Filics, a robotics startup based in Munich, has raised €13.5 million (US$15.9 million) in a funding round led by Sandwater, Alven, F-LOG Ventures, and the Amazon Industrial Innovation Fund.

Existing backers Capnamic and 10x Founders also participated, along with individual investors like Andrei Danescu, founder of Dexory, and Helmut Schmid, former CEO of Agilox.

Filics aims to make its autonomous pallet-handling system, the Filics Unit, compatible with floor block storage systems by the end of 2025. The company also plans to enter other European markets in 2026.

The Filics Unit features two omnidirectional robots that transport Euro pallets autonomously, providing up to 30% space savings in warehouses.

Founded in 2021 at the Technical University of Munich, Filics has worked with Bosch, DHL Group, and Nagel Group to test its technology.

The company plans to further develop its system to enable fully autonomous truck loading in the future.

🔗 Source: Filics

🧠 Food for thought

1️⃣ Filics enters a highly competitive and well-funded robotics market

Filics’ €13.5 million funding, while substantial for a European startup, places it in a market dominated by heavily capitalized competitors.

Industry leader Geek+ has raised over $533 million since its founding in 2015, giving it significant advantages in R&D and market expansion 1.

Amazon operates over 520,000 robots in its own warehouses, allowing it to both use and refine robotics solutions at an unprecedented scale 2.

This competitive landscape explains why Filics is pursuing a highly differentiated approach with its under-pallet technology rather than competing directly with established players in more traditional AMR (Autonomous Mobile Robot) categories.

The company’s specialized focus on space efficiency with its double-runner system provides a clear differentiation point in a crowded market where many competitors offer more general-purpose solutions.

2️⃣ Space optimization emerges as a critical factor in warehouse economics

Filics’ emphasis on space savings of up to 30% addresses a growing concern in logistics as warehouse space becomes increasingly expensive and limited.