Delft-based Villari raises €4M to enable the early detection of crack growth in steel structures

On Thursday, Delft-based Villari, a company providing sensors for crack detection, announced that it has raised €4M from FORWARD.one and InnovationQuarter Capital, with participation from two key individuals for the company.

InnovationQuarter is the regional economic development agency for the Province of Zuid-Holland, also known as the greater Rotterdam – The Hague area. 

FORWARD.one is a Dutch venture capital firm focused on deep tech hardware startups and scale-ups with €200M under management, including investments in robotics, semiconductors, photonics, sensors, extended reality, and biomanufacturing. 

The investment extends their earlier seed round in response to strong demand from customers in the Netherlands and abroad.

With this new investment, the company aims to strengthen its market leadership in Europe and enter international markets.

“The timing of this additional funding is perfect and enables us to quickly roll out our sensors across Europe as we take the first steps toward global expansion,” says Olivier Baas, CEO of Villari.

Villari: Detecting tiny cracks and fractures

Founded in 2019 by Olivier Baas, Villari has developed sensor tech that detects tiny fractures in steel structures, crucial for heavily loaded assets like bridges and industrial cranes.

This ensures safety by closely monitoring structural integrity. These sensors monitor assets 24/7 and automatically notify operators if cracks develop.

This system helps prevent costly downtime and allows asset owners to extend the lifespan of their resources by providing reliable data for continued use at maximum capacity.

The company was built on previous investments by Delft Enterprises and business angel David Cerda Salzmann and with support from the proof-of-concept fund UNIIQ.

The company’s sensor solution is patented and has already been installed for several customers, including bridges owned by the Dutch Government and several industrial cranes at harbors and steel manufacturing sites in Europe.

Last year, the Dutch company received key certifications, including the DNV seal of approval, which confirms the quality of its products.

Villari also increased the number of sensors installed with more customers, including steel companies, port terminals, and infrastructure projects in the Benelux region.