by Massamiliano Versaceon
After months of hard work in the middle of a global pandemic, Neurala announced the opening of our European subsidiary, Neurala Europe, based in Trieste, Italy.
This is a bit of a homecoming for me: born and raised in Friuli, the region where Trieste is located, at the very northern tip of the Mediterranean, the launch of Neurala Europe represents both a company and personal milestone.
And while the last twelve months have aged us all, it has really been a year of milestones. In fact, it was almost exactly a year ago today that we were excited to launch Neurala’s Vision Inspection Automation (VIA) software. Powered by AI, VIA is aimed at automating the building and deployment of powerful visual deep learning quality inspection solutions for the manufacturing industry. Following VIA, we also kicked off our Global Channel Partner Program, so it’s no surprise that we’ve reached an international expansion stage – and Europe was the perfect place to do it.
Europe is a leader in the industrial space, with manufacturers known for being fast innovators and early adopters of technology. Among the EU countries, Italy has a concentration of machine builders and automation suppliers, some of which are already our customers/investors.
On a personal level, it feels fantastic to be able to close the loop on a journey that has seen me leave Italy to pursue my research in AI in Boston. From there I had the opportunity to work with NASA, DARPA and many other agencies and companies to develop AI that not only had theoretical interest, but wide practical application. And during my studies, I met Heather Ames and Anatoly Gorchet, the co-founders of Neurala, with whom I have not only shared my passion, but also my entrepreneurial journey.
By establishing a presence in Europe, we will advance our efforts in the industrial space, bolster on-the-ground expertise and support our customers and strategic partners, which today include IMA Group, Antares Vision, FLIR Systems and IHI Logistics and Machinery. Neurala Europe also aims to be a technology hub, located in a city that boasts the highest numbers of researchers among EU cities, more than 30 research institutions, as well as being a natural geographical bridge to Eastern Europe which is home to many manufacturing production facilities.
I also wanted to extend a special thanks to our new investors: Friulia S.p.A., an investment firm based in Trieste, Italy, and AddValue, an investment firm based in Milan, Italy. I am also pleased to announce Daniel Glasser, Neurala’s VP of Client Operations, as part of the Board of Directors of Neurala Europe. Thanks to Daniel for his hard work and great organizational acumen! As part of the launch, we will hire sales, software engineering and research personnel to help meet the growing demand for AI in manufacturing and visual inspections.
In the past several months, Neurala has worked hard to be ready to sprint forward with our product as the world re-opens. With Neurala Europe, we are ready to take on the challenge in a continent that is quickly re-thinking how to manufacture, and how to become more competitive by applying automation and AI in one of its key economic segments.
