Bestseller leads 20 million dollar Softwear Automation funding round

Danish fashion giant Bestseller has led a 20 million dollar Series B1 funding round for Softwear Automation, a firm dedicated to autonomous sewing technology that is currently moving towards the commercialisation of its offering.

Alongside the strategic investment, which was made via Bestseller’s Invest FWD scheme, Thomas Børglum Jensen, the chief financial officer of the group, has joined the board of Softwear Automation. Bestseller, which owns brands like Jack & Jones and Vero Moda, was joined by current investors, such as CTW Venture Partners and SRI Capital, in participating in the funding.

For Softwear Automation, the investment comes at a notable time, as the company continues to progress towards commercialising its fully-automated Sewbot worklines. The patented technology enables sewn products to be made closer to the consumer, a press release said, speeding up cycle times and ensuring cost-efficiency.

The company said it would use the funding to move into new product categories and geographies, expand its R&D capabilities and scale to meet growing global demand.

For Bestseller, meanwhile, the partnership reflects efforts to improve its supply chain model in terms of transparency and environmental impact. The group plans to leverage the Sewbot technology to make the move towards more demand-driven production practices.

In a statement, Jensen said: “Softwear Automation is helping address some of the key challenges we face across the industry – from speed and flexibility to lowering environmental impact. We're pleased to support their development and explore how this technology can help us move forward."