Issue #53 - The Future of Manufacturing
Topics this time: say hello to a new format, the Japan of the AI area, European Deep Tech stats, and massive investments in US manufacturing and robotics.
Important update to this Newsletter
Hey there!
Since launching this newsletter in 2018, the world and technology has evolved dramatically. We've navigated geopolitical crises and witnessed rapid technological breakthroughs that have rendered "Industry 4.0" a relic of the past—while manufacturing startups now command significant investor attention globally.
Therefore, I’ve decided to give this newsletter an overhaul while my mission remains the same: to explore the cutting edge of manufacturing and to give a voice to the founders and innovators driving the industry forward. I’m convinced that the foundations to build new generational companies in manufacturing are much more in favor compared to when I started this Newsletter.
So moving ahead, I'll curate a diverse mix of articles and blog posts that spotlight the frontier of manufacturing—covering breakthrough innovations, insights and key funding announcements but without trying to cover them all. I also got rid of my infamous “industry 4.0 landscape”. I find the format outdated and there are enough databases for everyone to create your own version of it.
Enjoy reading.
Robin
PS: I'm very excited to invest alongside Ricardo from Point Nine and Sam from Entropy and an incredible group of other angels in Aletiq - a next-gen PLM for manufacturing companies.
Got a friend or colleague interested in manufacturing? Help me spread the word by sharing the newsletter if you like it!
I. Frontier of Manufacturing
🤝 Who will be the “Japan” of the AI era?
’s new post (see below) questions which region will lead in AI-enabled production. It draws an interesting parallel with Japan's lean manufacturing revolution, showing that success comes from reimagining production processes - not necessarily developing the most advanced AI. Strong institutional frameworks and long-term partnerships are highlighted as key drivers of innovation. And an integrated value chain, similar to keiretsu systems, is essential to fully harness AI's potential. The future leader in manufacturing will be defined by its ability to nurture and organize institutional knowledge according to him. The race is on. 
🔮 Predictions for 2025
Together with
, we’ve gathered some predictions on the horizon for manufacturing technology in 2025. Thanks again for all your input , Rick Bullotta, Blake Courter, István Csanády and more.
🫣 A glimpse into Palantir’s Warp Speed
Palantir has developed its own material resource planning software for manufacturers called “Warp Speed”. Below is an in-depth 30min demo of the tool.
🚀 Is In-space manufacturing the future?
explores in his new post the idea of in-space manufacturing. In-space manufacturing (ISM) leverages space’s unique conditions to create advanced materials and pharmaceuticals. Falling launch costs and new infrastructure make it increasingly viable, but scaling and regulation remain challenges. If successful, ISM could be as transformative as cloud computing.📟 European Deep Tech report
Lakestar has published a report about Deep Tech in Europe together with Dealroom. The report focuses on the importance of breakthrough technologies, debunks several common misconceptions about Deep Tech, and underpins Europe’s strength in world-class research institutions and talent (see below). The report fits well to Matthew Mandel’s (investor at UCV) post on the importance of Deep Tech for radical innovation and for transforming large markets that haven’t been transformed by software. You can find the full report here.
II. Industrial Startups & Companies
🤖 DeepMind’s Gemini Robotics
Google DeepMind has introduced Gemini Robotics, an AI model based on Gemini 2.0, designed to control robots using vision, language, and actions (VLA). A second model, Gemini Robotics-ER, enhances spatial reasoning, helping roboticists integrate AI with existing systems. These models improve robots’ ability to understand commands, interact with environments, and perform complex tasks with dexterity. DeepMind is partnering with Apptronik and other robotics companies to refine these capabilities. Their goal is to advance safe and practical AI-driven robotics for real-world applications.
🤑 Apple’s big bet on American manufacturing
Apple is making its biggest U.S. investment ever, committing over $500 billion (!) in the next four years to support American innovation, AI, and manufacturing. This includes a new advanced manufacturing facility in Houston, expanded R&D efforts, and doubling its U.S. Advanced Manufacturing Fund to $10 billion. Apple will also open a manufacturing academy in Detroit to train workers in AI and smart manufacturing techniques. The company plans to hire 20,000 new employees, focusing on R&D, silicon engineering, and AI. These investments will support Apple’s growing infrastructure, data centers, and suppliers across all 50 states.
🖌 Disrupting Autodesk's design monopoly
Autodesk has dominated the industrial design software market for over 40 years, but critics argue that its market power has led to complacency and a lack of innovation. The company has been frequently using M&A to bring innovation in-house (see below). Paul O’Carroll from Acrol believes that true innovation in AEC requires breaking free from outdated, restrictive tools, making design more flexible, efficient, and accessible. Investor NGP capital believes that 2025 marks the beginning of a hardware renaissance—thanks to AI. In a new post, they are comparing incumbents and startups along the digital engineering value chain.
🫣 A glimpse into manufacturing Starlink kits
SpaceX has released a new video of their new Starlink kit production factory in Texas. They are currently producing a whopping 15,000 new Starlink kits per day, an equivalent of nearly 5.5 million annually.
III. Large funding news in short
👉 Skild AI (US): has raised a $500M round led by Softbank for its foundational model for robotics. Read more…
👉 Neura Robotics (DE): has raised a $120M Series B led by Lingotto Investment Management for its cognitive and humanoid robotics. Read more…
👉 Sereact (DE): has raised a €25M Series A led by Creandum for its AI-enabled robotics platform. Read more…
👉 Apptronik (US): has raised a $350M Series A co-led by B Capital and Capital Factory for its humanoid robots. Read more…
👉 NoMagic (PL): has raised a $44M Series B led by the VC arm of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) for its advanced AI and robotics technologies. Read more…
👉 Augury (US): has raised a $75M Series F funding led by Lightrock for its predictive and prescriptive machine health platform. Read more…
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