AI for Manufacturing: Can Agents Take Over?

AI for Manufacturing: Can Agents Take Over?

Author: Hugo Rauch November 28, 2025 Duration: 49:02

This week on New Wave Weekly:

👉 Aris Machina lands a monster “pre-seed”

Founded by two former Northvolt leaders — including Peter Carlsson — Aris Machina wants to build the agent OS for manufacturing, unifying messy factory data into a global optimization layer. But can you really standardize manufacturing when every plant is different?

👉 AI for Manufacturing: hype cycle or real inflection?

Europe and the U.S. saw multiple rounds this week alone — Aris, Forges, Drift — as investors wake up to $8T in manufacturing inefficiency. But are we funding the next Palantir… or just fancy consulting with better branding?

👉 Is China already at “nine sigma”?

A live debate: Are Western factories actually decades behind? Some say China’s battery plants have already cracked near-zero-fault manufacturing — so what does that mean for European AI startups betting on yield optimization?

***

Wave Makers:

Jonny Everett - Marble

Matthew Blain - Voyager Ventures

Yair Reem - Extantia

Hugo Rauch - New Wave



This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit newwavenewsletter.substack.com

Hugo Rauch hosts New Wave, a podcast that lives at the intersection of business ambition and scientific reality. This isn't about distant predictions or abstract science; it's a grounded exploration of the technologies and companies being built right now to address our environmental future. Each episode focuses on the practical journey, dissecting the models, the breakthroughs, and the hard decisions that define the climate tech landscape. You'll hear from founders, researchers, and investors who are actively shaping this space, getting into the specifics of what works, what doesn't, and why. The conversations move beyond hype to examine the tangible mechanics of creating viable solutions, from energy storage and sustainable materials to carbon removal and regenerative agriculture. It’s for anyone who thinks about the climate challenge not just as a crisis, but as a complex and urgent field of innovation. By tuning into this podcast, you gain a clearer understanding of the economic forces and scientific principles driving the next generation of environmental solutions. New Wave connects the dots between the lab, the boardroom, and the impact we need to see in the world, offering a sober yet optimistic look at where substantive progress is truly being made.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 89

New Wave.
Podcast Episodes
Bridging the funding gap in biotech - Annick Verween (Biotope by VIB) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 42:33
Listen now on Apple, Spotify, and YouTube.***This week, we’re joined by Annick Verween, Head of Biotope at VIB, where she backs early-stage biotech startups working to improve planetary health. With Biotope recently name…
USA vs Europe: Who Wins In Climate? - Matthew Blain (Voyager Ventures) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 40:32
Listen now on Apple, Spotify, and YouTube.***Thank you to BioEsol for sponsoring this episode. 💚BioEsol is an AI-powered energy company bringing Energy-as-a-Service (EaaS) to industrial and SME clients, enabling energy a…
How to Exit a Deep Tech Startup - Matt Jones (Syensqo) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 20:10
Listen now on Apple, Spotify, and YouTube.***This week, we’re joined by Matt Jones, Managing Partner at Syensqo, to break down one of the toughest challenges in climate tech: how to exit.With 25 years of experience and a…
Climate Change Is a Social Issue - Alina Klarner (Impact Shakers) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 40:14
Listen now on Apple, Spotify, and YouTube.***Thank you to BioEsol for sponsoring this episode. 💚BioEsol is an AI-powered energy company bringing Energy-as-a-Service (EaaS) to industrial and SME clients, enabling energy a…
No One Pays for Green Anymore - Yair Reem (Extantia) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 45:45
Listen now on Apple, Spotify, and YouTube.***This week, we’re joined by Yair Reem, Partner at Extantia Capital, to break down why the green premium is dead, and what’s next for climate-tech startups. In this episode, we…
When VC Meets Nonprofit - Marion Schuppe (makesense) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 53:49
Listen now on Apple, Spotify, and YouTube.***While traditional VC prioritizes financial returns, makesense invest is proving that social and environmental impact can be at the core of investing, without sacrificing perfo…