Barcelona-based THEKER Secures €73 Million to Propel AI Robotics in Industrial Sectors
THEKER, an innovative AI robotics company based in Barcelona, has successfully closed a substantial €73 million ($85 million) funding round. This financial boost is set to enhance deployments with major industrial operators, refine its proprietary AI and robotics stack, and expand its multidisciplinary team in software, electronics, mechanical engineering, and deployment operations.
Leading Investors and Strategic Partnerships
The funding round was spearheaded by CRV, a prominent venture capital firm. Additional investors include industry giants such as Samsung, LVMH, Cathay Innovation, 20VC, Henkel Ventures, Korelya, and Bright Pixel Capital (Sonae), alongside THEKER’s previous backers.
“We didn’t build THEKER to run pilots. We built it to ship robots that work the day they arrive and continue to improve every day after. This cycle accelerates a vision we’ve been working toward since day one: making intelligent, adaptable robotics practical for real industrial operations on a global scale,” stated Carla Gomez Cano, co-founder of THEKER.
Contextualizing THEKER’s Rise in Industrial Robotics
THEKER’s exponential growth aligns with a significant upswing in investments targeting robotics and industrial automation. Similar endeavors include Germany’s RobCo, which allocated €100 million to develop AI-driven modular robotic systems. Meanwhile, Stuttgart-based Sereact secured a €93 million Series B to broaden its physical AI robotics platform in the US and Norway. Additionally, Trener Robotics, with bases in the US and Norway, raised €26 million in Series A funding to advance its industrial AI automation and robotics skills platform.
“THEKER solves one of the most important challenges in robotics: integrating general-purpose AI into real-world production environments where reliability, adaptability, and scalability really matter,” remarked Christian Reid, general partner at CRV. “What Carla, Jiaqiang, and the team have built is exceptionally rare, a deeply technical platform coupled with real momentum for commercial deployment. We believe THEKER has the potential to become one of the defining robotics companies of this generation.”
Pioneering General-Purpose Robotics
Founded by robotics and AI engineers Carla Gómez Cano and Jiaqiang Ye Zhu, THEKER is on a mission to revolutionize industrial robotics by creating AI-native robots. These robots are designed to adapt in real-time to dynamic environments, manage mixed SKUs, handle irregular shapes, and accommodate operational variability without the need for manual reprogramming.
Unlike conventional industrial robots, which are often rigid and task-specific, THEKER’s systems promise quick deployment within days. They are designed to operate autonomously and continually learn within the complexities of real-world industrial settings.
Impact and Future Prospects
Already implemented in live production operations across Europe, THEKER’s robots aim to enhance throughput, minimize downtime, and mitigate labor shortages in manufacturing, logistics, and retail sectors. The company’s rapid ascension is indicative of a broader transformation in robotics and AI. Although advancements in fundamental AI models have made general-purpose robotics feasible, few companies have successfully transitioned from research to deploying robots capable of reliably functioning in large-scale production environments.
This funding round underscores THEKER’s swift journey from tech innovation to practical application, marking significant milestones such as one of CRV’s initial investments in Spain, Samsung’s inaugural investment in a Spanish company, and LVMH’s first foray into the Spanish startup scene.
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