We are excited to be backing SwipeGuide, an Amsterdam-based startup, together with Speedinvest, Capital T, and Newion. This future-thinking company leverages crowdsourcing technology and generative AI to capture and standardize operational knowledge in manufacturing environments. Their performance platform helps organizations in industries such as food & beverage, machine manufacturing, and others to capture, scale, and automate critical operational knowledge.

The COVID-19 pandemic has increased the demand for smart tools that support the digitization of production processes. More and more, manufacturers are digitally transforming their businesses to increase productivity and resilience while protecting their bottom line.

But this is not the only challenge that the manufacturing industry is facing: they are also facing a critical skills gap. Skilled workers with deep shop floor knowledge are retiring, and organizations are hiring many new, younger employees. Thus, it is essential to speed up the onboarding and task-readiness of these new operators through experiential learning and easy-to-use training tools. This is key to prevent mistakes and keep lines running at all times.

And that’s where SwipeGuide comes in.

SwipeGuide: A Performance Platform for the Manufacturing Industry

This cloud-based SaaS platform enables shop floor teams to digitize crucial instructions and standard operating procedures in minutes. Their intuitive factory app makes it possible to capture and scale operational knowledge across teams, lines, and sites.

Better access to critical information at the moment of need enhances operational excellence through first-time-right and manufacturing uptime, leading to improved product quality and safety, lower costs, and greater overall performance.

Top manufacturers like PepsiCo, Heineken, ABB, and Orkla use SwipeGuide to capture and scale critical operational knowledge at more than 150 plants, with over 100,000 unique monthly users operating in 89 countries around the world to improve their operational efficiency.

The SwipeGuide team

“SwipeGuide’s intuitive instruction technology enables every frontline worker to digitize content and helps manufacturing companies scale operational knowledge and achieve lean manufacturing across factories,” said Timo Linnemann, Ventures Associate at Plug and Play in Stuttgart. “This makes SwipeGuide a fantastic addition to the Plug and Play portfolio and our global corporate partnership network, accelerating the transition to industry 4.0.,” adds Alina Biermann, Ventures Associate.

"Our industry is built on innovation and collaboration,” said Willemijn Schneyder, CEO & Co-Founder of SwipeGuide. “That’s why we’re excited to become part of the global Plug and Play portfolio. Their network of corporate partners connects us with some of the world’s top innovators and leaders at the cutting edge of manufacturing tech. We’re looking forward to working with key companies who recognize the value and power of a digital transformation."

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