Silica
Affordable robotic actuators with direct force sensing.
The founders
EM
The company
Silica Machines builds intelligent robotic actuators with force sensors integrated directly into the internal mechanical architecture, letting hardware measure the forces it applies rather than guessing from motor current. Housed in machined aluminium, they're pitched as affordable, drop-in components for robot manufacturers.
As the 'Physical AI' and robotics markets expand, most robots remain effectively 'numb' — relying on imprecise motor-current readings that limit delicate manipulation and safe work alongside people. Silica's timing bets that force sensing should be a standard feature, not a luxury add-on.
The company was founded in 2026 to tackle robotics' missing sense of touch — proprioception — by solving it in the actuator itself rather than bolting on expensive external sensors.
Founded by Enrico Milletti and part of the Founders, Inc. hardware accelerator, the team has shown a working demonstration of the actuator's fluid, compliant response to physical contact. Beyond that, it's early days and the founding team's track record is still to be proven.
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