120ft raises angel funding to build autonomous microfactories run by humanoid robots

A Swedish robotics startup named 120ft Factory AB has secured 576,000 euros in funding from 22 angel investors to develop autonomous microfactories powered by humanoid robots. The company constructs compact factories that fit inside three 40-foot shipping containers, leading to its naming convention. Instead of purchasing robots, customers pay for each finished product, while retaining their component suppliers who transport parts to the 120ft facility for final assembly, inspection, and packaging.

The startup aims to target design-focused consumer brands, such as manufacturers of small appliances and electronics, whose production processes often involve months-long lead times and global supply chains, posing geopolitical risks.

120ft's innovative approach involves using software to convert product designs, parts lists, and quality requirements into digital instructions. These instructions are first simulated to identify missing information and bottlenecks, ensuring a smoother production process. Once production begins, the company's orchestration software manages the robots, tooling, quality checks, and task coordination in case of failures.

The company has successfully demonstrated this system on a lamp, showcasing robots assembling a cylinder lock and threading the bulb fitting before conducting a functional test.

120ft's robots can learn an end-to-end assembly skill in just seven weeks, a process that has reduced to just seven hours since 2025. The startup's goal for 2027 is to achieve this skill in just seven minutes. Martin Willers, the founder and CEO of 120ft, began the Stockholm-based company in 2025 and has previously built hardware design firm People People AB and co-founded Transparent AB, a Swedish maker of repairable, upgradable speakers.

Willers encountered the same ordering problem while working at Transparent, where a speaker maker faced months of waiting for thousands of products before knowing which colors customers preferred most.

The initial funding will be used to reach commercial production and further develop the company's software and factory infrastructure. Looking ahead, 120ft plans to expand its local production model to repair, upgrades, and remanufacturing. The startup aims to bring this decentralized manufacturing capacity to Europe, addressing industrial autonomy concerns.

Among the 22 angel investors in 120ft are Ted Persson, Sophia Bendz, and Matthias Dantone, who recognize the importance of tooling, software, and quality control in addition to the robots themselves. Sam Baker of Planet A Ventures, with extensive experience in manufacturing, also supports the initiative, seeing decentralized manufacturing as part of Planet A's broader strategy for Europe to regain industrial independence.