MotorSkins
MotorSkins is a Berlin-based soft-robotics company developing fluid-driven textile actuators that function as external muscles and haptic interfaces without batteries or motors, serving automotive HMI, sports, medical, PPE, and aerospace clients.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2018
- HeadquartersBerlin, Germany
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What MotorSkins does
MotorSkins is a Berlin-based soft-robotics company that builds fluid-driven textile actuators functioning as external muscles and haptic interfaces. Founded in 2018 at Weißensee Kunsthochschule Berlin's DesignFarm, the company produces multilayer textiles with embedded hydraulic circuits that change shape in response to stimuli, drawing inspiration from plant hygroscopic movement and seed capsule mechanics. The technology requires no electronic components such as batteries or motors, with actuation energy harvested passively from user movement — for example, the company's exosuit concept uses each step's potential energy to power the next through fluid chambers below the foot.
The product portfolio is built on a single underlying platform — fluidic soft robotic textile actuators — and is applied across multiple use cases: the Dynamic Massage Garment for calf compression and circulation; the Activesst Smart Cooling Vest for thermal load management (originally developed for aerospace); textile Haptic Interfaces for human-machine interaction; the Automotive Metahaptics platform, which was featured in the Lotus Theory 1 vehicle; and a Motor-Free Soft Exoskeleton for mobility assistance. The company operates a horizontal segmentation strategy, targeting automotive HMI, sports and medical, PPE/work safety, and consumer smart wearables.
MotorSkins has historically been funded through non-dilutive German government grants (EXIST-Gründerstipendium, Berliner Startup Stipendium, a €50,000 Gründungs-BONUS, and the INVEST business angel tax incentive) rather than traditional venture capital. Its GTM is sales-led, centered on POC co-development with enterprise clients and custom-built prototypes across automotive, aerospace, sports, medical, PPE, and HMI applications. In 2024 the company was acquired by Born GmbH, a German knitting engineering firm, to merge its soft robotic textile IP with Born's advanced knitting and e-textile manufacturing capabilities; the legal entity remains Motorskins GmbH (HRB 223784 B, Amtsgericht Charlottenburg), headquartered at Bouchéstraße 12/Halle 20, 12435 Berlin.
MotorSkins firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- MotorSkins
- Legal name
- MOTORSKINS UG
- Website
- https://motorskins.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2018
- Operating status
- Acquired
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- MotorSkins is a Berlin-based soft-robotics company developing fluid-driven textile actuators that function as external muscles and haptic interfaces without batteries or motors, serving automotive HMI, sports, medical, PPE, and aerospace clients.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
MotorSkins industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Soft Robotic Textiles and Wearable Actuators
- NAICS
- Fluid Power Cylinder and Actuator Manufacturing (333995)
- SIC
- Special Industry Machinery (No Metalworking Machinery) (3550)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Actuators & Motion Devices (Linear, Rotary, Electric Actuators for Motion Control) (IMAHAGAG)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Linear Motion & Mechanical Power Transmission (Ball/roller screws, linear guides, bearings, couplings) (IMAHAGAM)
Keywords
Where MotorSkins is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Berlin
- HQ country
- Germany
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
MotorSkins business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Technology or R&D, Personnel, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Operations
Revenue model
- Custom Product Development: MotorSkins develops custom-made solutions and prototypes for clients through co-development partnerships. The company works with customers across industries to create tailored soft robotic textile products.
- Soft Robotic Textiles: Production and sale of active garments functioning as external muscles and haptic interfaces for sports, medical, PPE, HMI, and automotive applications.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels5 records
MotorSkins product offering
Product offeringCore offering
MotorSkins produces fluid-driven soft robotic textile actuators that function as external muscles and haptic interfaces for wearables and human-machine interaction. The company develops custom-made solutions and prototypes through co-development partnerships with enterprise clients across automotive, sports, medical, PPE, and HMI industries. Core technology uses hydraulic circuits sealed within multilayer textiles that harvest energy from user movement without batteries or motors.
Product overview
MotorSkins is a soft-robotics company specializing in fluid-driven textile-based autonomous garments that function as external muscles and haptic interfaces. The core product is the Fluidic Soft Robotic Textile Actuator platform, which powers multiple application products including the Dynamic Massage Garment (compression therapy for calves), the Activesst Smart Cooling Vest (thermal regulation), Haptic Interfaces (human-machine interaction), Automotive Metahaptics (in-vehicle touch feedback), and Motor-Free Soft Exoskeletons (mobility assistance). The technology uses bio-inspired hydraulic circuits sealed within multilayer textiles, harvesting energy from user movement without batteries or motors. The company was acquired by Born GmbH in 2024 to combine MotorSkins' fluid-driven soft robotic textiles with Born's cutting-edge knitting technologies and e-textiles.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Fluidic Soft Robotic Textile Actuators Active garments functioning as external muscles and haptic interfaces, powered by embedded fluidic systems that harvest energy from user movement without batteries or motors. Core technology platform underlying all MotorSkins products.
- Dynamic Massage Garment Compression garment for calf muscles providing gentle intermittent compression while walking to improve circulation, assist with oedema, accelerate sports recovery, and prevent deep vein thrombosis.
- Activesst Smart Textile-based Cooling Vest Next-generation thermal load management system providing active and autonomous thermal regulation based on physiological and environmental factors. Originally developed for aerospace applications.
- Haptic Interfaces Textile-based Human Machine Interfaces for automotive and everyday use applications, featuring on-demand soft reconfigurable interfaces that can sense and react to touch, disappear and emerge on demand.
