10 questions for Brain Corp, winner of the HIDC Innovation Award 2026

10 questions for the winner

We spoke with Michel Spruijt, President, Brain Corp International about their vision, motivation and what winning this award means to them.

1. Could you briefly introduce Brain Corp? Who are you, what do you do, and what makes your company unique?

Brain Corp is an AI and robotics company pioneering autonomous technology. We are best known for BrainOS®, our cloud-connected operating system that transforms everyday machines—such as floor scrubbers and mobile robots—into autonomous solutions.

What truly sets us apart is our ability to make advanced AI technology accessible and scalable for real-world, dynamic working environments. We literally bring AI onto the warehouse floor, enabling it to operate safely and efficiently alongside people.

2. What does winning the HIDC Innovation Award mean to Brain Corp?

Winning this award is a tremendous honour and a fantastic recognition of our work. It confirms that our vision of making AI directly applicable in logistics resonates with both industry professionals and experts.

Receiving this recognition at such an inspiring venue as the High Tech Campus, alongside so many strong and innovative fellow nominees, makes it even more meaningful. It reinforces that we are on the right track and motivates our entire team to bring our AI solutions to even more logistics operations.

3. During the Innovation Award you presented Automated Inventory Intelligence. Can you tell us more about this solution?

Automated Inventory Intelligence is designed to address some of the biggest challenges in today’s logistics operations, including labour shortages, high manual processing costs and low inventory accuracy, which averages only around 83%.

The solution is built around three core components:

• Real-time data capture – Advanced sensors collect a complete overview of warehouse rack locations during an autonomous robot inspection.
• AI-powered cloud analysis – Our Computer Vision technology analyses the captured images in the cloud to identify empty locations, pallet positions and discrepancies between the physical warehouse and the Warehouse Management System (WMS).
• Immediate action through Air Viewer UI – A user-friendly interface enables warehouse employees to instantly identify discrepancies, quickly correct errors and locate missing pallets.

A major advantage is that the solution runs on our proven BrainOS® platform. It requires no infrastructure modifications—such as QR codes or magnetic tape—and integrates seamlessly with existing WMS platforms.

“Our customers achieve measurable, real-world returns on investment, including: 99%+ inventory accuracy.” – Michel Spruijt

 

4. What results are your customers achieving with Automated Inventory Intelligence?

Our customers achieve measurable, real-world returns on investment, including:

• 99%+ inventory accuracy, often within just a 30-day pilot—an enormous improvement compared with the traditional average of 83%.
• More than 700% of manual scanning hours replaced per robot each month, significantly reducing repetitive work.
• Reassignment of two to four FTEs per site from inventory-related activities to higher-value, less repetitive warehouse tasks.

5. What makes your solution unique?

Three key strengths distinguish our BrainOS® platform:

• No infrastructure changes required – Unlike many automation solutions, our technology does not require QR codes, magnetic tape or physical warehouse modifications. Robots navigate autonomously within the existing environment.
• A globally proven platform – Our technology is far beyond the pilot stage. With more than 50,000 active robots, 10,000 customers and over 25 million operational hours worldwide, BrainOS® has proven its reliability at scale.
• Seamless integration – BrainOS® integrates easily with existing Warehouse Management Systems, enabling organisations to benefit immediately from actionable operational data without complex IT implementation projects.

6. What are you currently focusing on?

We are currently in an exciting phase of introducing Automated Inventory Intelligence to the Benelux market.

Our priorities include:

• Understanding market demand – We are working closely with logistics companies to identify their most pressing operational challenges and determine where AI can deliver the greatest value, particularly in addressing labour shortages and reducing costly manual errors.
• Exploring high-potential market segments – We are seeing strong interest from:
  • Third-Party Logistics providers (3PLs) seeking greater flexibility and inventory visibility;
  • Large-scale distribution centres where manual pallet registration still creates unnecessary errors;
  • Retail and supermarket distribution centres where inventory accuracy is essential for successful e-commerce fulfilment and product availability.

“We are incredibly proud of our journey from an ambitious start-up to a global technology leader with more than 50,000 active autonomous robots operating worldwide.” – Michel Spruijt, President, Brain Corp

 

7. Brain Corp was founded in 2009. Looking back, what are you most proud of?

We are incredibly proud of our journey from an ambitious start-up to a global technology leader with more than 50,000 active autonomous robots operating worldwide.

It is rewarding to see our technology working safely and reliably every day in supermarkets, warehouses, hospitals and airports across the globe. We have demonstrated that innovation is not just about ideas—it is about successfully implementing technology at scale.

8. AI technology is evolving rapidly. How do you stay up to date?

Naturally, we invest heavily in our own R&D teams and collaborate with universities. However, our strongest source of innovation remains our close relationship with customers and partners.

By continuously understanding the challenges organisations face today, we can translate the latest AI developments into practical, business-focused solutions. We also participate in industry events, such as the HIDC Innovation Award, where we exchange knowledge with other innovators and stay inspired by emerging technologies.

“Most importantly, involve employees from the start.” – Michel Spruijt

 

9. Many logistics companies are experimenting with AI, but large-scale implementation remains limited. Where would you advise companies to start?

Start small and focus on solving a clearly defined operational challenge.

Rather than implementing AI simply because it is the latest trend, identify repetitive, labour-intensive processes that consume significant time and resources—for example, manual inventory counting.

Begin with a well-defined pilot using technology that has already proven itself in real operational environments. Most importantly, involve employees from the start. Once people experience how AI makes their work easier, wider adoption throughout the organisation becomes much more natural.

10. What should organisations look for when selecting AI-powered technology?

Look beyond the marketing messages and focus on three essential criteria:

1. Proven performance – Has the technology demonstrated reliable performance in real-world, dynamic operating environments rather than only in laboratory conditions?
2. Ease of integration – How easily can it be integrated into your existing IT infrastructure and operational systems?
3. Ease of use – Perhaps the most important factor. Technology should simplify employees’ work, not complicate it. If frontline users find the solution difficult to use, successful adoption will be challenging.