Atech and Lovable Revolutionize Hardware with "Vibe Coding"

The Danish startup Atech recently raised $800,000, approximately €681,000, in a pre-seed funding round to develop an innovative technology: "vibe coding" applied to physical hardware. This concept, which has already proven itself in software development, now aims to cross the boundaries of the physical world through Atech's initiative.

Founded in 2026, Atech is based between Copenhagen and Stockholm. The company offers a model where users can purchase a hardware starter kit on their website. Then, via a chatbot, they describe in natural language the project they wish to undertake. The artificial intelligence generates the firmware, guides the wiring, and assists the user until they achieve a functional prototype. A concrete example of this technology is a Pomodoro timer prototype generated with Atech's tool.

The funding round was led by Nordic Makers and Emblem, with participation from Lovable, as well as scout funds from Sequoia and a16z. Anton Osika, CEO of Lovable, also personally invested in this project. He sees in Atech signs similar to those that preceded Lovable's success, with a 100% Nordic deal structure and European ambitions.

Gustav Hugod, head of user experience at Atech, emphasizes the diversity of potential users: from four-year-old children building toy cars to hydrogen synthesis factories requiring precise voltage sensors. This broad user base may narrow as the company refines its offering.

The first hardware kits will be available in July, but it is already possible to generate prototypes via Atech's application. However, transitioning from software to hardware is not without challenges. Hardware involves additional complexities that "vibe coding" must overcome. A bug in an application can be easily fixed, but a defect in a printed circuit board can damage components or pose safety risks.

In Europe, the hardware prototyping market is already well established. Companies like STMicroelectronics, which is Franco-Italian with headquarters in Geneva and a fab in Crolles, dominate the sector. Greenwaves Technologies in Grenoble is working on AI edge MCUs, while Sipearl in Maisons-Laffitte designs the Rhea processor for the EuroHPC supercomputer. French FabLabs, such as Usine IO in Paris and Faclab in Cergy, have been supporting makers for years. Atech thus fits into an existing ecosystem but offers a new approach that could lower the entry barrier for hardware prototyping, similar to what Arduino achieved in 2005.

Atech's promise is to replace soldering and embedded C with natural language, making prototyping accessible to a broader audience. Although this promise relies on a funding round of $800,000 and lacks a verifiable public demo, it is serious enough for an investor worth $6.6 billion to believe in it and write a check.