TechCrunch Startup News MicroFactory built a tabletop manufacturing kit the size of a s dog crate; also, Nothing closes $200M Series C led by Tiger Global
Sep 16, 2025
Discover how MicroFactory is revolutionizing manufacturing with a compact kit that fits in a dog crate, using AI for training robotic arms. Meanwhile, the smartphone startup Nothing raises a whopping $200 million in a Series C funding round led by Tiger Global, catapulting its valuation to $1.3 billion. The discussions delve into the challenges and strategies both companies face in their journey for innovation and market expansion.
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Small Form Factor, Big Purpose
- MicroFactory built a compact, enclosed tabletop manufacturing kit roughly the size of a large dog crate for precision tasks.
- The design trades humanoid form for simpler hardware and AI while remaining general-purpose.
Train Robots By Demonstration
- Train robots by physically guiding the arms through complex motions to speed up learning for intricate tasks.
- This hands-on demonstration often takes hours but results in clearer robot behavior than lengthy traditional training.
Origin Story From Bitlighter
- Kulikov and Viktor Petrenko spun MicroFactory out of their experience running Bitlighter, a portable lighting manufacturer.
- Difficulty training new employees and AI advances pushed them to build the automated tabletop system.