Vito Ventures invests in break-through tech and business startups in the fields of IoT, B2B marketplaces, enterprise, SaaS and energy tech.  Vito Ventures backs ambitious founders and startups applying technology to solve fundamental problems of society ranging from climate change to energy security. They believe that superb engineering and radical entrepreneurial thinking is needed to tackle major challenges of the upcoming decades. With its investments they empower startups, which will make a difference both within their industry and beyond.  Through its industrial investor base, they have access to extensive resources (e.g., R&D facilities, global market reach, mass production capabilities). Its portfolio companies can actively leverage their investor’s domain expertise and knowledge base in the fields of Cooling-, Heating- and Energy-technology, Industry 4.0 and Internet of Things. Whether it is developer capacity or prototyping experience, they want to build bridges and open doors whenever possible.

Vito Ventures

Asgard Capital provide early stage capital for companies with Artificial Intelligence.

Asgard - human Capital for AI

Coparion provides venture capital to accelerate momentum and growth. With a currently active fund of EUR 275 million, Coparion has the means to do so. Coparion supports entrepreneurial vision with know-how, but without intervening in daily business operations. Thanks to in-depth experience in venture capital and in building companies, the Coparion team discerns potential and opens up new perspectives. Coparion has the substance, tenacity, and creativity required to mutually manage difficult situations successfully. Coparion only invests with co-investors. The fund invests up to EUR 15M per company, usually in several financing rounds of EUR 0.5-8M each. The investment focus is on German companies in the start-up and early growth phases. Coparion is based in Cologne and Berlin.

coparion

Project A is an early-stage venture capital firm, combining financial and operational support for technology companies. In addition to $1bn in assets under management, Project A provides its portfolio companies with a wide range of operational support services. This includes more than 100 experts from key areas such as software engineering, business intelligence, marketing, and recruiting. The portfolio includes companies such as Trade Republic, sennder, KRY, Catawiki, WorldRemit, Spryker, and Voi.

Project A Ventures

The members of Business Angels Berlin provide know-how, network and capital for early-stage startups. With around 100 members, the association is the largest angel network in the metropolitan area Berlin providing funds of >3M€ p.a. and >800 free consulting hours for startups from idea to seed/pre-series a stage.

Business Angels Club Berlin-Brandenburg e.V.

Merck Ventures is the strategic, corporate venture capital arm of Merck. Its mandate is to invest in innovative technologies and products with the potential to significantly impact Merck‘s core business areas. From its headquarters in Amsterdam and offices in the US and Israel we invest globally in transformational ideas driven by great entrepreneurs. Merck Ventures takes an active role in its portfolio companies and teams up with entrepreneurs and co-investors to translate innovation towards commercial success. Merck Ventures has a significant focus on early-stage investing and company creation including the creation of spin-offs to leverage Merck‘s science and technology base.

M Ventures

Our mission is to invest in and drive founders and engineers to solve our planet's biggest problems. Reshaping old industries, and redesigning core operating systems. Our aim is to ensure future planetary sustainability. Our playground is the hard, the forgotten, and the overlooked.

Amplifier

Metaplanet Holdings is an early-stage investment firm that invests in diversified sectors. They support novel and evidence-based innovations that could produce an outsized return for the benefit of humankind. The firm specializes in the fields of business development, venture capital, and financial services.

Metaplanet

Ahren Innovation Capital is an investment institution that supports transformational companies at the intersection of deep tech and deep science that will penetrate, or create, massive markets.  Ahren is a unique partnership of investment talent and best-in-class commercial scientists whose technologies are today valued in excess of $100BN combined. Ahren believes in taking asymmetric, considered, risk that will deliver superior rewards – capturing a generational opportunity to provide smart capital to deep technology. With a philosophy espousing the importance of relationships and trust, Ahren provides both patient and active capital to exceptional founders and teams, empowering them to succeed.

Ahren Innovation Capital

Vsquared Ventures invests in early-stage deep-tech companies that are tackling society's most pressing challenges, with a focus on quantum and novel computing, green energy, robotics, AI/ML, new space, synthetic biology, and healthcare. It is committed to a partnership and will go to any length to help accelerate and scale vision, unlocking all seemingly impossible possibilities.

