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SAEKI to transform large-scale manufacturing

As global supply chains grapple with increasing pressures and rising costs, manufacturing is at a crucial turning point. Industries such as aerospace, automotive, and construction face long lead times and high costs for large-format components, relying on fragmented supply chains and labour-intensive processes.

Manufacturing automation company SAEKI has announced a $6.7 million seed funding round to tackle these challenges through its innovative approach to digital manufacturing.

The funding round was led by Lightbird, with participation from Founderful, 2100VC, Danobat, and several high-profile business angels.

Unlike traditional manufacturers that depend on manual processes, SAEKI integrates large-scale additive manufacturing with precision CNC machining in a unified production system. This hybrid approach allows the company to deliver precision-engineered components in days rather than weeks, while maintaining stringent quality standards through automated inspection. By incorporating automated quality assurance, SAEKI ensures every part meets industry specifications, enabling faster delivery times and improved cost efficiency for large-format components.

SAEKI has also launched its instant quoting platform, allowing customers to upload designs, configure requirements, and receive immediate pricing for precision-engineered parts. By eliminating traditional quoting bottlenecks, the company has reduced the procurement cycle from days to minutes.

Andrea Perissinotto, Co-Founder and CEO of SAEKI, commented: “There’s an exponential and widening divide between what we can design and what we can actually build. While engineers can now use AI to create hundreds of optimised designs, legacy manufacturing simply can’t deliver these components cost-effectively. By automating the entire process, from quoting to final inspection, to make these advanced designs manufacturable at scale. Our mission at SAEKI is to make manufacturing faster, more efficient, and more reliable. By integrating additive manufacturing with CNC machining and quality assurance, we’re giving industries the tools they need to innovate without constraints. This isn’t just about making parts; it’s about reshaping the way industries approach production. This is a defining moment for European manufacturing as we set out to build a future with fully autonomous factories.”

SAEKI’s roots are in hands-on manufacturing experience. Perissinotto began his career in his uncle’s workshop, where he saw firsthand how traditional production relied on a limited pool of highly skilled craftsmen with decades of experience. “We saw an opportunity to integrate advanced manufacturing technologies to overcome these limitations and scale production efficiently,” said Perissinotto. “The existing processes demand decades of experience and are incredibly hard to scale. With AI and robotics, we’re now able to abstract and automate these skills.”

SAEKI was founded by Andrea Perissinotto (CEO), Oliver Harley (CTO), and Dr Matthias Leschok (COO) during their studies at ETH Zürich. They identified an opportunity to bring industrial-scale efficiency to large-format additive manufacturing and CNC machining, making production faster and more cost-effective.

SAEKI’s technology-driven approach not only reduces waste and shortens lead times, but also supports the reshoring of critical manufacturing capabilities to Europe. By minimising reliance on overseas suppliers, the company aligns with broader industry trends towards sustainability and supply chain resilience.

The potential for SAEKI and the wider industry is considerable. One of Switzerland’s largest construction groups has noted that the country would need at least three or four more companies like SAEKI to meet demand for its formwork products. A global automotive manufacturer reported that using SAEKI’s 3D-printed composite tooling reduced its production schedule by two weeks. The speed of delivery – one week compared to six weeks from traditional suppliers – presents a clear opportunity.

Thomas Meier, Partner at Lightbird, said: The company’s focus on large-format manufacturing is particularly timely, as sectors like aerospace and construction face increasing demand for complex, high-performance parts. Global supply chains are under pressure, with rising costs and delays becoming the norm. We believe that SAEKI’s ability to deliver high-quality components quickly and reliably sets a new standard for the industry.”

The investment will accelerate SAEKI’s development of autonomous factories that integrate quoting, 3D printing, machining, and inspection into a seamless process.

Alex Stöckl, Partner at Founderful, added: We share SAEKI’s vision of European dynamism and strengthening Switzerland’s manufacturing position. Their interdisciplinary team has shown remarkable progress, demonstrating the potential to reshape industrial production.”