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Koobz, a leader in additive manufacturing for footwear, has successfully completed its Seed funding round, securing $7.2 million in total capital. The Ventura-based startup will leverage these funds to advance its manufacturing infrastructure, focusing on producing U.S.-made shoes powered by AI, robotics, and large-scale 3D printing.
Uncork Capital led the round, joined by Cake Ventures, Antler, V1, Karman Ventures, Pathbreaker Ventures, and Anorak Ventures. These partners share a commitment to transformative manufacturing as a pillar of the future American industrial landscape.
With this investment, Koobz will relocate to a new Ventura headquarters, marking a significant step beyond its original garage-based operations. The new facility will host Koobz’s inaugural MVP factory, featuring 800 industrial 3D printers and aiming to deliver 200,000 pairs of shoes by the close of 2026—just the starting point for Koobz’s ambitious trajectory.
Traditional footwear production is notoriously inefficient, involving 70 to 200 parts, 300 to 700 assembly steps, and product launches that routinely take 18 to 24 months. Dependence on complex tooling, overseas labor, and large inventories no longer meets the expectations of today’s consumers.
Koobz redefines this model with streamlined, fully automated processes. Adopting a single-piece design and only two core production steps, Koobz replaces manual labor with automation. Its end-to-end digital workflow empowers brands, influencers, and creators to design, prototype, and launch new products within days—eliminating the need for molds or minimum runs.
With Koobz, there’s no tooling, no inventory, and no delay between concept and customer delivery. Orders are fulfilled on demand, initiating production the moment a customer makes a purchase. Koobz aims to provide a seamless, Shopify-like experience for footwear, complete with integrated manufacturing and logistics.
The company is also committed to U.S.-based production, minimizing supply chain emissions, reducing reliance on foreign manufacturing, and creating domestic jobs. The expansion to the new Ventura headquarters highlights Koobz’s drive to scale a clean, efficient, fully American supply chain.
Much like other platform innovators, Koobz is building an ecosystem that enables a wide spectrum of creators—from independent designers to established brands—to access advanced footwear manufacturing. The platform removes all entry barriers, so entrepreneurs can concentrate on creativity and growth while Koobz manages production, fulfillment, and returns.
