A Bold Entrance in June 2025
On June 13, 2025, Ljubljana-based startup Sunrise Robotics exited stealth mode after securing around €7.3 million (~$8.5 million) in seed funding led by Plural, with support from Tapestry, Seedcamp, Tiny.vc, and Prototype Capital. The capital will fuel the expansion of their team across Europe, improve AI systems, and accelerate production of their innovative AI Employee–style robotic cells.
What Happened – The Rise of Non‑Human Workers
Sunrise has developed smart, flexible robot cells—dual‑armed, sensor-packed units trained in immersive virtual environments that mimic real factory floors. This simulation‑first approach compresses setup times, making deployment 10× faster and more affordable than traditional industrial robots. As a connected fleet, these units receive over‑the‑air updates, enabling them to learn together—ushering in a new era of Voice AI Agents for manufacturing.
Why It Matters – Addressing Europe’s Labor Crisis
Europe’s manufacturing sector faces a major workforce shortfall: nearly a third of workers aged 50–64 will retire soon, but less than 15% of Gen Z are interested in factory jobs due to low pay and safety concerns. As a result, factories struggle with productivity and resilience—especially amid geopolitical strain on supply chains. Sunrise’s Non‑Human Workers tackle this by automating repetitive tasks, empowering teams to focus on strategic roles, and keeping production local.
Early Traction & Future Potential
In just 18 months, the three founders—CEO Tomaz Stolfa, CTO Marko Thaler, and CCO Joe Perrott—have deployed their robotic cells in electronics factories across Europe and secured LOIs from over ten customers in sectors like supercars, batteries, and precision manufacturing. The team includes talent from Amazon, Google, Waymo, and Red Bull F1. Investors are impressed by the vision: Plural’s Carina Namih called Sunrise “world leaders in simulation‑trained robots” that solve hiring challenges “right out of the box”.
Key Highlights:
- €7.3 M in seed funding raised on June 13, 2025
- Enhanced AI Employee robot cells, simulation-trained for speed and cost efficiency
- Tackles a looming manufacturing labor shortage in Europe
- Strong early adoption: deployments and LOIs in high‑precision industries
- A strategic boost to Europe’s industrial resilience and automation future
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