Slovenian startup Sunrise Robotics emerges from stealth with €7.3 million for their simulation-trained robots

Ljubljana-based Sunrise Robotics, a robotics company developing intelligent robotic cells, is emerging from stealth today with €7.3 million in funding to expand its European-wide team and enhance AI capabilities as it scales production of its initial fleet.

The funding was led by Plural, with Tapestry, Seedcamp, Tiny.vc and Prototype Capital also participating.

Tomaz Stolfa, Co-founder of Sunrise, said: “The future of manufacturing lies in accessible automation, augmenting humanity through intelligent systems driven by simulation and digital replicas. Our smart, flexible robot cells empower businesses by automating repetitive tasks, closing employment gaps and allowing workers to focus on higher-value activities, whilst ensuring Europe has the industrial prowess and capabilities that it sorely needs. Together with our customers and investors, we’re building a more efficient and sustainable manufacturing landscape for Europe.”

Founded in 2023 by CEO Tomaz Stolfa (vox.io, Layer Founder), CTO Marko Thaler (Airnamics Founder) and CCO Joe Perrott (PCH International, Head of Global Program Management), Sunrise employs a simulation-first approach to robotics hardware. Each system is designed and built with dual arms, advanced perception systems and sensors. The robot cells are then trained through simulation technology – Sunrise creates a virtual replica of the workstation or production environment for each implementation and trains the robot’s integrated AI brain within this simulation.

This compresses the automation cycle, reportedly making it ten times faster and cheaper to deploy, so more manufacturers can benefit from automation and unmatched product quality. In addition, the cells can learn together as a fleet, with regularly over-the-air updates ensuring they can continuously improve to expand capabilities and increase customer value.

The founding team’s robotics and software experience, including building autonomous robotic systems and intelligent systems, has enabled the shipment of 100 million+ consumer electronics products and creating software platforms serving 150 million+ users.

They have expanded on this by assembling talent from global tech giants Amazon, Google, Red Bull Formula 1, Unity and Waymo, helping the company progress from founding to customer deployment in just 18 months.

Initial systems are now operational in electronics manufacturing facilities across Europe. Meanwhile, Sunrise has also signed letters of intent with 10+ customers in areas including supercar development, high-performance batteries and consumer electronics manufacturing, alongside multiple potential use cases for precision manufacturing.

Carina Namih, Partner at Plural, said: “The Sunrise team are world leaders in simulation-trained robots. These inexpensive robots boost productivity and solve hiring challenges right out of the box. I look forward to supporting them as they build a new era in European industrial manufacturing.”

Industrial manufacturing makes up 15% of European GDP, with over 2 million manufacturers employing 32 million people, generating €2.4 trillion in value. However, Sunrise says this key sector faces a critical threat: 32% of workers aged 50 to 64 will retire in the coming decade, whilst only 14% of Gen Z have said they would consider industrial work as a career because of perceptions around low pay, poor flexibility and safety concerns. These labour shortages are undermining productivity just as geopolitical pressures and international challenges demand stronger domestic supply chains.

While the smart robot market is projected to double from €65.9 billion in value in 2024 to €130 billion by 2034, current automation solutions are inaccessible to all but the largest manufacturers. High-mix manufacturers and those with a wide portfolio of products can’t justify the high capital costs and lengthy implementation timelines of traditional robots, despite the benefits. Sunrise aims to fill this gap.

Andrew Buss, Managing Director at Asteelflash Bedford, added: “Asteelflash is a global leader in Electronic Manufacturing Services, and we are constantly seeking innovative, game-changing solutions that enhance the quality and reproducibility of our offering, while giving us a competitive edge. Sunrise has proven to be an outstanding partner, enabling us to adopt cutting-edge innovation at remarkable speed. Just a few months after initial data collection, we had a fully trained, operational intelligent robot up and running within hours of delivery. We’re genuinely excited about what the future holds.”