Difacto Financing: Robotics company Difacto raises $4.8 million from Stakeboat Capital

Difacto Robotics and Automation has secured Rs 40 crore (approximately $4.8 million) from private equity firm Stakeboat Capital in its first round of funding.

Ajay Gopalswamy, founder and CEO of the Bengaluru-based company, told ET that the money will be used for expansion in sectors such as automobiles, home appliances and electronics as investments and production volumes increase.

“The Indian automotive industry is one of many areas where robotization is used. Annual growth is expected to be 12.7%, reaching $512 billion by 2026,” Gopalswamy said. “It can also contribute 12% to our country’s GDP. With our established market dominance and track record of achievement, we see a strong growth trajectory here.

Difacto, founded in 2007, operates in four key segments – welding systems, material handling systems, foundry and machine handling systems, and fluid dispensing systems. Its clients include Mahindra Group, Tata Group, Maruti Suzuki and Toyota India.

In FY24, the company’s sales touched Rs 175 crore. This figure is expected to increase to Rs 225 crore in FY25, Gopalswamy said.

With three factories in Bengaluru and branches in Pune and Gurgaon, Difacto operates globally. It also has a subsidiary in Troy, Michigan, USA.

The company has completed over 1,000 projects for approximately 300 clients in 15 countries. Before founding Difacto, Gopalswamy spent over thirty years in the robotics and industrial automation industry, working in organizations such as Defense Research and Development Organization (DRDO), Inteltek Automation, ABB Robotics and Fanuc India.

Stakeboat Capital is a Bengaluru-based private equity fund focusing on Indian companies at the lower end of the mid-market. Other companies he has supported include Newgen KnowledgeWorks, Ozonotel and Leadsquared.