AICA secures CHF 1.25 million in to advance AI-driven industrial automation

EPFL spin-off AICA has completed the first closing of its seed funding round, securing approximately CHF 1.25 million to support global expansion and further development of its AI-powered robotic control technology.

Founded in 2019, Vaud-based AICA is redefining industrial automation with a flexible, sensor-driven control system that makes advanced robotics more accessible and cost-effective. Traditionally, programming industrial robots has been a complex and expensive task, often doubling hardware costs and limiting their use to repetitive operations like pick-and-place. AICA’s system, however, integrates artificial intelligence with real-time force and motion adaptation, significantly reducing programming time and enabling robots to perform a broader range of tasks.

AICA’s platform is hardware-, industry-, and application-agnostic, allowing manufacturers to deploy it across sectors. In the Eurostars-backed LAMBDA Project, the company applies its technology to automate the disassembly of EV batteries, contributing to the circular economy in the automotive sector. Demand is also rising in the life sciences and chemical industries, where AICA enables flexible laboratory automation.

The start-up’s customer base includes Schaeffler, Actemium, and several Swiss SMEs. Applications range from assembly and polishing to screwing and lab automation. This versatility highlights AICA’s ambition to provide intelligent automation solutions that are adaptable across industries.

With a growing team of 11 employees, soon expanding to 15, AICA has successfully closed the first stage of its seed funding round, securing approximately CHF 1.25 million in capital. This financing adds to the CHF 1 million in non-dilutive funding previously awarded through Swiss and EU innovation grants and will support the company’s expansion into new markets, the development of partnerships, and the advancement of its AI-driven robotic solutions. The round was led by Momenta Ventures through its Industry 5.0 Fund, with participation from existing investors Spicehaus Partners, High-Tech Gründerfonds (HTGF), and Schaeffler, as well as other strategic backers.

“Momenta invests in disruptive technologies that deliver tangible industrial benefits,” said Miroslav Kriz, Principal Partner at Momenta. “AICA’s advanced software for autonomous adaptation and force control simplifies one of the most challenging aspects of robotic automation. We’re proud to support AICA as they help manufacturers build more capable and flexible systems across diverse hardware platforms.”