Vienna’s Silana, a startup creating the world’s first sewing robot, secured €1.5 million to improve garment production. This aims to tackle poor working conditions in the industry. SOSV, a DeepTech investor, led the funding round. The capital will accelerate robot development for launch next year.
Currently, garment production is entirely manual, leading to relocations to Southeast Asia due to lower labor costs. Silana’s robots will allow European producers to bring manufacturing back closer to consumers, reducing transportation emissions and waste.
Silana’s founders have extensive experience. Michael Mayr (COO) comes from a family running Austria’s largest fashion retailer. Michael Hofmannrichter (CEO) previously worked in sustainable fiber production investment. Anton Wohlgemuth (CTO) is a former research scientist with software and hardware engineering expertise.
Silana’s robots will automate all stages of clothing production, from fabric rolls to finished T-shirts. They have already received pre-orders for nearly 200 machines, capable of producing 30 million T-shirts annually. The company plans to expand its product line beyond T-shirts in the coming years. With a growing team, Silana is seeking ambitious engineers to join their mission of revolutionizing the textile industry.
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