Summary
- Project: „Tante Zukunft“ – a fully automated robotic supermarket.
- Location: Holzmarkt 6, 07743 Jena (city center).
- Concept: 24/7 shopping opportunity without staff.
- Investment: Approximately 120,000 euros for the robotics unit.
- Founder: Willy Götze (Jena student).
Jena (22.02.2026) – The shop windows at Holzmarkt 6 are still covered, but behind them, the future of retail is already at work. In the heart of Jena, at one of the city’s busiest hubs, a store concept is currently being developed that functions without traditional staff. Instead of friendly sales clerks, customers will soon be greeted by precision technology: a high-performance robot is set to revolutionize local supply in the “Lichtstadt” (City of Light).
The “Corner Shop Robot” Moves In
Behind the project is the young entrepreneur and student Willy Götze with his „Tante Zukunft GmbH“. His vision: a supermarket that never sleeps. While conventional late-night shops (“Spätis”) or supermarkets are bound by opening hours, the new store is intended to be available around the clock, seven days a week. The heart of the shop is a fourth-generation robot, with acquisition costs amounting to around 120,000 euros.
Unlike walk-in vending machine kiosks, where customers often find only a limited selection, the modern robotics solution enables a broader assortment. The robot retrieves the selected products from the storage area in the background and dispenses them – including frozen goods. This is particularly relevant for the summer months when the demand for ice cream or chilled drinks in the city center increases.
From Student Problem to Business Idea
The motivation for the daring project stems from a classic everyday experience of many Jena students. „I’ve actually had the idea since I started studying in Jena,“ Götze explains. The lack of 24/7 availability for groceries and daily necessities was the trigger. While meat and milk vending machines are booming in rural regions and „Smart Stores“ are already part of the cityscape in major cities like München or Berlin, Jena lagged behind in this area.
When the commercial unit at Holzmarkt 6 became available through an acquaintance at the end of 2024, Götze seized the opportunity. The central location directly at the hub for buses and trains, as well as the proximity to the university and the city center, offer ideal conditions for walk-in customers and night owls.
Trend Reversal in Retail
With this project, Jena is following a nationwide trend. Automated stores, often referred to as „Smart Stores“ or „Grab-and-Go“ shops, are a response to two pressing problems in retail: the shortage of skilled labor and changing consumer behavior. Staff is expensive and hard to find, while customers expect maximum flexibility.
The technology Götze uses is not a gimmick, but a logistical necessity to maintain the largest possible range of goods in a limited space in the city center. Financing such a high-tech undertaking was not a given for the founder. The project was realized through loans secured by the Thüringer Bürgschaftsbank.
Opening in Sight
Final work is currently underway at Holzmarkt. The lettering already hints at what passers-by can expect. Exactly when the doors – or rather the dispensing locks – will open for customers for the first time is imminent. For Jena, the opening of „Tante Zukunft“ means not only a new shopping source but also an experimental field for how much technology the people of Thüringen will accept in their daily shopping.
It remains to be seen how the robot at Holzmarkt will be received by the people of Jena and whether it can hold its own against traditional late-night shops and supermarkets.
Source:
Thüringer brings the 120,000-euro robot to the Free State! He wants the supermarket of the future
Transparency Note: This article was automatically created, editorially reviewed, and expanded with AI support.