AUAR, a construction tech startup based in the UK, just raised £5.1 million to expand its network of robotic micro-factories, a bold move to speed up and clean up the way we build homes.
Instead of relying on centralised production or traditional construction, AUAR rolls out compact, AI-powered robotic micro-factories that local builders can rent. Each unit produces a full timber structure of a home in just 12 hours, slashing on-site labour by up to 75% and reducing construction costs by up to 40%.
This model doesn’t just save time and money, it flips the current system on its head. Rather than scaling massive factory infrastructure, AUAR brings production to where homes are built. With rising housing demand across Europe, especially in markets like the UK and Germany, the company positions its micro-factory approach as faster, cheaper, and significantly more sustainable.
AUAR uses its proprietary MasterBuilder software to connect AI-enhanced designs directly to robotic production. That means builders can automate everything from the planning phase to physical assembly, avoiding manual bottlenecks, controlling quality, and delivering faster builds without losing precision.
The £5.1 million seed round was led by Planet A and backed by Shadow Ventures, Concrete VC, Common Magic, and angel investors like Margarita Skarkou and Dorothy Chou. Past investors, including ABB, Miles Ahead, and Nicolas Bearelle also participated.
With these funds, AUAR plans to scale its micro-factory footprint across Europe, focusing on key regions like Benelux, the DACH area, and the Nordics. The company is also growing its team and strengthening its partner ecosystem.
Co-founder and CEO Mollie Claypool says AUAR is building “a global, automated construction ecosystem” that delivers affordable, sustainable, and beautiful timber homes at scale. The company’s tech plugs into how builders already operate, without requiring major process overhauls.
The platform allows builders to produce modular timber panels for walls, floors, and roofs, components that can be quickly assembled on-site into finished homes. This design-to-fabrication pipeline gives builders more control over costs and timelines while improving productivity across the entire construction value chain.
In the past year alone, AUAR supported over 300 housing projects, completed several builds in Belgium, and kicked off the creation of ConstrucThor, its new R&D facility focused on pushing the boundaries of robotic construction.
Backers believe the company’s use of robotic micro-factories solves three of construction’s biggest pain points: speed, cost, and sustainability. Sam Baker, Investor at Planet A, says AUAR “delivers automation directly inside the industry” and brings “a rare mix of breakthrough technology and market-ready economics.”
AUAR now sets its sights on an ambitious goal: building more than 100,000 carbon-negative homes by 2030 across over 10 different countries, produced locally by its growing customer base of builders using its micro-factory model.
As housing challenges deepen across Europe and beyond, AUAR’s robotic micro-factories offer more than just new tech, they’re reshaping how the industry delivers homes.
