Robotics company Saeki has emerged from stealth with $2.3m in seed funding to create fully automated ‘micro-factories’.
The Switzerland-based company is currently building its first production hub, which it says will offer industrial robots that act as micro-factories – self-contained units able to perform all the manufacturing steps.
Saeki works with the architectural design, engineering design and construction services industry to manufacture components such as aircraft wings and construction site installations. The firm uses 3D printing, milling, and large industrial robotics to manufacture these designs, which it says saves concrete and CO2.
Andrea Perissinotto, Co-Founder of SAEKI, said: “From what we build underground, to what we build on earth, to what goes to space, from the construction to aerospace industries, there is a need for large, one-off (custom) components, that are mostly used once or a couple of times at most, then scrapped. Manufacturing these parts, from the moulds to make concrete elements to the tooling required to build composite rockets, is labour-intensive, has long lead times, and is very expensive. Moreover, these factors delay hardware iteration to reach the final product.”
“For vast swathes of industry, it’s not practical to own and manage robots that can create what you need quickly. We are at the forefront of addressing this and democratising access to the best tools and creating productive, sustainable and effective outcomes for the industry. Long lead times for large components will be a thing of the past and we can provide faster and cost-effective iterations. Our comprehensive approach sets us apart – it's not just about being faster or cheaper; it's about providing a complete solution that caters to the entire spectrum of challenges, which is resonating well with our customers.”
The funding round was led by Wingman Ventures including participation from Vento Ventures, Getty Capital and angel investors.
