German robotics startup sewts bag €7M to simplify manual labour in the textile industry

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Munich-based sewts, a robotics startup that aims to simplify complex manual labour into streamlined automation, announced on Wednesday that it has secured €7M in a Series A round of funding.

Emerald Technology Ventures, CNB Capital, EquityPitcher Ventures, and Nabtesco Technology Ventures participated in the round.

Existing investors Bayern Kapital, APEX Ventures and HTGF, also invested in this round.

Developing highly intelligent robotics

Industries are increasingly using robotics and AI for efficiency, but working with deformable materials like textiles poses challenges due to their delicate nature. Sensitive material handling, advanced sensors, adaptable AI algorithms, and collaboration between humans and robots are crucial. 

Specialised research, hybrid approaches, and training for workers are needed to overcome these challenges to benefit industries struggling with a shortage of staff. This is where sewts wants to make a difference.

Founded in 2019 by engineering students with an EXIST Business Startup Grant, sewts GmbH aims to lead in automating processes involving deformable materials.

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By integrating AI, robotics, and material simulation, the company has developed innovative control and image-processing software that enables robots to predict and handle the behaviour of unstable materials in real-time with precision.

sewts’ vision is to become a global automation partner for industries working with easily deformable materials.

The company launched its first product, VELUM, in 2022. Designed for industrial laundries, VELUM is a robotic unit that automates the feeding of wrinkled towels into folding machines. 

It can process up to 700 items per hour, similar to human speeds. The company says VELUM addresses labour shortages and enhances efficiency in the textiles sector.

Alongside launching VELUM, sewts is also developing more automation solutions for textile production stages. With support from the Otto Group, they created a prototype for automated online shopping returns. The founders’ ultimate vision is to use automated robotics for clothing manufacturing.

Capital utilisation

Co-founder Alexander Bley says, “We will use this fresh capital to progress with our growth targets internationally. These include launching further VELUM systems in international large-scale laundries and, as a next step, refining our prototype for the automated handling of returns in online shopping.”

Monika Steger, MD of Bayern Kapital, adds, “With VELUM, sewts has brought an innovative product solution to market maturity and is already planning further promising automation solutions for the textile industry.”

“Textiles manufacturing and textiles recycling are returning closer to the consumer market. In this way, sewts is making a key contribution to overcoming staff shortages in textile firms and reaching global climate targets,” adds Steger.

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Vishal Singh

Vishal Singh is a News Reporter and Social Media Marketing Lead at Silicon Canals. He covers developments in the European startup ecosystem and oversees the publication's social media presence. Before joining Silicon Canals, Vishal gained experience at the Indian digital media outlet Inc42, contributing to its growth with insightful content. Despite being a college dropout, his passion for writing has driven his career in journalism.

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