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§ Private Profile · Osnabrück, Germany
VisioLab is a company.
VisioLab has raised $2.0M across 1 funding round.
Key people at VisioLab.
VisioLab has raised $2.0M in total across 1 funding round.
VisioLab develops AI-powered visual self-checkout systems for food service. Their core product uses camera technology, often integrated with standard tablets, to instantly identify items and calculate costs without barcodes. This advanced computer vision streamlines checkout, automating cashier tasks and providing a fast, intuitive user experience.
Founded in 2019 by Tim Niekamp and Justin Shenk, VisioLab emerged from recognizing inefficient traditional checkout in cafeterias. Niekamp, focused on strategy, and Shenk, with AI expertise, aimed to solve this. They created seamless transactions using advanced vision technology, striving to remove daily purchasing friction.
VisioLab serves food service providers like corporate canteens and university cafeterias, boosting operational efficiency and customer throughput. The company envisions human-centric artificial intelligence that simplifies daily interactions and improves convenience. They aspire for unobtrusive technology, enabling effortless navigation of routines.
Key people at VisioLab.
VisioLab is an Osnabrück, Germany-based startup founded in 2019 that develops AI-based self-checkout solutions for food service providers. Its products simplify checkout processes, enhance customer experiences, reduce labor costs, and support a sustainable food economy through human-centric AI and data-driven decisions.[1][3][4][6] The company serves restaurants and food services, addressing pain points like manual checkouts and operational inefficiencies, with recent €2 million seed funding (total ~$2.15M) led by High-Tech Gründerfonds (HTGF) to scale operations and expand into the US market; it now employs over 20 people and has achieved product-market fit with paying customers.[1][2][4]
VisioLab was founded in 2019 by Tim Niekamp (CEO) and Iwo Gernemann (COO), with early mentions also noting Justin Shenk as a co-founder; the team has grown to over 20 international members headquartered in Osnabrück.[1][4][5] The idea emerged from a focus on human-centered AI to streamline daily processes in food services, evolving rapidly with backing from top-tier VCs like HTGF, NBank Capital, Axel Springer & Porsche Accelerator (APX), and family office zwei.7.[1][4] Pivotal early traction includes developing market-ready acquisition systems deployed with customers, strong US market interest, and this latest seed round to fuel revenue growth and scaling.[1]
VisioLab rides the wave of AI automation in hospitality and food services, where labor shortages, rising costs, and demand for contactless experiences post-pandemic create tailwinds. Timing aligns with maturing edge AI and computer vision tech, enabling reliable self-checkout without heavy infrastructure, amid a $100B+ global food service market shifting to efficiency tools.[1][3] Favorable forces include investor appetite for industrially scalable AI (e.g., HTGF's high-tech focus) and US expansion potential, where quick-service restaurants seek cost savings. VisioLab influences the ecosystem by pioneering sustainable AI applications, potentially inspiring similar tools in retail and contributing to HTGF's track record of 160+ exits.[1][4]
VisioLab is poised for accelerated growth, leveraging fresh €2M funding for US market penetration and revenue scaling, with live customer deployments signaling strong product momentum.[1] Key trends like AI edge computing, labor automation, and sustainability will propel it, potentially leading to Series A and broader adoption in global food chains. Its influence may evolve from niche innovator to category leader, humanizing AI in everyday services—echoing its founding mission to make life easier through smart, simple tech.[3][4][6]
VisioLab has raised $2.0M across 1 funding round. Most recently, it raised $2.0M Seed in January 2023.
| Date | Round | Lead Investors | Other Investors | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 1, 2023 | $2M Seed | Dominik Lohle | Jens OHR, APX, Ralf Borchers, Zwei.7 | Announced |
VisioLab has raised $2.0M in total across 1 funding round.
VisioLab's investors include Dominik Lohle, Jens Ohr, APX, Ralf Borchers, zwei.7.
