Flux Raises $37M to Bring AI to PCB Design

Matthias Wagner was leading a 100-person Burning Man camp called Hotel California when he realized something: designing printed circuit boards (PCBs) was still stuck in the 20th century. That insight led him to found Flux, an AI-powered platform that's now raised $37 million to modernize how engineers create the brains of electronic devices.

The San Francisco-based startup announced a $27 million Series B round led by 8VC, with participation from Abstract Ventures, BoxGroup, and Susa Ventures. This follows a $10 million Series A, bringing total funding to $37 million.

What Flux Actually Does

Flux provides a cloud-based platform where engineers can design PCBs using AI assistance. The system helps with everything from initial schematic capture to routing traces and component placement. Think of it as Figma for hardware design, but with AI that understands electrical engineering principles.

The platform targets a specific pain point: traditional PCB design software is often clunky, requires powerful local machines, and lacks modern collaboration features. Flux aims to make the process as intuitive as designing a website or mobile app.

Why This Matters Now

The timing is strategic. As hardware startups proliferate—from smart home devices to wearables to robotics—the need for faster, more accessible PCB design has exploded. The global PCB market is projected to reach $90 billion by 2028, according to recent industry reports.

8VC's investment suggests confidence that AI can meaningfully accelerate hardware development cycles. If successful, Flux could help startups iterate on hardware prototypes as quickly as software companies ship code updates.

The Bigger Picture

This funding round reflects a broader trend: AI is moving beyond software into physical product design. Just as AI is transforming everything from drug discovery to architecture, hardware design is ripe for disruption.

For Wagner, who previously worked at hardware startups, the goal is clear: make PCB design accessible enough that anyone with an idea can bring a physical product to market without needing a PhD in electrical engineering.

The $37 million will fund team expansion and platform development, with a focus on making the AI features more sophisticated and the collaboration tools more robust. If Flux succeeds, it could become the default tool for the next generation of hardware entrepreneurs—turning what was once a specialized skill into a mainstream capability.