BRAINR raises US$11.9M to digitize food production in meat, prepared foods

PORTUGAL – BRAINR, a European startup launched by former meat industry executives, is raising US$11.9 million (€11 million) in seed funding to introduce digital systems to food manufacturing.

The financing, described as the largest seed investment globally for digitization in the food sector, is being led by C2 Capital Partners.

Food processing remains one of the industries with the lowest levels of digital adoption worldwide, with a heavy reliance on spreadsheets, paperwork, and manual recordkeeping.

This dependence on outdated systems has been linked to inefficiencies such as high levels of waste, limited traceability, and increased food safety risks.

BRAINR has developed a cloud-based platform designed to integrate the operations of a food plant in real time, providing oversight, reducing human errors, and improving both efficiency and traceability.

Operations in Portugal

The company’s system currently supports more than a quarter of Portugal’s total meat production and has reported tangible results in several facilities.

At Campoaves, a poultry processor, the platform reduced shipping errors by 94 percent, enabled full digital traceability, and supported the company’s certification under International Featured Standards (IFS).

Avisabor, another poultry company, expanded its daily processing from 40,000 to 190,000 birds while cutting the time spent on inventory management by half.

Comave, also in poultry, achieved IFS certification in a shorter timeframe than usual after adopting BRAINR’s technology with 100 percent digital traceability.

Future expansion

According to BRAINR’s chief executive and co-founder Paulo Gaspar, the new investment will go toward research and development, with an emphasis on artificial intelligence tools accessible across companies of all sizes.

André Oliveira, managing partner at C2 Capital Partners, said the firm had backed BRAINR because of its team’s experience and ability to improve food industry processes.

The company has already received international recognition from groups including Manufacturing Tech Insights, StartUs Insights, and Food4Future, and it was recently listed among EUROPA’s 100 most promising European startups.

BRAINR is now looking to expand globally and intends to adapt its platform for use in additional food categories such as bakery, confectionery, and beverages alongside its existing focus on meat and pre-cooked foods.

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