RE:Lab

What RE:Lab does

RE:LAB S.r.l. is an Italian interaction engineering company founded in 2004 as a university spin-off and headquartered in Reggio Emilia, with a secondary office in Turin. The firm employs over 90 professionals and specializes in Human-Machine Interface (HMI) design, prototyping, testing and validation for embedded systems, operating at the intersection of UX design, human factors engineering, and applied AI. Its core methodology, the Interaction Engineering Process, uses hardware-in-the-loop techniques to connect development, prototyping, testing, and validation phases for safety-critical interfaces.

RE:LAB delivers end-to-end HMI services across automotive (driver monitoring, autonomous vehicle interfaces, V2X), industrial automation, cultural heritage (museum installations such as InterFACES and Soundwall), consumer appliances (vending machine GUIs for EVOCA), and healthcare (PediAppRREST pediatric resuscitation app). It maintains a substantial research footprint as a partner in European consortia under H2020, Horizon Europe, ECSEL JU, KDT-JU, and Italian PNRR programs, including Prystine, Next Perception, MINA, SPIRES, QUACK, and EMPATHI. The company has begun commercializing its own products beyond services, most notably Bancone, an AI-powered conversational interface platform.

The business model combines professional services (project-based HMI design and engineering engagements with enterprise clients), EU/national research grant participation, and early-stage product licensing. Pricing is quote-based and not publicly disclosed. Go-to-market is direct enterprise engagement targeting companies where user experience is critical to product success. The firm is privately held with no institutional investors or parent company disclosed, and is positioned as a specialized mid-sized European services and applied research firm rather than a venture-scale software company.

Name

RE:Lab

Legal name

RE:LAB S.r.l.

Website

https://re-lab.it

Company type

Private

Founded year

2004

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

RE:LAB is an Italian interaction engineering firm founded in 2004 that designs, prototypes, and validates Human-Machine Interfaces for automotive, industrial, cultural heritage, and consumer clients, combining UX design, human factors, and applied AI, and increasingly productizing its capabilities through the Bancone conversational AI platform.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Reggio Nell'emilia

HQ country

Italy

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. HMI Design and Development Services: Core services including creating wireframes, defining requirements, thorough testing at every stage, ensuring end results are functional and seamlessly usable. Services range from concept to deployment for human-machine interfaces.
2. Product Development: Development of key solutions to simplify HMI processes and create enjoyable experiences for users. Products developed include interfaces and technological solutions for various sectors.
3. EU Research Project Participation: Participation in national and international research projects as a partner, contributing expertise in HMI and user experience design. Projects include Horizon Europe, H2020, ECSEL, and regional funding programs.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

RE:LAB provides professional HMI design and development services for embedded systems, spanning wireframing, requirements definition, prototyping, testing, and validation. The company combines UX design, engineering, human factors, and artificial intelligence to deliver interfaces for automotive, industrial, and consumer clients, complemented by products such as the Bancone conversational interface platform and MyGUI customization tool.

Product overview

RE:Lab is an Interaction Engineering company specializing in Human-Machine Interface (HMI) design and development. Their product portfolio centers on Bancone, an AI-powered conversational interface platform, complemented by specialized solutions like MyGUI for vending machine customization and technologies such as InterFACES and Soundwall for cultural/museum installations. The company operates primarily as a service provider for automotive, industrial, and consumer sectors, developing custom HMI solutions, conducting research, and participating in European research projects. Their methodology combines design, engineering, human factors, and artificial intelligence to create experiences where technology feels human.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Bancone: AI-powered interaction platform developed by RE:LAB
• PediAppRREST
• SERENdigiti
• AvantCRAFT
• SUPER Craft
• TrendER Observatory
• FLORA
• Jeko2 GreenAirExplorer

Products and services

• HMI Design and Development Services Professional services covering the full lifecycle of human-machine interface creation for embedded systems, from concept and wireframing through requirements definition, prototyping, testing, and deployment. Targeted at automotive, industrial, and consumer product companies needing safety-critical or complex interaction design.
• Bancone An AI-powered conversational interface platform for creating interactive voice and chat experiences, available as a standalone product via bancone.ai.
• MyGUI A tool that enables service providers to personalize content and graphics of the GUI for vending machines (originally developed for EVOCA Maestro Touch), allowing customized user experiences.
• Maestro Touch Vending machine developed for EVOCA with alternative product selection strategies to engage consumers throughout the interaction process, from selection to waiting time.

Quantifiable outcome

• 50+ successful projects across multiple sectors including automotive, cultural heritage, healthcare, and industrial applications
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability11 records

