Berlin's Almetra secures €16.3M to transform factory video into real-time data.

      The Berlin-based startup is focusing on production line monitoring by using cameras to capture footage, which it then transforms into real-time data. They claim to have improved output at Bosch and ABB facilities and are now aiming to enter the US market. Recently, Almetra, formerly known as Deltia, secured €16.3 million in Series A funding.

      Almetra installs AI cameras above assembly lines in firms like Bosch, Siemens Energy, and ABB, analyzing each step of production to identify areas where efficiency is being lost. The company states that its customers have experienced productivity increases of around 20% as a result.

      The funding round was led by blisce/, the transatlantic fund associated with companies like Spotify and Pinterest, along with contributions from NAP, Merantix Capital, Robin Capital, Underline, Critical Ventures, and several angel investors. According to Almetra’s customers, eBike Systems, a Bosch subsidiary, noted a 19% rise in output shortly after implementation, while ABB reported a 15% boost in productivity. However, the 20% average figure presented seems to reflect a convenient composite of varying plant-level outcomes rather than a single, precise measurement.

      Founded in 2022 by Maximilian Fischer and Silviu Homoceanu, Almetra originated from Merantix, the Berlin AI studio that also fostered other ventures like Vara and Cambrium. The name change from Deltia this year signifies a strategic pivot; instead of merely analyzing manual production processes, Almetra aims to be a comprehensive "data and control layer" for factories that integrates video, machine data, IT systems, and operator insights.

      The system is designed to be minimally invasive, with cameras processing video on-site to generate structured data—such as cycle times, output rates, and equipment utilization—without needing to be integrated into existing IT frameworks. Privacy concerns are addressed by anonymizing footage, most of which remains on-site, and only retaining brief, randomized clips for root-cause analysis.

      Fischer, the CEO, explains that many plant teams recognize they are underutilizing capacity but often lack the insights to identify the reasons. Almetra aims to provide clarity rather than conjecture, claiming that clients typically discover significant optimization possibilities within weeks of deploying their system.

      Almetra differentiates itself from larger industrial AI firms by avoiding deep integration. Other companies, such as Sight Machine, which has secured over $85 million, require more extensive embedding for larger enterprise applications, while Augury monitors machine health with vibration and ultrasound sensors.

      The global machine vision market was valued at approximately $20.4 billion in 2024 and is anticipated to reach $41.7 billion by 2030, a market where Almetra is one of many competitors. This premise has garnered interest from sectors beyond industrial software, leading to Almetra's acceptance into Google DeepMind’s Robotics Accelerator program and a Physical AI Fellowship run by AWS, Nvidia, and MassRobotics—indicating that continuous video from factory floors presents potential data opportunities for the next generation of industrial robots, in addition to enhancing productivity.

      According to Sam Giber, a general partner at blisce/, "Manufacturing is the backbone of the global economy," and he emphasized that Almetra has demonstrated its capability to deliver “measurable results” for top industrial companies. Currently, the company employs about 40 people and plans to utilize the funding to expand into the US market and further develop its platform, including robotics applications for targeted production environments.