The original was published in Dutch. We have made the following English translation.
Azumuta Enters US Market
The Ghent-based tech scale-up Azumuta is opening its first office in the US, situated in the prestigious innovation hub New Lab in Detroit, which was founded by automotive giant Ford. Azumuta specializes in developing digital environments for the manufacturing industry, enabling workers to digitally see what tasks they need to perform and receive guidance during their work.
The American manufacturing industry is recovering after several challenging years, making the US a significant growth market for Azumuta. The company’s expansion into the US this fall was further solidified when Azumuta was unexpectedly selected for a spot in the prestigious New Lab, a business hub founded by Ford and Google.
Connected Workforce Solutions
Azumuta’s core offering is connected workforce solutions—software that assists and corrects workers during the production process. Operators on the factory floor receive instructions on what to do, along with support in quality assurance, competency tracking, digital checklists, and similar tasks. This approach is designed to increase factory productivity without adding extra pressure on workers, making companies more resilient to rapid market changes.
CEO Batist Leman emphasizes, “You need support to keep up with quickly evolving production methods. Companies without a connected workforce solution will cease to exist. Companies that do have it, can strengthen their competitive position. Instead of taking eight months to reorient production, they can do it in a few weeks thanks to Azumuta.
This expansion came a bit sooner than we expected. On one hand, we followed our international clients to support them. On the other hand, we gain lot of interest from American companies that approach us. To capture that interest, we needed an office closeby. That this new office now comes under the wings of Ford and Google, is an extra confirmation of our software’s strength.
International Clients
This technology has already gained traction in Belgium, where companies like Atlas Copco and brewery Duvel-Moortgat are using Azumuta’s solutions. The move to the US, according to Batist Leman, was driven by both the need to support international clients and the growing interest from American companies. Leman notes, “This expansion came bit sooner than we expected. One one hand, we followed our international clients to support them. On the other hand, we also see a lot of interest from the US, from companies approaching us there. To capture that interest, we needed a closer office. That the new office now comes under the wings of Ford and Google is an extra confirmation of the strength of the software.”
In Detroit, New Lab is part of the Ford Billion Dollar Campus, where Ford has made significant investments to create a comprehensive technology campus focused on manufacturing. Google, as a major technology player, is also involved in this project, further validating the importance of this manufacturing and technology hub.
Azumuta plans to primarily house sales and support services in its US office, while development will continue to be based in Ghent.