COSLING

What COSLING does

COSLING is a French optimization software company founded in November 2014 in Nantes as a spin-off of IMT Atlantique, specializing in Constraint Programming (CP) and Operations Research for complex industrial decision support. The company designs custom algorithms and packaged software for configuration, routing, planning, and scheduling problems, serving enterprise and government clients across railway (SNCF Réseau, OpenGOV), defense (Airbus Defence and Space, French Air and Space Force, Thales, Naval Group), aerospace (ESA, Terma), logistics (ID Logistics, Rhenus, Relais Colis), manufacturing (Air Liquide, GE Vernova, VINCI, REXEL, Tyrolit), energy (EDF), and workforce management.

The company's technology stack is built on two core open-source CP solvers — Choco Solver (co-administered with IMT Atlantique, 20+ years of development, multiple international competition wins) and Google OR-Tools CP-SAT — combined with Linear Programming, meta-heuristics, and a microservices architecture deployable via REST APIs in SaaS or on-premise modes. Product offerings include the no-code Cosling Configurator, the Advanced Planning System (APS) framework with APS Starter, and specialized micro-SaaS solutions: OptaWork (workforce scheduling), OptaForce (military aircraft maintenance, co-developed with Airbus), OptaPick (warehouse order picking), and OpenGOV (railway operations, deployed at SNCF Réseau).

COSLING monetizes through a hybrid model combining project-based professional services (custom algorithm development from POC through industrialized deployment) and recurring platform subscriptions (Cosling Configurator, OptaWork). The company is led by co-founder and CEO Jean-Guillaume Fages (PhD, AFIA and ACP doctoral awardee) and co-founder Tanguy Lapègue (PhD in Operations Research). Distribution combines direct enterprise sales, system integration partners, and platform partnerships (GE Digital Predix catalog, Lino Hub), supported by an active conference presence (CP, JFPC, ROADEF, VivaTech, Paris Air Show) and a strong open-source community footprint around Choco Solver.

Name

COSLING

Legal name

COSLING S.A.S.

Website

https://cosling.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2014

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

COSLING is a French software firm specializing in Constraint Programming–based decision support for configuration, planning, routing, and scheduling. Founded in 2014 as an IMT Atlantique spin-off, it serves enterprise and government clients in railway, defense, aerospace, logistics, and manufacturing.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Operations Research and Optimization Software

NAICS

Custom Computer Programming Services (541511), Computer Systems Design and Related Services (54151)

SIC

Services-Computer Programming Services (7371), Services-Prepackaged Software (7372)

akta.pro primary industry

Process & Case Management Low-Code Platforms (HDAEAKAE)

Keywords

• Constraint programming software
• Optimization algorithms
• Advanced planning systems
• Product configurator software
• Workforce scheduling software

Headquarters

HQ city

Nantes

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Software

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Custom Algorithm Development & Professional Services: Cosling designs and develops custom optimization algorithms tailored to client needs, providing end-to-end support from Proof of Concept to production deployment. Projects are scoped, prototyped, and industrialized with REST API integration, continuous integration, and agile development methods.
2. SaaS/PaaS Configurator Platform: Cosling Configurator is offered as a web-based platform (SaaS and on-premise modes). Clients access the no-code configuration platform to model products/services and generate quotes. Revenue is recurring through platform subscription.
3. Workforce Planning Software (OptaWork): OptaWork is a workforce planning microservice sold to organizations for automated employee scheduling. Delivered as a standalone microservice integrated with client systems.
4. Custom APS (Advanced Planning System) Solutions: Cosling develops custom scheduling and planning systems for industrial clients, including APS Starter as a foundation. Solutions are deployed as microservices integrated with ERP/MES systems.

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

COSLING develops software solutions for decision support in configuration, routing, planning, and scheduling using Constraint Programming. The company sells a no-code Configurator platform, Advanced Planning System (APS) solutions, dedicated microservices such as OptaWork (workforce), OptaForce (aircraft maintenance), OpenGOV (railway) and OptaPick (warehouse picking), and offers custom algorithm development and integration services to enterprise clients. Core engine assets are the open-source Choco Solver (Java) library co-developed with IMT Atlantique and expertise with Google OR-Tools CP-SAT.

