“Many manufacturing companies risk missing the boat on digitalization. To remain internationally competitive, it is essential that labor productivity increases,” says Frank Dikker, co-founder of transAI. “Our platform helps entrepreneurs with this challenge by making factories smarter. This involves, for example, exchanging data between different machines and software. We can link, present, and prepare that data for management purposes.”
Digitalization for a future-proof manufacturing industry
“Many manufacturing companies risk missing the boat on digitalization. To remain internationally competitive, it is essential that labor productivity increases,” says Frank Dikker, co-founder of transAI. “Our platform helps entrepreneurs with this challenge by making factories smarter. This involves, for example, exchanging data between different machines and software. We can link, present, and prepare that data for management purposes.”
Investment leads to scaling up
Thanks to the investment from Oost NL and Wadinko, transAI can expand its development capacity, increase the number of standard integrations in production processes, and scale up its commercial activities.
“For us, the investment comes at a good time. In the past period, we have experienced strong development, partly thanks to launching customers such as Betech and DG Steel. The investment from Oost NL and Wadinko enables us to further improve our platform and take new steps,” says Dikker.
Sander de Boer, Investment Manager Tech at Oost NL: “Without these types of solutions, SME manufacturing companies run the risk of falling behind in a rapidly changing industrial environment. With an investment in TransAI’s platform, we support an innovative company with the aim of helping the entire sector move forward.”
Astrid Kempers, Investment Manager at Wadinko: “We are investing in TransAI because their solution can be deployed at manufacturing companies that form a key engine for our regional economy. It is precisely these manufacturing companies that fit well into the Wadinko portfolio. We were very impressed by what we found at the launching customers.” It is good to be able to work together with Oost NL on this case.
Embedding in regional ecosystem
Within the financing process, Wadinko and Oost NL contributed expertise in financing strategy and governance. Once on board, themes such as strategy, scalability, and commercial aspects will also be addressed. Wadinko and Innovatiefonds Overijssel are funds with the Province of Overijssel as a shareholder. Additionally, the company leverages a strong regional knowledge infrastructure surrounding Smart Industry in the Eastern Netherlands, including through collaborations with Novel-T and the Fraunhofer Innovation Platform.
About Wadinko
Private equity firm Wadinko N.V. stimulates business activity and employment in Overijssel, Northern Flevoland, and Southwest Drenthe. Wadinko does this through 28 substantial minority interests. In doing so, it supports companies with risk capital, knowledge, management support, and an extensive network. The private equity firm has evolved from a traditional provider of risk capital into a modern investment and development platform with a strong focus on knowledge development, sustainable and circular innovation, smart manufacturing, digitalization, and new technologies such as AI.
About Oost NL
Oost NL has been the development agency for the Eastern Netherlands for 50 years. Driven by a social mission, we support entrepreneurs in accelerating innovations and bringing them to market. We strengthen business clusters and knowledge networks, invest early in startups and SMEs, and attract international companies to strengthen the economy in Gelderland and Overijssel. Together with our partners, we are building a liveable future through innovation in sustainable food, accessible healthcare, smart energy, a strong industry, and food technology, commissioned by the Province of Gelderland, the Province of Overijssel, and the Ministry of Economic Affairs.
