Swedish startup Encube AI has launched from stealth with a $23 million round led by Kinnevik, Inventure, and Promus Ventures.
The firm will expand across Europe and the U.S., accelerating its mission to simplify hardware engineering with AI-powered tools.
Building Smarter Hardware Design through AI
Founded in 2021 by Hugo Nordell (former Sandvik and Aker executive) and Johnny Bigert (ex-Skype and Klarna), Encube addresses one of hardware’s toughest challenges—balancing product aesthetics, performance, and manufacturability.
Its AI platform allows engineers to identify design choices that inflate costs or production complexity before finalizing them.
The system integrates real-time data into early-stage design processes, helping teams slash waste, shorten time-to-market, and reduce environmental impact.
The platform has already impressed industry giants like Volvo Group, Beyond Gravity, Scania, and Cognibotics.
Their pilots showed up to a 50% faster development cycle and approximately 20–30% lower production costs, validating Encube’s business potential.
Why Investors Are Betting on Encube?
Encube’s investors see an immediate opportunity in the growing need for manufacturing optimization amid reshoring and sustainability pressures.
Kinnevik’s investment director, Tatiana Shalalvand, stated that embedding AI directly into design workflows represents the next frontier for industrial innovation.
With European manufacturing battling labor shortages and rising costs, Encube’s offer of intelligent automation fits the moment.
The $23M funding will support three key goals:
Key Deal Facts
| Parameter | Details |
|---|---|
| Funding Round | $23 million (Seed/Series A) |
| Date | October 2025 |
| Lead Investors | Kinnevik, Inventure, Promus Ventures |
| Headquarters | Stockholm, Sweden |
| Founded | 2021 |
| Founders | Hugo Nordell, Johnny Bigert |
| Estimated Valuation | ~$100M |
| Industrial Partners | Volvo Group, Scania, Beyond Gravity |
| AICurator Rating | 8.7/10 (High innovation potential) |
| Use of Funds | AI R&D, European and U.S. commercial expansion |
| Previous Funding | Self-funded/Stealth stage |
Social Links
| Platform | Link |
|---|---|
| Website | www.getencube.com |
| linkedin.com/company/encube-ai | |
| X (Twitter) | twitter.com/encube_ai |
| Crunchbase | crunchbase.com/organization/encube |
What’s Next for Encube AI?
With fresh capital and validation from major engineering players, Encube is poised to shape the next era of digital hardware design.
Its browser-based AI platform aims to become the “Figma for manufacturing,” bringing intuitive collaboration to a field long burdened by complexity.
Still, the startup faces challenges—chiefly in scaling enterprise adoption and integrating with legacy industrial systems. If it can overcome those hurdles, Encube could become an indispensable AI player in smart manufacturing by 2026.
