Zalando is now a strategic investor at Sereact, a provider of physical AI for warehouse robotics and manufacturing, underscoring the potential of the technology in meeting the logistical needs of Europe’s fashion industry.

Sereact said in a recent statement that Zalando, Europe’s leading technology platform for fashion and lifestyle, has joined its ongoing Series B round, bringing the total for this specific funding to $116 million.

The investment is seen as a validation of Sereact’s Cortex technology, a universal AI operating system that can run across multiple hardware forms such as single-arm picking cells, dual-arm return stations, and humanoid robots.

Zalando, which was founded in 2008, has over 62 million active customers shopping at more than 7,000 brands across 29 markets.

“Zalando’s investment confirms that the foundation we’re building Cortex on—real production data from live deployments—is the right path,” said Marc Tuscher, chief technology officer and co-founder at Sereact.

Sereact said the additional capital will be used to scale the next generation of its robotic brain called Cortex 2.0, a model which the company promises would be able to anticipate physical outcomes, project the trajectories of risks and efficiencies, and “plan movements before the robot even acts.”

“This strategic investment underscores Zalando’s commitment to supporting European technology companies, driving industry innovation, and shaping the standards of modern e-commerce,” said Masood Choudhry, senior vice president for logistics at Zalando.

Over 200 Cortex systems are already currently live across Europe, the company said, noting that the funding will also allow them further international expansion. Its customers include Daimler Truck, Mercedes-Benz, and BMW.

The Series B financing round was led by Headline in April this year, with participation from BullhoundCapital, Daphni, and FelixCapital, alongside returning investors AirStreetCapital, Creandum, and PointNine.

With Zalando’s participation, Sereact, which was founded in 2021 in Germany, has now raised over $145 million to date.

“We’re delighted that Zalando is now a strategic investor. That’s a strong signal to the market: companies that focus on operational excellence believe in our technologies,” said Dr. Ralf Gulde, CEO and co-founder at Sereact.