Product overview

COSLING offers a portfolio of constraint programming and optimization solutions centered on two open-source solvers (Choco Solver and ORTools CPSAT) and a no-code configuration platform. The core offering includes the Cosling Configurator for product/service configuration, Advanced Planning Systems (APS) for production and resource scheduling, and specialized solutions like OptaWork for workforce planning and OptaForce for aircraft maintenance. The company provides custom algorithm development services, operates as a major contributor to Choco Solver, and offers all solutions as microservices deployable via REST APIs and containerization (Docker, Kubernetes). Products are used across railway, logistics, manufacturing, defense, and workforce management sectors.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Choco Solver Open-source Java library for Constraint Programming, used for more than 20 years by companies and universities, among the most efficient solvers with high code quality, easily integrated for developing web-services for decision making. For enterprise clients seeking integration or development, COSLING provides commercial services and integration support.
• Google OR-Tools CP-SAT Integration COSLING's consulting, integration, and customization services around Google's OR-Tools CP-SAT hybrid constraint solver (combining CP, SAT, and Linear Programming with Lazy Clause Generation and portfolio search). APIs available in Java, Python, and C#. Sold as professional services to enterprise clients.
• Cosling Configurator No-code platform for building constrained configuration models. Enables import of product data from Excel, modeling of cost functions and constraints (arithmetics, logical, trigonometry), and real-time quote generation through an interactive configuration interface. Delivered as a web-based microservice via REST API in SaaS or on-premise modes; for enterprises and product companies selling customized products.
• Advanced Planning System (APS) Custom planning and scheduling software integrating optimization algorithms for supply chain, production, logistics, or services. Automatically calculates optimal schedules considering multiple constraints and enables scenario simulation. Deployed as microservices integrated with ERP/MES systems for industrial clients.
• OptaWork Workforce planning and scheduling microservice that reduces operational costs by scheduling resources at optimal times. Handles labor law constraints, skill requirements, and multi-objective optimization. Sold to organizations needing automated workforce rostering across agencies, call centers, and service operations, delivered as a standalone microservice integrated with client systems.
• OptaForce Aircraft maintenance optimization software jointly developed with Airbus Defence and Space for the French Airforce. Optimizes both military and maintenance operations to maximize fleet utilization. Deployed as a software solution for defense and aerospace operators.
• OpenGOV Railway optimization software solution from DGEX Solutions - SNCF Réseau, powered by COSLING's constraint optimization algorithms. Optimizes management of tens of thousands of trains daily for large railway operators.
• OptaPick Logistics optimization solution for order picking. Connected to WMS, it indicates optimal parcel placement to achieve optimized pallets satisfying stability and maximum height constraints. Sold to logistics operators and 3PLs.
• APS Starter Lightweight and extensible foundation solution for scheduling and planning needs. Allows visualization and testing of schedules while demonstrating APS capabilities tailored to specific company requirements, serving as a rapid prototyping and validation tool.
• Custom Algorithms Development Service Tailored optimization algorithms designed and developed for unique client needs. Full lifecycle support from Proof of Concept (POC) to deployment of industrialized solutions integrated into client information systems, using REST APIs, continuous integration, and agile development methods. Professional services for enterprise clients with bespoke optimization challenges.

Quantifiable outcome

• OpenGOV solution manages dozens of thousands of trains daily for SNCF Réseau
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers20 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

Yes

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

AI capability2 records

Feature7 records

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Blue Yonder (formerly JDA): Large supply-chain and APS platform incumbent serving manufacturing, logistics, and retail. Comparable in providing advanced planning/scheduling solutions at scale, but as a much broader, enterprise-software-suite alternative to Cosling's solver-centric approach.
• FICO Xpress Optimization: Established commercial solver and decision-optimization suite used across enterprise supply chain, finance, and logistics. Comparable as an incumbent alternative to Choco Solver-based solutions for industrial APS and configuration problems.
• Gurobi Optimization: Industry-leading commercial mathematical programming solver (LP/MIP/QP). Comparable as a vendor of optimization engines underlying enterprise decision-support, though broader in scope and significantly larger than Cosling.
• IBM CPLEX Optimization: Long-standing commercial optimization solver from IBM. Comparable as a generalized optimization engine competing for the same enterprise decision-support workloads Cosling addresses with Choco Solver / CP-SAT.
• Dassault Systèmes DELMIA / 3DEXPERIENCE: Industrial-grade APS, manufacturing planning, and operations simulation suite within the 3DEXPERIENCE platform. Comparable as a broad incumbent serving the same industrial scheduling, workforce, and configuration needs Cosling addresses.

Direct peers

• Aimms: Optimization modeling platform combining no-code modeling with solver backends for supply chain, manufacturing, and workforce planning. Comparable as a low-code optimization platform targeting similar industrial planning use cases.
• DecisionBrain: Operations research software and consulting firm delivering custom optimization solutions for workforce, transport, and production planning. Directly comparable business model and target verticals (rail, workforce scheduling, manufacturing).
• Artelys: Paris-based operations research software and consulting firm. Closely comparable in size, French domicile, and OR/optimization focus, serving energy, transport, and defense customers with custom optimization solutions.
• Hexaly (formerly LocalSolver): French mathematical optimization solver vendor and consultancy. Highly comparable to Cosling as a French-headquartered, academic-rooted company commercializing proprietary optimization solvers for industrial planning and configuration problems.

Regional players

• Optano: German optimization software vendor with deep OR expertise, serving manufacturing, logistics, and retail customers in DACH. Comparable as a regional optimization specialist with overlapping industrial customer base.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cosling
• Xx.com/COSLING_SAS

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

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 COSLING