Feature5 records

Partnerships

29 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• TICHE FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic partnership with TICHE (National Cluster of Technologies for Cultural Heritage) for the Furiose Interazioni technology demonstrator project, developing technological solutions around Ariosto's Orlando Furioso. TICHE co-financed the project.
• Università di PadovacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on the TAtoDPR project for Data Protection Officer training activities and the PediAppRREST project for pediatric cardiac arrest management app development.
• Future Education Modena (FEM)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTechnical partnership on educational projects including Kit Jeko2 Green Air Explorer and FLORA hydroponic greenhouse project for school education.
• University of Modena and Reggio Emilia (UNIMORE)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-standing collaboration including PRISMA project (AI for resource allocation), SINFONICA, MINA project for connected autonomous vehicles, and multiple EU research initiatives.
• BI-REXminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership under PNRR funding for PRISMA project on AI-driven resource allocation optimization.
• ECSEL Joint UndertakingcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerParticipation in ECSEL JU projects including Next Perception (876487) for smart perception sensors, co-funded by EU H2020 and national agencies from Belgium, Czech Republic, Finland, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, and Spain.
• Prystine ConsortiumcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner60 project partners from 14 European and non-European countries including leading automotive OEMs, semiconductor companies, technology partners, and research institutes working on fail-operational autonomous driving.
• European Union (H2020/Horizon Europe)coreOthersMajor funding recipient for multiple research projects including AutoMate (690705), Resolve (653511), Prystine (783190), and others under Horizon 2020 and Horizon Europe programs.
• Reggio Emilia Civic MuseumsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on Furiose Interazioni project at Mauriziano villa, contributing educational experience in hybridization of languages.
• Reggio ChildrenminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on Furiose Interazioni project, contributing educational experience in hybridization of languages for children.
• TUM (Technische Universität München)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTechnical collaboration on euROBIN project for VISIONBOT robotic arm training framework.
• University of BremenminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTechnical collaboration on euROBIN project for VISIONBOT robotic arm training framework.
• Università Suor Orsola BenincasaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership on SPIRES project for immersive simulation and prototyping in textile, aerospace and automotive domains.
• Hypex S.r.l.minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership on SPIRES project for immersive simulation and prototyping.
• UNIMORE CRISminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCentro di Ricerca Interdipartimentale sulla Sicurezza e Prevenzione dei Rischi for ESCALATION project on optimization framework.
• UNIFE MechLavminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch partnership for ESCALATION optimization framework project.
• UNIBO CIRI ICTminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch partnership for ESCALATION optimization framework project.
• AVL ItaliaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProject leader for Epignosis project on advanced systems for hybrid and electric vehicles.
• Politecnico di TorinominorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partner for Epignosis project on advanced systems for hybrid and electric vehicles.
• Università Politecnica delle MarcheminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partner for Epignosis project on advanced systems for hybrid and electric vehicles.
• E4 Computer Engineering SpAminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on QUACK project applying quantum computing to user clustering in economic and mobility contexts.
• DHMoRecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCoordinator of AvantCRAFT project for digital archive of craft knowledge, Centro Interdipartimentale di Ricerca sulle Digital Humanities, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia.
• INTERMECH Mo.Re.minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCentro Interdipartimentale per la Ricerca Applicata e i Servizi nel Settore della Meccanica Avanzata e della Motoristica for AvantCRAFT project.
• CNA Emilia-RomagnaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for AvantCRAFT and TrendER projects, innovation and technology transfer for craft industry.
• EMOJminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in EMPATHI project for emotionally responsive 3D avatars in heritage interaction.
• SPIRIT ConsortiumcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFramework project (101070672) under Horizon Europe for real-time immersive telepresence, with EMPATHI sub-project for emotional avatar integration.
• Centro Nazionale Mobilità Sostenibile (CNMS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational Centre for Sustainable Mobility under Italian PNRR, with MINA project (Spoke 6) focused on connected and autonomous vehicles.
• MICS Partenariato EstesocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMade in Italy Circolare e Sostenibile extended partnership, with SPIRES project (Spoke 1) for virtual and immersive simulation.
• euROBINminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEuropean Robotics Network funding VISIONBOT project for immersive VR framework for robotic arm training.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Punchcut: UX and HMI design firm specializing in connected products, automotive, and embedded interfaces. Directly competes for the same automotive and connected-device HMI engagements as RE:LAB.
• Teague: Industrial design and HMI consultancy with longstanding aviation and automotive practices. Similar enterprise services model and safety-critical interface expertise.
• frog design: Global design and innovation consultancy with deep automotive, industrial, and consumer HMI practices. Closely comparable to RE:LAB in enterprise HMI design services and project-based delivery model.
• IDEO: Pioneer design consultancy serving automotive, industrial, and technology clients with human-centered design and prototyping. Comparable services portfolio and global enterprise sales motion.
• Smart Design: Product and experience design consultancy with embedded systems, connected product, and HMI practices. Comparable services model and engagement size to RE:LAB.

Broad incumbents

• Elektrobit: Automotive HMI software and engineering subsidiary of Continental; serves the same OEM and Tier 1 customer base as RE:LAB but with a broader software-product portfolio beyond pure design services.
• Luxoft (DXC Technology): Global automotive HMI/UX engineering services division competing for similar cockpit and connected-vehicle projects at significantly larger scale than RE:LAB.
• HARMAN International: Samsung-owned connected-car and automotive UX provider offering HMI solutions at scale. Overlaps with RE:LAB in automotive infotainment and ADAS HMI engagements.
• Designworks (BMW Group): BMW-owned design studio serving automotive and adjacent mobility clients. Comparable in automotive HMI design services but operates as a captive plus external consultancy.

Regional players

• Pininfarina: Iconic Italian design house with automotive, industrial, and experiential design practices. Geographic and cultural peer to RE:LAB in the Italian design ecosystem, with overlapping automotive clients.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about RE:Lab