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Fruitcore Robotics developed the HORST product line of industrial robotic arms. | Image credit: Fruitcore Robotics

Germany-based Fruitcore Robotics closed a $20 million Series A round of funding. The round was led by UVC Partners, btov Partners and CNB Capital. The company intends to use the funds to expand its European presence and extend its digital services.

Founded by Jens Riegger, Patrick Heimburger, Tim Schmiedl, Manuel Frey and Tobias Kuentzle, Fruitcore Robotics leverages HORST (Highly Optimized Robotic Systems Technology), a system that uses intelligent software and innovative mechatronics to provide robots which are already automating several hundred different applications in ten industries.

The company originates from a spin-off of the HTWG Konstanz (Hochschule Konstanz Technik Wirtschaft und Gestaltung). After research work by Riegger and Frey in the robotics field, the first HORST prototypes were produced in 2016. The team received the EXIST-Gründerstipendium for high startup projects, a startup funding from the federal government and the EU, and founded fruitcore robotics GmbH in May 2017.

Since then, the company has grown to more than 80 employees and two locations. In addition to the headquarters in Constance, a production site in Villingen-Schwenningen was opened in May 2020. fruitcore robotics develops and produces the HORST robot systems in Germany. The portfolio includes three robot models with reaches of 600, 900 and 1400 millimeters and payloads between 3 and 12 kilograms.