Construction tech startup AUAR raises £5.1M in funding to make affordable housing accessible

Construction technology startup Automated Architecture (AUAR) has raised £5.1M to advance its mission of making sustainable, affordable housing accessible.

AUAR’s innovative platform, which combines automation, robotics, and a decentralized production model, enables homebuilders to reduce construction costs by 30–40% while eliminating key bottlenecks in the process. As the company enters a new phase of growth, it is expanding its team, growing its network of partners, and gearing up to launch operations in major European regions including Benelux, DACH, and the Nordics.

Traditional construction methods are struggling to meet growing housing demand across Europe, especially in countries like the UK and Germany, due to inefficiencies that increase costs and delay projects. Timber offers a fast, sustainable, and affordable alternative, but outdated manufacturing processes limit its potential.

AUAR addresses this gap with a scalable solution tailored for mid-sized homebuilders. Its compact robotic Micro-Factories can produce a home’s full timber structure in just 12 hours, cutting on-site labor by up to 75%. Powered by its MasterBuilder software, which links AI-driven design directly to robotic production, AUAR streamlines the entire building process—from planning to fabrication—reducing costs and timelines while increasing project control.

Founded in 2019 by Mollie Claypool and Gilles Retsin, AUAR combines deep industry expertise with cutting-edge tech to deliver a transformative approach to housing.

“AUAR is building a global, automated construction ecosystem for sustainable, affordable, and beautiful homes at scale, designed to plug into the way builders already work. By enabling the industry to build together, powered by robotics and artificial intelligence, we’re not just offering a new tool – we’re unlocking new possibilities for how homebuilders can grow, innovate, and deliver at scale.” said Mollie Claypool, Co-Founder and CEO of AUAR

AUAR’s Robotic Micro-Factories offer a breakthrough solution for an industry facing labour shortages and low productivity. These compact, mobile units automate the entire design and construction process using robotics and proprietary software, making scalable timber construction a reality. Each Micro-Factory produces modular timber-frame panels for walls, floors, and roofs that can be rapidly assembled on-site, significantly reducing overall construction costs.

This funding round is led by European early-stage venture fund Planet A with participation from Shadow Ventures, Common Magic and Concrete VC. Angel investors in this round include Margarita Skarkou, Carmel Rafaeli, Dorothy Chou, Sandro Gianella, and Luke Appleby. Previous investors Miles Ahead, ABB Robotics Ventures and Nicolas Bearelle also participated.

By 2030 AUAR aims to have built over 100,000 carbon-negative homes being produced by their customers in more than 10 geographies.