Amsterdam-based AI startup Perry announced its official launch today, along with a €1.6M investment round. The Dutch startup aims to address the shortage of technical workforce in Europe.
The funding round was led by Revent, a fund based in Berlin, and included participation from angel investors with experience at companies such as Google and OpenAI.
Arie Kuiper, co-founder of Perry, says, “Getting the newest AI technology in the hands of technical workers will make a big difference. Using Perry, workers can get trained more effectively, work more safely and deliver higher quality work.”
Building AI tools to support technicians across Europe
Perry was founded in March 2025 by Laurens Feenstra (formerly Google, Waymo, TomTom) and Arie Kuiper (formerly McKinsey, BuyBay). The company has introduced a platform that creates AI-powered work instructions for technicians. It aims to support workers in the technical field by providing task guidance through its technology.
The company’s launch aligns with a broader shift in Europe, where the number of workers in technical roles has declined by 15 million over the last 20 years. This reduction is expected to continue due to an ageing population and fewer incoming workers. Sectors including renewable energy, telecom, and construction face pressure from this ongoing trend.
Perry’s AI-based platform delivers visual, dynamic instructions tailored to the specific work environment. These instructions evolve based on practical input from users. The company works directly with technicians through field studies and live testing to create tools that are applicable in day-to-day tasks, moving away from solutions designed primarily for office use.
Co-founder Feenstra says, “Today, many technicians don’t get much support. They often have to rely on lengthy manuals. This leads to safety risks and error costs. Due to a lack of better options, some experts get called up to a hundred times a day to help out. Our solution makes the knowledge of experienced professionals available to everyone, exactly when it’s needed.”
“Ultimately, we want both new and experienced workers to be supported through their tasks with live AI video calls.”
Co-founder Arie Kuiper explains that the shortage of technical staff is not only about quantity but also about the quality of skills available.
“We’re seeing worker shortages and unemployment at the same time. That shows we need to train people smarter and support them more effectively. With Perry, we’re using technology to help new hires become effective very quickly.”
The platform is already being used by Van Vulpen, a company in the energy infrastructure sector, to train and assist its workforce. The AI also enables translation and adapts instructions to different language levels, making it easier for technicians across European regions to work together.
Capital utilisation
Perry’s funding round is viewed as a step toward rapid scaling. The company has already added an AI engineer and a user research specialist to its team.
The funds will also help Perry to further expand its workforce, continue the development of its software and AI models, and enter markets in Germany, France, and the United Kingdom.
Lauren Lentz, founding partner at Revent, says, “Perry’s mission addresses an urgent societal challenge. Without enough skilled professionals, progress in key sectors like the energy transition risks grinding to a halt.”
Brief about the lead investor
Berlin-based Revent is an early-stage venture capital firm that invests across Europe in founders using technology to drive systemic change.
Founded in 2021 by Otto Birnbaum and Dr. Lauren Lentz, the firm supports companies working in areas related to planetary and societal health. Revent backs founders aiming to build companies with significant scale and impact.
Revent invests in founders working in climate, health, and empowerment across Europe. It targets pre-seed and seed stages, with investment amounts ranging from €500,000 to €3M.
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