AI app-building platform Lovable has invested in Danish hardware startup Atech as part of an $800,000 pre-seed funding round focused on simplifying hardware prototyping through AI-generated code. The round also included participation from a16z’s scout fund, Sequoia Scout Fund, and Nordic Makers.
Atech is developing a platform designed to apply the concept of “vibe coding” to hardware creation, allowing users to describe a hardware idea to an AI chatbot and receive code needed to build a working prototype.
In an interview with TechCrunch, Atech head of customer experience Gustav Hugod said the platform is designed to keep the process straightforward for users with varying levels of technical knowledge.
How The Platform Works
According to Hugod, users first purchase a starter hardware kit from Atech’s website based on the type of project they want to create. After receiving the kit, users open a browser tab on Atech’s platform and interact with an AI chatbot.
Users then describe the hardware concept they want to build. The AI system generates code intended to help assemble and operate a functional prototype.
Hugod said the platform currently serves a wide range of users and projects.
“Our user base is pretty broad right now,” Hugod told TechCrunch, “from four-year-olds building cars to a hydrogen synthesis plant that needs precise voltage sensing.”
The company’s approach attempts to reduce technical barriers typically associated with hardware engineering and embedded systems development.
Reducing Hardware Development Barriers
Hardware prototyping has traditionally required specialized engineering experience or access to experienced developers, often making the process expensive and difficult for non-engineers.
Hugod argued that software development has already gone through a major accessibility shift due to AI-assisted coding tools, and he believes hardware development may follow a similar path.
“As the accessibility gap of software has collapsed, so will the difficulty of building in the hardware space,” Hugod said.
He added that the company views hardware accessibility as an important part of broader technology democratization efforts.
“Hardware, in a democratized world, has to be available to everyone,” he said.
According to the company, the newly raised funding will support research and development, marketing efforts, and additional hiring.
Featured image credits: Magnific.com
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