miros Secures Pre-Seed Funding for On-Demand Workpods

miros, a Lausanne-based startup founded in 2023 and spun out of the EPFL (École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne) ecosystem, has announced the closing of a €1.1 million (CHF 1 million) Pre-Seed funding round. The capital injection, sourced from various business angels, will support the expansion of its network of connected workpods, designed to offer private and comfortable workspaces in public and semi-public environments.

miros's initiative addresses the growing demand for flexible solutions for an increasingly mobile workforce. Through its hardware and software platform, which includes a mobile app to locate, book, and access pods, the company positions itself as an innovative player in the modular workspace sector.

The Workpod Concept and miros's Vision

miros's workpods are designed to bring privacy, calm, and comfort to locations such as convention centers, airports, and hospitals. These autonomous and connected spaces represent a practical solution for professionals, students, or anyone needing a focused environment away from the distractions of common areas. The underlying technology platform facilitates management and access, making the user experience smooth and intuitive.

Dr. Fabio Zuliani, Founder and CEO of miros, highlighted a broader vision: “We start with pods, but the ambition goes far beyond that. We are looking at how commercial real estate itself can become flexible, modular, and on-demand. The pod is just the first building block. Seeing it already used throughout Switzerland and beyond makes that vision feel very real.” This perspective underscores a trend towards modularity and adaptability of spaces, a concept that also finds parallels in the world of IT infrastructure, where flexibility and the ability to scale on-demand are fundamental requirements.

Traction and Strategic Partnerships

Since its inception, miros has demonstrated significant traction, with 15 workpods already deployed and collaborations with prominent partners such as the SwissTech Convention Centre, Beaulieu, and Hôpital Riviera-Chablais. The company also validated its value proposition through Geneva Airport’s GVA Runway Lab open-innovation program, confirming a strong product-market fit.

On the manufacturing front, miros has established a partnership with Ducommun Menuisiers, initiated through the SyNNergy grant from Innovaud. The pods are designed in collaboration with Lakabi, a Lausanne-based furniture brand, and fully built in Switzerland. Further support from the Canton of Vaud has enabled the development of a new version made entirely from Swiss wood (Bois Suisse), reinforcing the company's commitment to local sourcing and production. miros has also taken its first international step with a pod deployed at Village by Crédit Agricole in Toulouse, France, since October, accumulating nearly 350 hours of total usage.

Future Prospects and Implications for Workspaces

The funds raised will be crucial for miros to accelerate the deployment of its workpod network across Switzerland, with a target of over 100 units by the end of 2026. The company plans to announce several new partnerships in the coming months, solidifying its presence in Switzerland and beyond. This expansion reflects a clear growth strategy and a commitment to meeting the needs of an evolving market.

miros's model, based on "on-demand" and distributed resources, offers interesting insights for companies evaluating space and resource optimization. Analogous to how digital infrastructures are moving towards more flexible and scalable models, physical environments are also evolving to support new ways of working. The ability to provide private and productive spaces exactly where and when they are needed can reduce fixed costs and increase efficiency, an increasingly relevant factor for decision-makers seeking agile and controlled solutions for their organizations.