Demand for manufacturing automation continues to rise, but humanoid robots are still far from replacing factory workers on a large scale. The Spanish Barcelona-based startup Theker has chosen to focus on more realistic use cases, launching AI robots that can adapt their form to specific tasks, and has raised $85 million in Series A funding.
Featured reconfigurable robots
The core idea behind Theker is not to have robots perform only single tasks, but to enable the devices to adjust their structure according to different processes. The company states that its robots' hands, arms, and overall form can be swapped or resized to adapt to tasks such as sorting packages, packing clothing, and handling bottles and cans in warehousing.
Unlike humanoid robots designed around a fixed form, Theker emphasizes adaptability in factory and warehouse environments. Co-founder Carla Gómez Cano says that most real-world processes are not as standardized as “repeatedly putting the same cookie into the same box,” so robots need greater flexibility.
Round A was led by CRV
This funding round was led by U.S. venture capital firm CRV, with additional investors including Samsung and Aglaé Ventures—the latter linked to Bernard Arnault, chairman of LVMH. Theker referred to this round as one of Europe’s largest robotic Series A financings. TechCrunch noted that no larger European Series A case in the same sector has been found in public records.
Less than a year ago, Theker completed a record-breaking seed round. This Series A funding has reached twice the company’s original target, demonstrating continued interest from capital markets in industrial robotics and AI automation.
Extending from retail to manufacturing
Zara’s parent company, Inditex, has been one of Theker’s early supporters, indicating that the company initially focused on retail logistics. However, Theker’s goals extend beyond retail, aiming to enter heavier industrial sectors such as manufacturing.
The company’s management stated that the team does not intend to remain in the pilot phase indefinitely but aims to directly integrate with logistics and operations departments to shorten the time to market. To demonstrate delivery capabilities, Theker has established a showcase space in central Barcelona and plans to expand its presence across Europe, the United States, and Asia as the business grows.
Regarding team expansion, Theker said the company has received approximately 15,000 job applications and expects its workforce to grow from dozens of employees to around 120 by the end of the year, with hiring focused on technical, deployment, and sales roles.