Vsquared Ventures

Converge is a venture capital firm that specializes in pre-seed, seed, Series A, and early-stage B2B technology investments. Converge team is led by seasoned venture capital experts and experienced company builders. Converge invests across the United States, with a particular emphasis on technology hubs such as Boston, New York, Silicon Valley, and Israel.  The company was founded in 2017 and has offices in Cambridge, Massachusetts and Silicon Valley, California.

Converge

Micropsi Industries

Micropsi Industries is building cognitive machines: Theyr’re providing high-end machine learning solutions for robotics and process control. micropsi industries MIRAI is a robot control system designed for complex assembly tasks. MIRAI-controlled robots perform movements that react to minute changes in the environment, as perceived by the robot with cameras or force sensors. MIRAI skills aren't programmed, but trained - through demonstration, correction, and repetition. This allows users to create skills without writing a single line of code or modelling the problem. The company was founded in 2014 by a group of experienced entrepreneurs, software engineers and scientists, most of them with cognitive science or machine learning backgrounds. micropsi industries is backed by Vito Ventures, coparion, and a group of experienced business angels from Munich and Berlin.

Micropsi Industries is a Germany-based company that offers ready-to-use AI-powered vision systems that enable the control of industrial robots. The company’s flagship product is the MIRAI system, which enables robots to dynamically respond to varying conditions within factory environments, handling tasks with variance in position, shape, color, lighting, or background. MIRAI allows robotic arms to be controlled in real time, directly responding to sensor information taught by human demonstration. Notably, this process does not require any camera calibration or CAD data.

Using data and automation to achieve 24/7 production.

Smart Factory

AI-Robotics Software Leader Micropsi Industries Becomes U.S.-Based Company

Micropsi Industries is a Germany-based company that offers ready-to-use AI-powered vision systems that enable the control of industrial robots. The company’s flagship product is the MIRAI system, which enables robots to dynamically respond to varying conditions within factory environments, handling tasks with variance in position, shape, color, lighting, or background. MIRAI allows robotic arms to be controlled in real time, directly responding to sensor information taught by human demonstration. Notably, this process does not require any camera calibration or CAD data.This technology makes it possible to automate tasks such as robotic insertion, end-of-line testing, rack hanging, screwdriving, picking, and leak detection. Micropsi Industries sells its system through channel partners across the world.Key customers and partnershipsMicropsi Industries’ customers include ZF Group, BSH Hausgeräte, and Siemens Energy.

Avathon (formerly SparkCognition) offers a suite of AI-powered data analytics solutions for businesses, specializing in the industrial sector. The company’s offerings include: 1) Industrial AI Suite, which enables users to connect datasets with configurable AI models, identify and contextualize risks to equipment, analyze maintenance actions, monitor performance, and visualize multi-asset systems, without requiring coding experience, and 2) Visual AI Advisor, which leverages computer vision to analyze real-time data from existing camera infrastructure for a number of different use cases, such as safety monitoring, visual inspection, and machine monitoring.&nbsp;In May 2023, the company launched the Generative AI Suite, a solution specifically tailored for the industrial sector, which enables users to build and deploy custom large language models (LLMs) on either private or on-premise cloud environments. Users also autonomously augment data sets by generating text, images, audio, and other signals and create imagery for use in simulated real-world environments. It claims to&nbsp;reduce the foundational information needed for decision-making by up to 20x.Since 2021, the company has acquired a number of companies to further develop its product offering. This includes Indian visual AI startup&nbsp;<a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/9370?industryIds=6">Integration Wizards</a> (March 2022) to expand its intellectual property (IP) portfolio to improve vision capabilities as well as digital knowledge platform Maana (July 2021), software developer for the renewable energy industry Ensemble Energy (May 2021), and financial technology company AIM2 (February 2021).&nbsp;<a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/34997">In October 2024,&nbsp;</a>Avathon unveiled a new system-level AI platform that provides solutions for managing and monitoring critical industrial infrastructure. The AI platform addresses various industrial issues, including maximizing the uptime of capital-intensive assets, enabling efficient manufacturing ramp-up, and ensuring worker safety in industrial settings.&nbsp;Key customers and partnershipsSparkCognition’s clientele comprises large companies such as Boeing, Hitachi, and British Petroleum. It has also built partnerships with Google for cloud platform services, Hewlett-Packard Enterprise to offer AI predictive maintenance on HPE Edgeline Converged Edge Systems, and OSIsoft to integrate SparkCognition’s machine learning technology with OSIsoft’s PI system to improve data and process data analytics.&nbsp;

