizer is specifically designed to handle the complexity of modern fulfillment. Unlike traditional palletizers that require uniform box sizes, OmniPalletizer uses Jacobi's proprietary AI and motion-planning software to stack "random" mixed pallets of varying shapes, sizes, and weights with high density and stability. The system’s "software-defined" approach allows for rapid deployment and the ability to adapt to changing inventory in brownfield sites, without requiring new sequencing infrastructure. A simulation-first workflow uses the same planning engine in a digital twin and on the floor, helping stakeholders validate expected performance and ROI before changes are made to operations.
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Winning the Fast Forward Challenge is an important milestone for Jacobi. DHL is the global benchmark for logistics excellence, and their interest in our technology proves the industry is ready for a more intelligent, adaptable approach to automation. We are excited to deploy OmniPalletizer with DHL and show how AI-powered robots can solve the most difficult warehouse challenges in real-time.

Max Cao

Max Cao

CEO and co-founder of Jacobi Robotics

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The Fast Forward Challenge has attracted remarkable submissions from participants across the Americas region and beyond. This program enables visionary companies to broaden their network and test their solution at scale within DHL's global network. We're thrilled to recognize Jacobi Robotics as the winner. Our jury and Summit audience recognized the potential their solution has to significantly transform how logistics addresses safety challenges in warehouse pallet stacking. The DHL Innovation team looks forward to working with Jacobi Robotics to further develop their solution.

Katja Busch

Katja Busch

CCO, DHL and Head of Customer Solutions & Innovation

Jacobi Robotics

About Jacobi Robotics

Jacobi Robotics is a leading AI and robotics company focused on supply chain automation. Our flagship solution, OmniPalletizer, is the world’s most adaptable mixed-case palletizing system and enables operations teams to automate step by step, improving throughput, reducing costs, and increasing operational flexibility. The software leverages AI to learn from experience, improving performance over time and adapting to changes in product mix, packaging, and demand patterns. This approach shortens implementation time, accelerates return on investment, and lowers the barrier to automation. Proven in production and recognized by Fortune Global 500 companies, Jacobi delivers turnkey systems through a network of trusted integration partners, ensuring reliable hardware, expert deployment, and long-term support.

Learn more at: https://www.jacobirobotics.com/

DHL

About DHL

DHL is the leading global brand in the logistics industry. Our DHL divisions offer an unrivalled portfolio of logistics services ranging from national and international parcel delivery, e-commerce shipping and fulfillment solutions, international express, road, air and ocean transport to industrial supply chain management. With approximately 400,000 employees in more than 220 countries and territories worldwide, DHL connects people and businesses securely and reliably, enabling global sustainable trade flows. With specialized solutions for growth markets and industries including technology, life sciences and healthcare, engineering, manufacturing & energy, auto-mobility and retail, DHL is decisively positioned as "The logistics company for the world". DHL is part of DHL Group. The Group generated revenues of approximately 84.2 billion euros in 2024. With sustainable business practices and a commitment to society and the environment, the Group makes a positive contribution to the world. DHL Group aims to achieve net-zero emissions logistics by 2050.

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