Loading organizations...
§ Private Profile · Hamburg, Germany
B2B AI-supported software for production planning in the process industry, optimizing delivery reliability, inventory, and energy efficiency.
Based in Hamburg, Germany, Akeno is a business-to-business technology company that develops artificial intelligence-supported software for advanced production planning within the global process industry. The enterprise provides a specialized digital solution that continuously analyzes ongoing manufacturing operations to detect operational deviations at an early stage of the cycle. Once these anomalies are identified, the system dynamically adapts production schedules in real time to prevent supply chain disruptions. This automated platform allows industrial operators to optimize their complex workflows for specific operational targets, such as delivery reliability, inventory reduction, and overall energy efficiency. Operating primarily within the production technology and enterprise information technology sectors, the organization currently maintains a corporate workforce of between 11 and 50 employees. Akeno was officially founded in 2021 by the entrepreneurial team of Alexander Ebbrecht, Dmitrij Direktor, and Steffen Ramm.
Akeno has raised $5.0M across 1 funding round.
Akeno has raised $5.0M in total across 1 funding round.
Akeno has raised $5.0M across 1 funding round. Most recently, it raised $5.0M Seed in May 2025.
| Date | Round | Lead Investors | Other Investors | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 1, 2025 | $5M Seed | Maximilian Rowoldt | Cusp Capital Partners, Founders Fund, Another.vc, TS Ventures | Announced |
Akeno has raised $5.0M in total across 1 funding round.
Akeno's investors include Maximilian Rowoldt, Cusp Capital Partners, Founders Fund, another.vc, TS Ventures.
Akeno (akeno.ai) is a Hamburg-based technology company developing AI-powered software for real-time production planning and scheduling in process manufacturing.[1][3][5] It serves complex sectors like chemicals, pharmaceuticals, food and beverage, and metalworking, solving the problem of outdated planning tools that fail to handle disruptions such as machine failures, variable raw material quality, or capacity limits by using real-time shop floor data and self-learning algorithms to create adaptive, optimized plans.[3][5] This maximizes on-time-in-full (OTIF) delivery, reduces costs, cuts inventory, and improves cash flow while enabling autonomous adjustments.[3][5] In May 2025, Akeno raised €4.5 million in seed funding led by Cusp Capital, with participation from TS Ventures and another.vc, fueling plans to triple its team, expand into North America and Asia beyond its China entry, and enter new industries; customers include BASF Coatings, Beckers Group, and SunChemical.[3]
Akeno originated from a consulting project where founders identified the limitations of traditional production planning in process manufacturing.[1] Co-founder and CEO Alexander Ebbrecht leads the effort, bringing expertise to automate planning with real-time data and AI, evolving from problem-solving consultations to a full software platform.[1][3] The company has gained early traction with major clients like BASF Coatings, which praised its optimization and transparency gains, marking pivotal adoption in high-stakes industries.[3][5]
Akeno rides the wave of Industry 4.0 and AI-driven manufacturing digitalization, where real-time data and automation address volatile supply chains and sustainability demands in process industries.[1][3] Timing aligns with post-pandemic pressures for resilient operations and Europe's push for industrial competitiveness, as noted by investor Dr. Maximilian Rowoldt.[3] Market forces like rising raw material fluctuations, machine downtimes, and ESG goals favor its adaptive planning, reducing waste and energy use for greener plants.[1][3][5] It influences the ecosystem by becoming a "central building block" for smart factories, enabling full autonomy in planning and paving the way for broader AI adoption in chemicals and pharma.[3]
Akeno is poised to automate production planning end-to-end, expanding from Europe and China into North America and Asia while tripling its team to penetrate more sectors.[3] Trends like edge AI, IoT proliferation, and autonomous factories will accelerate its growth, potentially redefining efficiency standards as it learns from global deployments.[1][3][5] Its influence could evolve from niche optimizer to industry standard, strengthening Europe's tech edge—transforming guesswork into precision for a more sustainable manufacturing era.[1][3]