Humanoid Robots Aren't Ready—But Manufacturers Can't Wait
Humanoids aren't quite ready to replace factory workers, but the industry can't wait. Faced with labor shortages, manufacturers have shown growing interest in startups that promise faster automation without the usual trade-offs.
That's the bet behind Theker, an AI robotics startup that aims to go beyond robots trained for a single task. "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.
A Generalist Approach to Factory Automation
Theker is designed for that messier reality. Unlike humanoid robots designed around a fixed form—think Boston Dynamics—Theker's machines are built to be reconfigured. Their hands, arms, and overall form can be swapped out or resized depending on the task, whether that's sorting packages, packing clothing, or handling bottles and cans in a warehouse.
This adaptability is what sets Theker apart. Where traditional industrial robots require specialized programming and are locked into single functions, Theker's systems can be reconfigured on the fly to handle different production needs. This flexibility could dramatically lower the barrier to entry for small and medium-sized manufacturers who can't afford to retool entire production lines.
For more on adaptive robotics, see our coverage of Decart's Oasis 3 world model and how simulation is transforming autonomous systems.
From Retail to Heavy Industry
That Inditex, Zara's parent company, signed on as an early backer is a signal of where Theker's ambitions start—not where they end. The company's broader goal is to move beyond retail into heavier industrial settings like manufacturing, where the complexity and scale of manual tasks is even greater.
Inditex's early backing provides Theker with crucial real-world testing ground in one of the world's largest retail supply chains. But the company is already looking beyond fashion retail to serve broader manufacturing needs, from automotive parts to consumer electronics assembly.
Similar cross-industry adoption patterns are emerging across automation. Salesforce's acquisition of Fin for $3.6 billion, for instance, shows how enterprise platforms are being integrated directly into operational workflows.
Europe's Largest Robotics Series A
This generalist ambition has helped cement Theker's status as one of Europe's hot startups to watch—and raise capital accordingly. The Barcelona-based startup has just raised $85 million in what it's calling "Europe's largest ever robotics Series A." (We haven't found a larger one in our records, either.)
Less than a year after a record seed round, this Series A was led by American VC firm CRV and backed by a mix of traditional and strategic investors, including Samsung and Aglaé Ventures, the investment vehicle tied to LVMH chairman and CEO Bernard Arnault.
Europe's robotics ecosystem has gained significant traction recently, with Intel and Siemens deploying Europe's first neuromorphic edge gateway at Rotterdam Port—another sign of the continent's growing automation capabilities.
Strategic Investor Synergies
Gómez Cano said Samsung is not a client yet but that the two are in advanced discussions. Theker would welcome having the Korean company as a customer, supplier, and investor simultaneously—a trifecta that would give the startup both revenue and credibility in manufacturing at scale.
Having Samsung involved could accelerate Theker's path to mass production, providing not just capital but also access to supply chain expertise and global distribution networks. The combination of Samsung's manufacturing prowess and Theker's adaptive robotics could reshape how consumer electronics are assembled worldwide.
Bypassing Innovation Departments
She also noted that she and co-founder Jiaqiang Ye Zhu "didn't build Theker to run pilots," so the team skips innovation departments entirely and goes straight to logistics or operations, where deals are real and timelines are shorter.
This direct-to-operations approach is notable. Many robotics startups get stuck in pilot purgatory, running experiments with minor improvements that never scale. Theker's decision to go straight to operational leaders suggests confidence in their technology's readiness and a clear understanding of the real pain points manufacturers face.
Building a Global Presence
To demonstrate that the company can actually deliver on that, Theker has a showroom in central Barcelona and plans to open others as it expands across Europe, the U.S., and Asia. It will also grow its headcount across tech, deployment, and sales.
"We already received 15,000 job applications and have to filter like crazy," Gómez Cano said. She estimated that the team could grow from dozens to up to 120 people by the end of the year, then caught herself: "I am saying that, but I also said that we'd raise $30 million or $40 million!"
Why Barcelona Matters
That Theker managed to raise twice its target also reinforces the startup's conviction in keeping its HQ in Barcelona, a growing robotics hub, and in Europe's tech ecosystem more broadly. "It has never been a barrier to acceleration for us, so we are making the most of it," Gómez Cano said.
Barcelona has emerged as an unexpected but potent robotics center, combining Spanish engineering talent with European venture capital and global manufacturing connections. Theker's success could inspire other robotics founders to bypass traditional Silicon Valley paths and build globally distributed companies from European bases.
For more on Europe's rising tech scene, see our coverage of Malaysian AI startup Respond.io, which raised $62.5 million to expand across North America and Europe.
The Road Ahead
Theker's $85 million raise puts it in an elite position among European robotics startups. With strategic investors like Samsung and LVMH on board, plus plans to triple its team by year-end, the company is positioning itself to be one of Europe's first robotics unicorns.
What makes Theker particularly interesting is its rejection of both the humanoid approach and the single-purpose industrial robot model. Instead, it's betting on a middle ground: adaptable machines that can learn and reconfigure without requiring specialized robotics expertise to operate.
If Theker can deliver on its vision, it could make factory automation accessible to companies that currently find it prohibitively expensive and complex—a true democratization of industrial robotics.