THEKER raises $85M Series A — Europe's largest robotics Series A

What's the deal? Theker, a Barcelona-based AI robotics startup, has raised $85 million in what it's calling Europe's largest-ever robotics Series A. The round was led by American VC firm CRV, with backing from SamsungDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom → and Aglaé VenturesDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom → — the investment vehicle tied to LVMH chairman Bernard Arnault. It lands less than a year after the company's record seed round, backed by Zara owner InditexDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →.

Why now? Theker builds reconfigurable robots designed to handle messy, varied tasks rather than a single repetitive one — swapping out hands, arms, and form depending on the job, from sorting packages to packing clothing. Unlike fixed-form humanoids such as Boston Dynamics' machines, Theker's are built to be reconfigured. Co-founder Carla Gómez CanoDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom → told TechCrunch the company raised more than twice its $30–40M target, a signal of investor conviction as manufacturers face labour shortages and reach for faster automation.

What could go wrong? AI robotics remains capital-intensive, with long development cycles, supply-chain risks, and the challenge of proving real-world reliability at scale. Theker's generalist ambition — moving beyond retail logistics into heavier industrial settings — is exactly where prototype-to-product gaps tend to widen.

The signal: Samsung is not yet a customer but is in advanced discussions, raising the prospect of being supplier, customer, and investor at once. With a Barcelona showroom and plans to expand across Europe, the U.S., and Asia — and 15,000 job applications already in hand — Theker is betting it can scale a generalist robot where specialists have struggled.

Read more: TechCrunch