Avathon

Sight Machine offers a manufacturing data platform that captures and contextualizes data from factories to deliver a system-wide view of the manufacturing process as well as individual assets. The platform transforms raw plant data as well as data from machines of various manufacturers into a standardized data foundation and provides actionable insights for a range of use cases such as predictive maintenance, quality improvement, and capacity utilization. Users can analyze all assets, data sources, and processes by creating digital twins, thereby improving processes, quality, and productivity.&nbsp;In October 2022, Sight Machine introduced <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/13696?industryIds=6">Blueprint</a>, a tool developed in collaboration with NVIDIA and Microsoft, which uses AI for high-speed, automated data labeling. The company claims that this solution enables manufacturers to analyze up to 100x more of their data than traditional methods.&nbsp; Key customers and partnershipsSight Machine caters to at least 15 verticals, such as food and beverage, electronics, and automotive. Its global clientele includes Fortune 500 companies such as Nissan, Heineken, Westrock Co., and Asian Paints.&nbsp;<a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/21955">In September 2023</a>, Sight Machine partnered with LS Electric, a power and automation solutions provider, to create an AI-driven Big Data analytics platform tailored for the manufacturing and energy sectors. In December 2023, the company went on to partner with Teamviewer, a remote collaboration solutions provider, to offer a joint product that combines the latter’s remote connectivity and industrial AR solutions with its real-time data and analysis for industrial processes.&nbsp;Sight Machine has established partnerships with large global companies such as Microsoft, Google, Databricks, Siemens, and AWS to integrate with their data analytics platforms and Fujitsu to help with wide deployments. In July 2023, the platform also became a certified Microsoft Cloud for Manufacturing partner and released Factory CoPilot, integrating its Manufacturing Data Platform with Microsoft Azure OpenAI Service to offer GenAI capabilities for manufacturing analysis and real-time insights. The company went on to launch the<a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/33441"> Sight Machine connector for Databricks</a> (in September 2024), to integrate its manufacturing data platform with the latter’s data intelligence platform.

Sight Machine

Overview offers smart cameras and AI to enable users to monitor manufacturing equipment and robots and identify defects in real time before significant damage or downtime is incurred. The technology has a repository of machine data so that there is a traceable visual record of all units.&nbsp;With AI, the cause of production issues and quality concerns can be identified either on-site or remotely. The company claims over time, the deep learning computer vision algorithms allow for any sudden substantial increases in production and improved yields. Moreover, it reportedly offers 100% visual traceability and an over 99.9% uptime.&nbsp;Key customers and partnershipsAs of September 2024, the solution was used by a number of enterprises, including Schaeffler, ThermoFischer, Honda, Caterpillar, and Tyson.&nbsp;

Overview

Bright Machines combines robotics, machine learning, and computer vision to provide automation applications for the electronics manufacturing industry. Its flagship product is the “Bright Machines Microfactory,” a pre-integrated, programmable assembly line that can be deployed in existing and new production facilities. The Microfactory runs on the company's proprietary “Brightware” cloud-based software platform, offering a scalable solution that enables manufacturers to enhance supply chain resilience and adapt production capacity according to market demand. This software-defined manufacturing allows factories to change the products that they manufacture if needed. The company offers its service on a subscription-based microfactory-as-a-service (MaaS) business model.The company reportedly generated USD 83 million in revenue in 2021. In May 2021, Bright Machines reported that its revenue doubled each year since its inception (2018) and forecasts a 5-year CAGR (2020-2025) of over 84%.&nbsp;Key customers and partnershipsBright Machines served over 40 manufacturing companies as of October 2022.The company collaborated with Microsoft Azure in May 2024 to leverage the latter’s infrastructure to deliver a full-stack environment for all stages of the manufacturing lifecycle.The company also has distribution/sales partnerships with Anstar Corporation (April 2021), SMT Capital (April 2021), MaRC Technologies (May 2021), PAC Global (May 2021), Restronics (June 2021), <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/3618">BROCK Electronics</a> (June 2021), <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/4740">Murray Percival</a> (July 2021), <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/4412">Competitive Edge Manufacturing Equipment</a> (CEME; July 2021).Key competitors: None comparable (Bright Machines is the only company in the smart factory industry that offers microfactories-as-a-service, which combines intelligent software with adaptive hardware to automate manufacturing processes.)

