Why did we invest in Filics?
At Sandwater, we’re always on the lookout for deeply technical teams building long-term change in their industry.
Automation in logistics isn’t a new concept, but true, full autonomy is still rare. Most “autonomous” robots in warehouses today follow fixed paths in highly controlled environments, need extensive retrofitting and don’t adapt well to spatial constraints. Filics is building something different: a fully AI-enabled, end-to-end robotics platform with novel hardware designed to fit seamlessly into existing logistics process flows. This all while being the most space-efficient solution in the market.From the first conversation, it was clear the Filics team had cracked a fundamental problem: how to make mobile robotics not just smart, but space-conscious, scalable and easy to deploy.Why now?Global logistics is at a breaking point. E-commerce growth continues to outpace infrastructure and labor shortages are only accelerating the demand for flexible, autonomous solutions that can scale. Warehouses need to do more with less: they need less space, fewer workers, faster timelines and tighter margins.Filics meets that need with:Radical space efficiency – their robots operate in ways traditional AGVs and AMRs simply can’t AI-native architecture – no external beacons, no fixed tracks, just adaptive autonomy Lower cost and energy use – better unit economics and a more sustainable footprint The result? Higher throughput, lower operating costs and faster deployment for their customers.Impact is built inWhat also drew us to the company is that Filics doesn’t just build for efficiency - they build with purpose. Their theory of change is twofold:Social impact – by reducing the need for workers in hazardous or unpleasant environments Climate impact – by designing robots that are less energy- and material-intensive than legacy systems The team behind the visionAs always, the ultimate reason we invest is the team. The founders of Filics bring a rare mix of deep technical expertise and on-the-ground operational insight. They understand both robotics and the real-world messiness of warehouse logistics and they’re obsessed with designing hardware with tedious attention to detail to yield a product that actually works at scale.What’s nextFilics is already seeing strong traction in their initial commercial phase with customers such as DHL and BOSCH and we believe they’re on the path to becoming a champion in next-generation warehouse automation. We are excited to join Capnamic, 10x and Bayern Kapital on the cap table alongside Alven, Amazon and F-LOG, and we’re proud to support Filics on this journey.