Imagine walking into a factory where robots are up and running within hours, not weeks-no coding needed. For many small and mid-sized manufacturers, automation has long been too complicated or costly. But German tech startup Unchained Robotics is changing that narrative with its factory automation software, designed to make operating robots as simple as using a smartphone.
Today, the Paderborn-based company announced it has secured €8.5M in an extended Series A funding round. The raise was led by Direttissima Growth Partners with participation from Navivo Capital, Future Industry Ventures, vent.io, and D11Z. With the new funds, Unchained Robotics plans to scale its LUNA OS platform internationally and strengthen its growing presence in the U.S. market.
Factory automation software unchained for non-experts
At the heart of Unchained Robotics’ offering is LUNA OS, a standardised control system that integrates robots from multiple manufacturers into a single, user-friendly interface. It functions like an operating system for industrial robotics-allowing users with no prior technical training to configure, deploy, and operate robots in various production environments.
The company also offers MalocherBot, a modular, turnkey solution built for tasks such as packaging and palletising. The system is already in use across more than 300 European firms, including high-profile clients like Vorwerk, one of Europe’s largest direct sales companies.
“Unchained Robotics’ solution allowed us to automate quickly and easily – without any additional programming skills or long ramp-up times,” said Joern Compernass, Managing Director of Vorwerk Logistik.
Co-founder Mladen Milicevic added: “We’ve struck a chord with SMEs: everyone is looking for simple and affordable automation solutions that can be implemented quickly, without requiring special expertise.”
U.S. launch with Albéa Group sets Unchained Robotics global expansion in motion
Unchained Robotics has now set its sights on the U.S. market, launching its first major deployment with global cosmetics packaging manufacturer Albéa Group. The automation project spans multiple locations and focuses on tasks like packaging and palletising. Over 20 robots have already been installed, with expansion to 70 planned in the near future.
The company says its approach is resonating well in the U.S., where many companies still struggle with automation due to a lack of in-house expertise. Several new industrial partnerships are already in the pipeline as part of Unchained Robotics’ broader international growth strategy.
“Unchained Robotics is solving one of the industry’s key structural problems: the lack of standardisation,” said Christopher Hoffmann of Direttissima Growth Partners. “With its operating system LUNA OS and the modular MalocherBot cell, robotic automation becomes easily scalable – a crucial step for the future of manufacturing and logistics.”
Unchained Robotics is addressing the labour shortage with accessible robotics
As labour shortages continue to hit manufacturing industries across Europe, the need for scalable and simple automation is growing. In Germany alone, Stepstone forecasts a 3.7 million shortfall in workers by 2030. Unchained Robotics sees this challenge as an opportunity.
“We envision a future where AI-powered robotic systems not only take over repetitive tasks but also become increasingly adaptable through continuous learning,” said co-founder Kevin Freise. “LUNA OS forms the crucial bridge between intelligent software and physical automation for this purpose.”
Founded in 2019 by Kevin Freise and Mladen Milicevic, Unchained Robotics has received national recognition as one of Germany’s 50 most promising startups and was named among Europe’s 250 fastest-growing startups by Sifted. Based in Paderborn, the founding duo launched the company with a shared vision to democratise robotics and make automation accessible for all manufacturers, not just industrial giants.
Building a robotics platform for global industry
With the new funding, Unchained Robotics plans to accelerate platform development, expand internationally, and establish LUNA OS as the go-to standard for factory automation. The company also aims to grow its team and extend its product suite into new industry verticals where automation is still underutilised.
Unchained Robotics competes with other automation and robotics solution providers but stands out through its unique blend of low-code software, hardware agnosticism, and accessibility for non-specialists.
As it enters the next stage of growth, the startup continues to focus on its mission of breaking down barriers to automation-making it truly possible for anyone to automate, no matter their size, budget, or expertise.
