THEKER Robotics: Building intelligent generalist robots designed for real industrial conditions

Industrial automation excels when conditions are stable and predictable. But in the real world, where objects vary in size, orientation or material, conventional robotics still reaches its limits. Many processes in logistics, retail, parcel sorting and waste handling remain manual, not because they are low-tech, but because they are highly variable.

THEKER, a Barcelona-based startup founded by two lifelong roboticists, is tackling precisely this challenge. Their focus: designing intelligent robots that can handle heterogeneous objects and changing environments without task-specific engineering. The aim is to bring automation to the many processes that have been considered “too variable to automate”: a gap that affects both productivity and workforce sustainability across industries.

From student robotics to industrial deep tech

THEKER’s story began long before the company existed. The founders grew up building and competing with robots, later creating PUCRA, the robotics association at the Polytechnic University of Catalonia (UPC). This community of experimentation and engineering excellence formed the foundation for THEKER’s technical ambition and shaped the belief that Europe could build a global robotics leader.

Today, the company employs just over twenty specialists in AI, robotics, mechanics, electronics and operations. With ongoing commercial expansion, this number is expected to grow four to five times over the next year.

Carla Gómez Cano and Jiaqiang Ye Zhu, Co-Founders of THEKER

A sector facing rising pressure and where traditional automation falls short

Across sectors, companies are navigating labour shortages, rising operational complexity and the need for more sustainable processes. Yet automation has struggled to keep up, largely because traditional systems depend on predictability.

THEKER takes a different approach.

Instead of building robots for narrow, predefined tasks, they focus on adaptability, fast deployment and consistent performance under real conditions. Their systems are designed to learn, generalise and integrate with minimal custom engineering, making them suitable for environments where variability is the norm.

Generalist robot by THEKER Robotics

Early traction: performance where automation was previously unfeasible

Customers using THEKER robots report:

• Stable throughput even when handling mixed or irregular objects
• Reduced reliance on repetitive, physically demanding tasks
• Greater consistency and operational resilience compared with manual or semi-automated workflows

A decisive milestone came when Inditex, one of the world’s largest fashion retailers, validated THEKER’s technology for high-variability logistics operations. Their endorsement demonstrated that THEKER’s approach delivers value in demanding, multinational industrial settings.

This progress culminated in a EUR 21 million seed round, one of the largest early-stage robotics investments in Europe, signalling strong confidence from deep tech investors and industrial partners.

“Having our technology validated by companies like Inditex was a defining moment. It confirmed that our approach works in demanding, real industrial environments. The recent funding round builds on that validation and gives us the momentum to scale what we’ve proven in production”, highlighted Carla Gómez Cano.

Scaling the technology with European industrial support and record-breaking funding

THEKER’s robots are already deployed in production environments across Spain and beyond. Their customer base spans multinational clients operating in multiple countries, reflecting the global potential of their adaptable robotics platform.

Their recent EUR 21 million seed round, among the largest early-stage robotics funding rounds in Spain, underlines the confidence investors place in their approach. The round, which brought together deep tech backers and industry leaders, positions THEKER as one of the most well-funded robotics startups in the Spanish market’s history.

A European ambition: redefining how physical work is performed

THEKER’s long-term vision is ambitious: to help Europe build the next generation of intelligent robotics and redefine the relationship between people and industrial work. Their goal is to improve operational resilience, enhance workplace safety and make automation accessible in processes that were previously too complex or variable to automate.

As industries continue to seek more flexible, sustainable and efficient workflows, THEKER’s technology represents a meaningful step toward the next phase of automation: robots that can handle real-world variability, learn from context and operate with the reliability industry demands.