Welding robot startup albeeware raises $660,000 seed round from SparkLabs, SOSV

What's the deal? South Korea's albeewareDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom → has raised a US$754.6K seed round co-led by accelerators SparkLabsDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom → and SOSV. Founded in 2022, the company sells no-code welding and grinding collaborative robots aimed at manufacturers facing skilled-labour shortages and an ageing workforce.

What does it build? Its flagship product, "RB-MIG," lets floor workers operate welding robots without writing code. Global cumulative shipments passed 250 units as of September.

What's the endgame? albeeware will use the funding to enter North America and develop "RB-AW," an AI-based autonomous mobile welding robot. It also plans a subscription-based autonomous welding-as-a-service (AWaaS) business model.

Why now? The round comes as albeeware joins SOSV's hardtech accelerator programme, HAXDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →. The company has already reached 16 countries — including the US, the Netherlands, and Türkiye — through 21 global system integrator partnerships.

Expanding markets: In February, albeeware signed an autonomous robotic grinding proof-of-concept deal with Italian shipbuilder FincantieriDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →, pushing into shipbuilding and heavy industry.

SparkLabs chief executive officer Yujin Kim said the firm invested because albeeware "has built up a global supply track record with a no-code welding solution that field workers can use easily." She added that it expects the company "to advance autonomous welding technology and expand into the global shipbuilding and heavy industry market."

Founder Jaehyuk Lee said the company started with "a no-code welding robot anyone can use on-site right away" and is now moving toward robots that "judge, move, and weld on their own." He said the round will "speed up the development of autonomous welding technology."

The signal: Backing from SOSV's HAX, one of the largest hardtech accelerators, points to investor appetite for robots that tackle labour gaps in heavy industry. albeeware's early traction across 16 markets and a Fincantieri deal show that welding automation is finding demand well beyond its home base.

Read more: startuptoday.kr

Image credit: dennis