Berlin-based startup Zentio has successfully closed a $1.6 Million pre-seed funding round to advance its AI-native production planning platform for the manufacturing industry. The investment was led by prominent deep-tech investor High-Tech Gründerfonds (HTGF) with participation from SIVentures, signaling strong confidence in the company's mission. Zentio aims to fundamentally transform decision-making within the European manufacturing sector by leveraging intelligent automation and real-time data optimization.
Addressing a Critical Manufacturing Challenge
Industrial companies constantly grapple with thousands of interdependent decisions where minor operational adjustments can trigger major consequences across the entire value chain. Most manufacturers lack the advanced tools to comprehensively simulate every potential scenario, leading to suboptimal planning and significant operational inefficiencies. This common issue results in excess capital tied up in inventory, underutilized capacity, and missed delivery targets, costing companies millions annually.
An AI-Native Approach to Production Planning
Zentio's platform provides a sophisticated AI-first solution by structuring and centralizing disparate operational data through the use of intelligent agents. This process creates a self-learning flywheel effect that transforms raw shop-floor information into a powerful strategic asset for enhanced productivity and agility. The technology ultimately enables factories to make informed, real-time decisions that minimize costly downtime and boost overall output significantly.
According to co-founder and CCO Immo Polewka, the company's vision is to elevate decision-making standards by combining operational data with mathematical optimization and agentic automation. This powerful synthesis allows managers to anticipate capacity needs weeks in advance and react effectively to unforeseen disruptions like machine breakdowns or material shortages. Consequently, companies can adjust production schedules and machine settings dynamically to improve their operational resilience and efficiency.
Strategic Investment for Future Growth
The strategic $1.6 million investment underscores the market's urgent need for smarter, more integrated manufacturing tools to replace outdated systems. Hendryk Hosemann, Senior Investment Manager at HTGF, praised Zentio for its ability to transform chaotic data from legacy ERP and MES systems into a reliable, AI-native planning layer. He highlighted the founding team's unique blend of AI expertise and deep manufacturing experience as a key factor in their investment decision.
The new capital will be instrumental in expanding Zentio's specialized engineering team to accelerate the platform's core product development. Co-founder and CTO Christophe Kafrouni stated the immediate focus is on advancing the core mathematical systems and machine learning pipelines. These technical enhancements will be integrated with a sophisticated user experience to deliver the first generation of truly AI-native production planning.
This pre-seed funding marks a pivotal moment for Zentio as it prepares to scale its innovative solution and deepen partnerships across Europe. By empowering manufacturers with predictive, AI-driven insights, the company is poised to significantly enhance productivity and help restore the region's global competitive edge. The investment will fuel its mission to establish a new industry standard for intelligent, adaptive, and resilient industrial operations.