Belgium’s Azumuta raises €8M led by Amsterdam’s Keen Venture Partners: Know more

Ghent-based Azumuta has secured €8M. The company helps manufacturers streamline shop floor operations through digital tools and AI-driven solutions.

Ghent-based Azumuta, a manufacturing software company, has raised €8M in a Series A funding round to expand its operations internationally and advance the development of its platform.

Azumuta develops software that supports digital work instructions, quality control, and workforce training and skill tracking for manufacturers. The platform is designed to replace paper, spreadsheets, and fragmented systems in managing shop floor processes.

The funding round was led by Keen Venture Partners. Capricorn Partners, a new investor in Azumuta, also participated. Capricorn has over 10 years of experience in manufacturing technology startups focused on Industry 4.0 and shop floor processes. 

Existing investors PMV, Angelwise, and Dirk Vermunicht also contributed to the round.

A connected platform for manufacturing operations

Azumuta, a SaaS software company, has developed a platform that supports manufacturers in managing work instructions, audits, training, and quality control in a single system. The platform aims to centralise operational knowledge for manufacturers.

The company began in 2016 as a digital work instruction tool and now serves about 100 manufacturers worldwide. Users report up to 50 per cent reductions in administrative time for creating work instructions and 60 per cent fewer quality complaints caused by human errors. 

Companies such as Atlas Copco, Toyota Motor Europe, and Sioux Technologies use Azumuta in daily operations.

Azumuta’s platform connects operations, workers, and training to support AI-based processes and improve shop floor management. The software is modular, allowing manufacturers to integrate training, quality control, and operational procedures.

The company name comes from the Japanese word “始めた”, meaning “I have started”. Locals in Ghent note that it also sounds similar to “ah zo moet da,” a dialect phrase meaning “that’s how it’s done.”

Robert Verwaayen, General Partner at Keen Venture Partners, says, “Most manufacturing software is built for the C-suite, not the people on the floor. That’s backwards. Azumuta gets this, and they’re starting where the actual work happens, building AI-rich software operators actually want to use. That’s why the product sticks and why tier-1 manufacturers rely on it every day.”

Verwaayen adds, “Codifying how work gets done isn’t just solving today’s problems; it builds the foundation for tomorrow’s factory. Whether that’s better tooling, smarter automation, or humans working alongside robots, you need that knowledge captured first. Azumuta’s helping manufacturers build that foundation while keeping their people at the centre.”

Capital utilisation

Azumuta will use the funds to expand its team, enter new markets, and develop platform features that support manufacturers in managing operations, monitoring quality, and tracking workforce skills.

The company plans to increase its presence in key regions while maintaining its base in Ghent. It will continue to engage with customers and advance initiatives in product development, innovation, and customer support.

Batist Leman, founder and CEO of Azumuta, says, “Every week we meet manufacturers still managing critical processes on paper or spreadsheets. There’s no lack of ambition, just a need for technology built for real production environments.”

“We built Azumuta to close that gap, helping factories digitalise in a way that actually fits how they operate. This round lets us accelerate that mission and lead the way toward more intuitive, human-centred shop floor technology.”

Brief about the investors

Keen Venture Partners is a VC firm based in Amsterdam and London. It invests in European tech companies from the Seed to Series A stages. The firm engages with founders early, offering access to its network and expertise before investing. Its portfolio includes more than 30 companies across Europe.

Capricorn Partners is a European firm that manages venture capital and equity funds. It invests in companies that use technology as a key part of their business. The firm manages several funds, including the Capricorn Sustainable Chemistry Fund, Digital Growth Fund, ICT Arkiv, Health-tech Fund, Health-tech Fund II, and Fusion Fund. It also manages Quest for Growth, listed on Euronext Brussels.

PMV is an investment company that supports the development of the Flemish economy. It finances companies from early stages through to growth and international expansion. PMV provides capital, loans, and guarantees to entrepreneurs with solid business plans and management teams. The company also works with public and private partners on projects that contribute to economic activity in Flanders. PMV manages a portfolio of €1.9B.

Angelwise is an early-stage investment fund that supports startups and young companies as they grow. It often invests alongside business angels and other early-stage funds. The fund’s main shareholders include PMV, COI, BAN Flanders, the fund managers, and more than 80 business angels. Founded in 2021, Angelwise has raised about €20M to build an ecosystem of companies contributing to digital transformation.