Paderborn university spin-off receives investment
Making efficient warehouse management possible for small and medium-sized companies with the help of warehouse robots - that is the aim of five graduates from Paderborn University. With a modular warehouse robot, the start-up "Cellgo" is creating an innovation for SMEs in the region and is aiming for international customers. They have now been able to convince a number of investors with their idea.
Warehouse automation made easy
Small and medium-sized companies are currently facing a major challenge: due to the enormous costs of warehouse space, they can hardly keep up with competing large automated logistics centres. Warehouse management is usually still carried out manually, employees have to monitor stocks and pick and transfer small parts themselves.
The start-up "Cellgo" has recognised this problem and developed a modular automated warehouse system that can also implement an automated warehouse for medium-sized companies. This automated storage system automates the storage and transport of goods and small parts. Designed for Euronorm containers, intelligent undercarriage robots can move the goods dynamically from the associated warehouse to any station. This saves valuable time, space and labour resources.
Numerous investors for the young start-up
The team has now celebrated a major success. They have impressed a number of investors with their modular automated storage system: v.Wedel GmbH from Obertshausen, TK-World AG from Paderborn, Wahl & Co from Bielefeld and the two private investors Christian Seewald from kaave GmbH and Dr Christian Schäferbarthold from Schäferbarthold GmbH in the Ostwestfalen-Lippe region have invested in the start-up. The financing round is currently being expanded by US automation expert Chris Lingamfelter from Robot Advisors. They were able to present their innovation to an international audience at LogiMAT, Europe's largest trade fair for intralogistics solutions and process management, last spring. "In our discussions with SMEs, we were often told that warehouse automation is almost always worthwhile. The reasons include the increasing complexity of logistics and the lack of skilled labour," says co-founder Christoph Dreesbach.
From Silicon Valley to East Westphalia-Lippe
Idea generator and initiator Lukas Puls brought the idea for the automated storage system with him from a stay abroad in Silicon Valley. There he recognised the need for smaller automation systems. Back in Paderborn, he visited a small parts warehouse and wanted to turn his idea into reality. Together with mechanical engineering student Malik Hafez, he worked on realising his idea. IT student Bhuvan Sharma supported them and industrial engineer Christoph Dreesbach also became part of the start-up. The founders Malik and Bhuvan were still completing their studies in mechanical engineering and information technology in the initial phase of the start-up. Finally, mechanical engineer Finn Buttgereit joined them as the last co-founder. The Cellgo start-up team has now grown to 13 people, who benefit from a modern working environment with flexible workspace and time models. In recent years, they have received an "EXIST research transfer" grant and an "EXIST start-up grant" from the state of North Rhine-Westphalia and have moved into an office in garage33, the start-up centre at Paderborn University. Here they receive coaching and specialist input as well as access to the "Maker Room", where the storage machine can be continuously developed under expert guidance in terms of prototype production.
The team can be found at the Paderborn Start-up Summit "moonshots & moneten" on 15 and 16 February. Further information on the event can be found on the event website
This text has been translated automatically.
