Particula raises $15M to blend physical games with apps

What's the deal? Particula, an Israeli company that makes smart chess sets and a Rubik's Cube-style puzzle connected to an app, has raised $15 million. The round was led by Haifa-based ella fund.

What's the endgame? The company builds physical products that link to a mobile app, bridging tabletop play and digital experiences. Its lineup includes a connected chess game and a smart Rubik's Cube.

Why now? Chief executive officer Udi Dor framed the raise against a shift in investor sentiment. "Investing in hardware and physical products used to be seen as risky, but today, with AI threatening the software sector, things have flipped" (translated from Hebrew), he said.

Dor also pointed to how far the company came before the round. "We worked almost without resources" (translated from Hebrew), he said.

The signal: Particula's raise reflects renewed appetite for hardware bets at a moment when AI is reshaping expectations for pure software plays. For a company that scaled with little backing, the $15 million marks a step change in resources.

Image credit: Generated with Gemini