AI-driven hardware design startup Encube has officially emerged from stealth with $23 million in funding to transform how hardware products are designed, validated, and brought to market.
The round was led by Inventure, with participation from Promus Ventures and Kinnevik. The company’s browser-based platform uses artificial intelligence to identify design decisions that could complicate manufacturing—helping engineering teams reduce costs, accelerate development, and explore a broader range of design options earlier in the process.
Reimagining the Future of Hardware Development
Founded by Hugo Nordell (former Sandvik executive) and Johnny Bigert (veteran of Skype and Klarna), Encube aims to eliminate inefficiencies that have long hindered hardware product development.
“Hardware design is a constant balancing act between how a product looks, how it performs, and what it costs to make,” said Nordell, Encube’s co-founder and CEO. “In Europe, we’re exceptional at the first two — but our manufacturing know-how is fading. I’ve seen how quickly production costs can spiral when early design decisions don’t account for manufacturability. We built Encube to change that.”
The startup’s collaborative platform integrates real-time decision-making and embedded AI that flags costly or inefficient design choices before they reach production. By automating traditionally manual processes, the system empowers engineers to focus on innovation rather than iteration.
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Proven Efficiency and Tangible Results
In pilot programs with partners across the industrial and space sectors, Encube’s technology has demonstrated:
- Up to 50% faster time-to-market
- 20–30% reduction in production costs
- 2x improvement in engineering productivity
The platform brings together design, engineering, and manufacturing teams within a shared workspace—replacing siloed workflows with a unified, intelligent environment that streamlines collaboration and drastically reduces late-stage rework.
Addressing Europe’s Manufacturing Challenges
Europe’s manufacturing industry is under pressure from geopolitical tensions, talent shortages, sustainability mandates, and supply chain fragmentation. At the same time, increasing regulatory complexity and environmental standards are driving demand for early, data-driven design intelligence.
The company’s approach directly addresses these issues, equipping companies with the tools to make smarter, more sustainable product decisions earlier in the lifecycle—before costs and constraints escalate.
Scaling AI for the Next Generation of Engineering
The $23M funding will fuel Encube’s European expansion, deepen partnerships with industrial leaders, and accelerate the development of hardware-specific AI capabilities that enhance manufacturability insights and predictive analytics.
“Encube sits at the intersection of two massive shifts: the digitalization of manufacturing and the rise of AI in engineering,” said Nordell. “Our mission is to make intelligent, collaborative design the new standard for hardware teams worldwide.”
About Encube
Encube is an AI-powered platform revolutionizing hardware design and manufacturing. By combining collaborative workflows with intelligent design analysis, Encube helps engineering teams make better decisions, reduce production complexity, and accelerate development. The company empowers innovators to create smarter, more efficient, and more sustainable hardware products — faster than ever before.