Bright Machines

Augury offers AI-based predictive maintenance solutions. It uses wireless halo sensors to record the vibration, temperature, and magnetism of machines and upload them to the cloud, where AI will be used to diagnose faults and predict potential malfunctions. The system can predict failures and provide early, actionable insights on equipment status, allowing companies to plan maintenance more effectively. Augury offers Machine Health solutions for Critical Assets (MH CR) and Supporting Equipment (MH SE).&nbsp;Furthermore, it offers a warranty policy (one-of-a-kind in the predictive maintenance field) for up to USD 100,000 of repairs and replacements if the software fails to successfully predict machine faults. The company reported that its machine health (predictive maintenance) solutions can deliver an ROI of 3x–10x. In December 2023, the company launched a product loss guarantee solution, in partnership with HSB, which covers a broader range of production-related assets, including protection against production loss due to mechanical failures.&nbsp;In May 2022, <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/10286">Augury acquired Seebo,</a> another Israeli company that offers predictive quality and yield solutions for manufacturers to identify process-driven inefficiencies.&nbsp;Key customers and partnershipsAugury has built a customer base consisting of companies such as Hershey’s, Colgate-Palmolive, Grundfos, Heineken, Danone, and Bausch Health. The company announced an insurance plan for its customers in 2020, partly as a strategy to attract more customers. Augury’s Machine Health Solutions are integrated with PTC’s ThingWorx IoT through a partnership in July 2020 and are available in the PTC Marketplace. In October 2021, it partnered with Baker Hughes, a provider of energy technology solutions, which integrated Augury’s solutions into its System 1 software and asset performance management (APM) solutions. It went on to integrate Baker Hughes’ “Ranger Pro” wireless condition monitoring sensor and “Cordant” gateway into its platform in June 2024.&nbsp;In November 2023, <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/23991">Augury partnered with IFS Ultimo</a>, a provider of cloud-based enterprise asset management (EAM) solutions, to offer machine health monitoring and asset management workflows for industries. It went on to partner with DSV, a logistics solutions provider, in March 2024, to introduce a new Parts As a Service (PaaS) solution. The solution utilizes machine health to predict machine faults and enables users to automate the procurement of replacement parts.

Augury

Companies that provide robotic fleet management software, robotic automation software, and inspection software.

Companies that provide an industrial IoT platform across factories as the primary offering.

Companies that provide cobots, sorting/ picking robotics, modular production robotics, and microfactories.

Companies that focus on data analytics for operations streamlining and process optimization, and may offer predictive maintenance.

Companies that provide autonomous mobile robots (AMR) or self-driving vehicles (SDV) used in manufacturing/ factory operations.

Companies that monitor the manufacturing equipment and assembly lines.

Companies that provide predictive maintenance as a primary offering. 

Creates digital twins of assets and processes to help manufacturers improve processes, quality, and productivity

Connected devices, sensors, IoT, and analytics are used to optimize factory operations

Uses advanced robotics, AMRs, and related software to improve the efficiency of factory operations

Uses connected devices and sensors to gather data—IIoT, predictive analysis, and equipment inspection

Uses AI/ML to analyze data for predictive maintenance and AI-based vision systems for line inspections

5G standard allows for faster reaction times and supports high connection densities

Uses edge computing for data processing at the edge

Some companies in the predictive maintenance space uses generative AI to generate possible alternative scenarios

Micropsi Industries

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