Manex AI Targets Autonomous Factory Control with €8M Backing

As industrial manufacturing faces growing challenges—ranging from talent shortages and supply chain disruptions to mounting cost pressures—Manex AI, based in Munich, has emerged with a focused goal: building a system that makes factories less dependent on manual oversight and more responsive through automation. Founded in early 2024 by Nathan Gruber and Dr. Andreas Schoch, the company has raised €8 million in seed funding, led by Lightspeed Venture Partners and BlueYard Capital, with additional support from Capmont Technology and CDTM Venture Fund.

From Factory Floor Friction to Software Precision

The idea behind Manex AI didn’t originate in a lab, but on the production floor of BMW. During his PhD at the company, Dr. Schoch observed that even highly structured processes suffered from blind spots in quality control that conventional software failed to address. These inefficiencies became the foundation for the platform that would eventually become Qualitatio, Manex AI’s central product.

Gruber, a graduate of Technical University of Munich (TUM) and a member of the Bavarian Elite Academy, combined academic rigor with practical consulting experience to shape a commercially grounded approach. Rather than pursuing abstract AI models, the team built and tested tools directly within BMW’s production environment, creating a solution that responded to real-world constraints.

A Nervous System for Manufacturing Operations

Qualitatio operates as a control hub across digital and physical layers in manufacturing. It integrates data from ERP, MES, and machine-level systems to autonomously adjust processes in real-time. When Audi faced irregular torque values during EV motor assembly, the software autonomously recalibrated robotic systems within minutes, maintaining workflow without human intervention.

The system's architecture rests on adaptive learning, cross-functional data integration, and autonomous corrective action. These elements allow it to function in diverse factory setups, including those with partial digital infrastructure. Through REST APIs and OPC UA compatibility, Qualitatio is designed to integrate with legacy systems, lowering the barrier to adoption for mid-sized manufacturers who cannot afford a full systems overhaul.

A Broader Industrial Vision Rooted in Munich

The startup’s evolution from Datagon AI to Manex AI—short for Manufacturing Excellence—signals its ambition to become a cornerstone of industrial automation. With its base in Munich, a city known for its concentration of engineering talent, R&D centers (like those of Siemens, MAN, and BMW), and deep-tech accelerators such as UnternehmerTUM, the company benefits from a dense innovation ecosystem.

As Gruber notes, having most of the initial client base within a short geographical range allowed rapid iteration and feedback—something that would be far more difficult in a dispersed global market. Clients like BSH Hausgeraete, Still, and TDK Electronics have already onboarded the technology.

Eyes on Expansion: Aerospace and Sustainability

Manex AI is now exploring applications beyond automotive, including aerospace and medical device manufacturing. In one early test with Stellantis, the platform enabled paint shops across three plants to synchronize operations, reducing VOC emissions by 18%—a result with environmental and regulatory relevance.

Lightspeed’s Alexander Schmitt emphasized the broader industry context: manufacturing is evolving from connected systems (Industry 4.0) to self-optimizing operations (Industry 5.0). In his view, the kind of control architecture Manex AI is developing may soon be as essential to production as operating systems are to computing.

Manex AI’s roadmap includes developing agents capable of identifying supply chain disruptions and rerouting production workflows in real time—bringing factories one step closer to operating autonomously across multiple sites and geographies.