AI-powered app-building platform Lovable has invested in Danish hardware startup Atech, a company aiming to extend the concept of “vibe coding” into physical hardware design and prototyping.

The investment was part of an $800,000 pre-seed funding round that also included participation from a16z’s Scout Fund, the Sequoia Scout Fund, and Nordic Makers.

Atech says its platform is designed to simplify hardware creation by allowing users to build prototypes through an AI-assisted workflow. Customers first purchase a starter hardware kit from the company, then interact with an AI chatbot on its platform to describe what they want to build.

The system then generates code and configuration instructions that help users turn their ideas into working physical prototypes.

According to Atech’s Head of Customer Experience, Gustav Hugod, the goal is to make hardware development as accessible as modern software creation, reducing reliance on specialised engineering expertise.

He explained that users range widely, from young beginners experimenting with simple machines to advanced innovators working on complex systems such as energy or sensing devices.

Traditionally, hardware development requires significant technical expertise, time, and financial resources. However, Atech believes that advances in AI are lowering that barrier, similar to how software development has become more accessible through generative tools.

Hugod added that the company’s broader mission is to democratise hardware creation, making it possible for more people to turn ideas into functional devices without needing deep engineering backgrounds.

The new funding will be used to expand research and development, strengthen marketing efforts, and grow the company’s engineering and product teams.