Kassel-based SWARM Biotactics, a German startup pioneering insect-powered robotics, has raised €10 million in seed funding, bringing its total capital to €13 million.
The round included participation from Vertex Ventures US, Possible Ventures, Capnamic, and other early backers.
Turning insects into intelligent agents for extreme environments
Founded in 2024, SWARM Biotactics develops living cockroach-based robots equipped with custom sensor backpacks. These bio-robots are designed to operate in environments inaccessible to conventional machines—such as collapsed infrastructure, denied zones, or disaster areas—by combining insect neurobiology, edge AI, and secure communication.
CEO Stefan Wilhelm emphasized that the company is building a new robotics category: “biologically integrated, AI-enabled, and mass-deployable systems for persistent intelligence.”
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From lab to the field: scaling and recruitment ahead
The newly raised funds will support SWARM Biotactics’s transition from R&D to deployment, with plans to work alongside defense and emergency response agencies in Europe and North America. The startup will scale production of its sensor platforms, open global hubs, and recruit experts in embedded AI, neurobiology, and robotics over the next year.
Dual-use applications for security and disaster response
While SWARM Biotactics’s applications have strong military relevance, its dual-use technology also suits industrial inspections and civilian emergency response. With headquarters in Germany and a U.S. subsidiary in San Francisco, the company is positioning itself for global impact in the emerging bio-robotics space.
