MESH, a Switzerland-based provider of intuitive software and modular robotics for rebar fabrication, has raised $3.8M (CHF 2.9M) in seed funding from Sika, ABB Robotics Ventures, Apprecia Capital, Shimizu Corporation, buildify.earth, and Aargauische Kantonalbank. The platform spans production planning (PLAN), machine tending (ACTUATE), tying/welding (NODE), and assembly (ASSEMBLE), enabling no-programming automation from BIM designs to finished rebar cages. The funds will accelerate global scaling and hiring in robotics and sales.
Construction Robotics Funding Accelerates
MESH's raise aligns with surging investor interest: Bedrock Robotics secured $270M Series B in February 2026 at a $1.75B valuation, while construction robotics VC hit $1.36B in Q1-Q3 2025, up 125% YoY per ZACUA Ventures. Toggle Robotics previously raised $15M for offsite rebar pre-assembly. MESH differentiates via end-to-end, factory-focused automation with seamless design integration.
Rebar Labor Shortages Spur Automation
Manual rebar work faces chronic labor shortages and safety risks, driving demand for robotics in prefabrication. MESH's systems have processed over 1M rebar elements, including deployments in Switzerland's Gotthard Road Tunnel project per Sika announcement. Traditional methods rely on skilled labor prone to injury, while robotic ties exceed manual strength with online quality checks.
No-Code Platform Bridges Design Gap
MESH's PLAN software integrates with MES/ERP and BIM/IFC formats for one-click production planning. ACTUATE handles cut-and-bend tending at 1,250 kg/hour, compatible with existing machines. NODE and ASSEMBLE enable tying, welding, and cage assembly without operator programming, contrasting on-site robots like Advanced Construction Robotics' TyBOT that focus on tying alone.
As MESH CEO Ammar Mirjan noted:
"The partnership with Sika… marks a key turning point for MESH to scale our technology globally."
Strategic Investors Signal Validation
Sika, a construction chemicals leader, took a stake to pair robotics with its materials for precast efficiency via GlobeNewswire. ABB Robotics Ventures brings automation expertise, Shimizu adds global construction scale, and Apprecia focuses on deep tech impact. This mix provides mission-aligned capital for factory integrations over pure growth bets.
Factory Robotics Market Scales Rapidly
The construction robotics market stands at $1.30B in 2026, projected to reach $11.14B by 2040 at 15.39% CAGR per Roots Analysis. Another estimate pegs it at $7.79B with 18.9% CAGR via Research and Markets. Trends favor prefabrication amid infrastructure booms and labor gaps, positioning MESH's modular cells for rebar shops and precast firms.
ETH Spin-Off Founders Drive Innovation
Co-founders Ammar Mirjan (CEO, PhD Architecture) and Mattis Koh (COO, Mechanical Engineering) developed MESH's core from ETH Zurich's patented Mesh Mould process at Gramazio Kohler Research per company about page. Their 10+ years in robotic construction directly birthed the no-formwork rebar tech, now commercialized as an ETH spin-off with ~10 employees.
Hiring Signals Global Expansion
Post-funding, MESH seeks a Lead Robotics Engineer, Sales Director, Mechatronics Engineer, and Technical Project Manager in Birr, Switzerland via LinkedIn. Deployments like SABAG AG's 9-month NODE run (thousands of cages for tunneling) and first on-site welding pilot pave the way for broader adoption per company posts.