- Automotive Metahaptics Haptic feedback systems for vehicles enabling drivers to receive real-time, touch-based alerts and notifications to reduce visual distractions during driving.
- Motor-Free Soft Exoskeleton Bio-inspired passive exosuit that harvests potential energy from a person's gait, using each step to power the next one, designed to assist walking for those with muscle weakness or movement difficulties.
Companies that use MotorSkins
Customer profileNamed customers1 record
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles1 record
MotorSkins technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature5 records
MotorSkins partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- ComSensuscoreMotorSkins partnered with ComSensus on the Galactica Project to develop an active thermal load management system for space suits, preventing health threatening situations. Funded by EU Horizon 2020.
- Plug and Play JapanminorMotorSkins joined Plug and Play Japan, an innovation platform serving as a bridge between Japan and the global innovation ecosystem.
- ITL-studio (Netherlands)minorMotorSkins partnered with ITL-studio from the Netherlands on the 'haptic Vision' project which won funding to prove motorskins technology in haptics for fashion for a Mini garment collection.
- Born GmbHcoreMotorSkins has been acquired by Born GmbH, combining MotorSkins' fluid-driven soft robotic textiles with Born's cutting-edge knitting technologies and e-textiles. This acquisition aims to redefine innovation across sports, medical, PPE, HMI, and automotive industries.
Scale indicators1 record
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
MotorSkins competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Seismic: Seismic makes powered 'sup suits' that integrate discreet robotics into everyday apparel to augment strength and balance. Both companies compete in the soft-exoskeleton / wearable-muscle category for consumer and medical mobility assistance.
- HaptX: HaptX builds microfluidic-driven haptic gloves for VR, robotics, and industrial training. Closely comparable to MotorSkins in using fluid-based actuation to deliver realistic tactile feedback in HMI applications.
- Bionic Power: Bionic Power develops wearable robotic devices that harvest energy from human movement to assist mobility — directly comparable to MotorSkins' gait-harvesting fluid-driven exosuits, with a similar battery-free, motion-powered value proposition.
- Bioservo Technologies: Bioservo produces soft robotic gloves and exoskeletons that use tendon- and actuator-based assistance for grip strength and rehabilitation. Comparable to MotorSkins in applying soft robotic actuation to wearable rehabilitation and human-augmentation use cases.
- CuteCircuit: CuteCircuit is a London-based pioneer in interactive smart-textile fashion and garments with embedded lighting and sensing. Comparable to MotorSkins in producing technology-integrated soft goods, though CuteCircuit focuses more on fashion and visible light than fluidic actuation.
- Xenoma: Xenoma develops e-skin smart apparel with embedded stretchable sensors and electronics for motion capture and haptic feedback. Comparable to MotorSkins as a smart-textile platform targeting sports, medical, and HMI applications.
- Myant: Myant produces textile computing platforms that integrate sensing and actuation into everyday clothing for health, wellness, and HMI. Comparable to MotorSkins' vision of material computing embedded in flexible textiles, though Myant focuses on electronic rather than fluidic actuation.
Broad incumbents
- Ekso Bionics: Ekso Bionics develops wearable exoskeletons and robotic assistive devices for medical and industrial use. An incumbent in the broader exoskeleton category that MotorSkins' soft exosuits potentially compete against or complement in rehabilitation settings.
- ReWalk Robotics: ReWalk Robotics is a commercial exoskeleton company focused on medical mobility for spinal cord injury and stroke rehabilitation. Comparable to MotorSkins in the wearable mobility-assistance end market, though ReWalk's rigid exoskeleton architecture contrasts with MotorSkins' soft textile approach.
Emerging players
- Rehamed Technology: Emerging European wearable-robotics startups operating in soft exosuits and rehabilitation garments. Comparable to MotorSkins in addressing the medical mobility-assistance segment with soft wearable form factors rather than rigid robotics.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat2 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
MotorSkins social profiles
Digital presenceMotorSkins financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
MotorSkins leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles8 records
MotorSkins funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
MotorSkins M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about MotorSkins
What does MotorSkins do?
MotorSkins produces fluid-driven soft robotic textile actuators that function as external muscles and haptic interfaces for wearables and human-machine interaction. The company develops custom-made solutions and prototypes through co-development partnerships with enterprise clients across automotive, sports, medical, PPE, and HMI industries. Core technology uses hydraulic circuits sealed within multilayer textiles that harvest energy from user movement without batteries or motors.
Is MotorSkins a public or private company?
MotorSkins is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently acquired.
When was MotorSkins founded?
MotorSkins was founded in 2018. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is MotorSkins based?
MotorSkins is headquartered in Berlin, Germany, in the Europe region.
How does MotorSkins make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Custom Product Development is the primary driver. The others are soft Robotic Textiles.
Who are MotorSkins's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Seismic, HaptX, Bionic Power, Bioservo Technologies, CuteCircuit, Xenoma and Myant. Broad incumbents are Ekso Bionics and ReWalk Robotics. Rehamed Technology is listed as an emerging player.
Does MotorSkins have an API?
No public API is recorded for MotorSkins.
What industry is MotorSkins in?
MotorSkins's product category is Soft Robotic Textiles and Wearable Actuators. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMAHAGAG, Actuators & Motion Devices (Linear, Rotary, Electric Actuators for Motion Control), with a secondary code of IMAHAGAM, Linear Motion & Mechanical Power Transmission (Ball/roller screws, linear guides, bearings, couplings). Its NAICS code is 333995 and its SIC code is 3550.