Barcelona-based robotics startup Theker has raised $85 million in a Series A funding round, which it claims is the largest ever for a European robotics company at this stage. The round was led by American venture capital firm CRV, with participation from Samsung and Aglaé Ventures, the investment vehicle tied to LVMH chairman Bernard Arnault.
The company’s pitch is straightforward but ambitious: build robots that don’t specialize in a single task. Unlike fixed-form humanoid robots or traditional industrial arms programmed for one repetitive motion, Theker’s machines are designed to be physically reconfigured. Their hands, arms, and overall form can be swapped out or resized depending on the job, whether that involves sorting packages, packing clothing, or handling bottles and cans in a warehouse.
Also read: SpaceX's $75B IPO rests on three near-impossible engineering feats
“If you always have to put the same cookie in the same box, that works perfectly, but most processes aren’t like that,” co-founder Carla Gómez Cano told TechCrunch. Theker is targeting that messier reality.
Why manufacturers are turning to flexible automation
Labor shortages across logistics and manufacturing have pushed companies to explore faster automation, but many existing solutions require rigid, single-purpose setups that are expensive to reprogram or repurpose. Theker’s reconfigurable approach aims to offer a middle ground: robots that can adapt to changing production lines without requiring a complete overhaul.
Also read: KPMG retracts AI report after organizations say claims were fabricated
Inditex, the parent company of Zara, has already signed on as an early backer, signaling that Theker’s initial focus will be on retail and warehouse logistics. But the company has broader ambitions. Gómez Cano said Theker plans to move into heavier industrial settings like manufacturing, where the complexity and scale of manual tasks is even greater.
Funding details and strategic backing
The $85 million Series A comes less than a year after Theker’s record seed round. The company originally targeted $30 million to $40 million but closed at more than double that amount, reflecting strong investor demand. Gómez Cano noted that Samsung is not yet a customer but that the two companies are in advanced discussions. A deal with the Korean electronics giant would give Theker a rare trifecta: revenue, supply chain access, and credibility in manufacturing at scale.
Theker plans to use the new capital to expand its headcount from dozens to up to 120 people by the end of the year, focusing on tech, deployment, and sales. The company also operates a showroom in central Barcelona and plans to open additional locations across Europe, the U.S., and Asia.
“We already received 15,000 job applications and have to filter like crazy,” Gómez Cano said.
Barcelona as a robotics hub
Theker’s decision to keep its headquarters in Barcelona underscores the city’s growing reputation as a European robotics center. Gómez Cano said the location has never been a barrier to growth, and the company is “making the most of it.” The startup’s rapid fundraising success — and its ability to attract strategic investors like Samsung and Aglaé — suggests that European deep-tech startups can compete for global capital when the technology is differentiated.
Theker’s approach also reflects a broader shift in industrial robotics away from monolithic, task-specific machines toward modular, software-driven systems that can be adapted on the fly. Whether the company can scale from warehouse sorting to heavy manufacturing will determine if this $85 million bet pays off.
Be the first to comment