Kic | MPi

What Kic | MPi does

KicMPi (Coöperatie KicMPi U.A., legally seated at Innovatieweg 8A, 4542 NH Hoek, Zeeland, Netherlands) is a member-owned cooperative association that acts as a cross-border knowledge and innovation network for industrial maintenance in the Flanders-Netherlands process industry. The organization was established in 2017 and operates with a nine-person core team (General Manager Pieter Raes, Programma Manager Rutger van der Male, Office Manager Veronique Naeye, Project Assistant Debby Lambrechts) and a board chaired by Trinseo's Maschal Weeland, with further seats held by EQUANS, SPIE, Zeeland Refinery, Yara Sluiskil, Boskalis and Dow Benelux.

KicMPi's portfolio is structured as a stack of publicly funded innovation projects and physical facilities rather than a commercial product line. Major programs include Smart Tooling (Interreg V robotics applications for inspection, cleaning and maintenance), Circulair Onderhoud (€1.46M Interreg V circular-maintenance program), Smart Maintenance Labs (€2.85M OPZuid Maintenance 4.0 open innovation system), Praktijklab Corrosie & Isolatie (€1.37M Interreg V corrosion research infrastructure), Industriële Robotica Innovatie (€1.01M REACT-EU inspection robotics), Fieldlab CAMPIONE (100% predictive maintenance with ABB, TNO and TU Eindhoven), KICIS (emergency response and hydrogen safety), Project 6-25 (CO₂ reduction), the Toolbox Operationaliseren Innovatie feasibility project (April 2024), and the physical Innovatiehub voor Techniek en Veiligheid (ITV) launched in 2024 with Schelde Safety Network, Competence Development Center and North Sea Port. Member SMEs such as ID-Tec, ExRobotics and Terra Inspectioneering develop the actual robots — crawlers, snake robots, the I-Ball tank inspection system, UT wall-thickness drones and ATEX/IECEx-certified platforms — while knowledge partners Universiteit Gent, Universiteit Twente, HZ University of Applied Sciences, Avans Hogeschool and TU Eindhoven supply research.

The economic model is a hybrid of subscription membership and public grant pass-through. Annual membership fees are tiered from €500 (sole proprietors) to €7,500 (standard corporate members), with intermediate rates for SMEs (€4,000), MVP companies (€4,000), micro SMEs (€2,000) and knowledge institutes (€1,000). The balance of operating capacity is financed through Interreg Vlaanderen-Nederland, EFRO, OPZuid, REACT-EU and Province of Zeeland subsidies, typically routed via multi-year project consortia that include the major asset owners in the North Sea Port District — Dow Benelux, Yara Sluiskil, Zeeland Refinery, ICL-IP Terneuzen, Neste Nederland, Trinseo and North Sea Port — as test-environment providers and steering committee members. KicMPi sits inside the Campus Zeeland triple-helix network alongside Impuls Zeeland, Dockwize and Breda Robotics.

Name

Kic | MPi

Legal name

Coöperatie KicMPi U.A.

Website

https://kicmpi.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

KicMPi is a Dutch cooperative association acting as a cross-border knowledge and innovation network that connects process-industry asset owners, maintenance SMEs and universities to develop robotics, predictive maintenance and circular-maintenance solutions in the Flanders-Netherlands region.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Hoek

HQ country

Netherlands

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Membership Fees: KicMPi operates as a cooperative association financed primarily through annual membership fees. The organization stimulates collaboration between companies to innovate maintenance in the process industry.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

KicMPi is a cooperative knowledge and innovation network that stimulates collaboration between companies to innovate maintenance in the process industry. It connects asset owners (chemical, petrochemical, refinery companies) with SMEs and knowledge institutions to co-develop robotic, drone, AR, and digital maintenance solutions. Revenue is generated primarily through membership fees and European/regional subsidies funding collaborative R&D projects across the Flanders-Netherlands border region.

Product overview

KicMPi (Kennis- en Innovatiecentrum Maintenance Procesindustrie) is a cooperative knowledge and innovation network focused on innovation in maintenance for the process industry. The organization operates as a platform facilitating collaboration between companies rather than offering a unified software product. Its portfolio consists of multiple innovation projects and programs including: Smart Tooling (robotics applications for inspection and maintenance), Circulair Onderhoud (circular maintenance practices), Smart Maintenance Labs (Maintenance 4.0 applications), Praktijklab Corrosie & Isolatie (corrosion research), Project 6-25 (CO2 reduction), Fieldlab CAMPIONE (predictive maintenance), Industriële Robotica Innovatie IRI (inspection robots), KICIS (emergency response), Toolbox Operationaliseren Innovatie (innovation implementation), the Innovatiehub voor Techniek en Veiligheid ITV (innovation hub with labs), and Transitiecoaching (transition coaching services). These initiatives are largely funded by Interreg, OPZuid, REACT-EU, and regional subsidies, and involve collaboration with asset owners, knowledge institutions, and SMEs in the process industry.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• IRI (Industriële Robotica Innovatie): Project focused on developing three inspection robots: I-Ball (tank inspection system), Snake Robot (pipeline inspection), and autonomous drone for confined space inspection.
• KICIS (Kennis- en InnovatieCentrum voor Calamiteitenbestrijding)
• Circulair Onderhoud

Products and services

• KicMPi Cooperative Membership

Quantifiable outcome

• Smart Tooling project developed approximately 50 concrete robotic applications for maintenance in the process industry
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

21 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Dow BeneluxcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor asset owner and lead partner in multiple KicMPi projects including Smart Tooling, Circulair Onderhoud, and IRI. Dow provides real-world test environments for robotic and digital maintenance innovations at its Terneuzen site and co-funds collaborative projects.
• Universiteit GentcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKey knowledge partner in Smart Tooling (developing software and sensors for crawler inspection in tanks) and Circulair Onderhoud (failure prediction of electric motors). Provides academic research support and coordinates contributions from other knowledge institutions.
• Universiteit TwentecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKnowledge partner developing the snake robot for pipe inspection, working on robot autonomy, redesign of software framework for flexibility, and providing control software for the snake robot prototype built by Exrobotics.
• ID-TeccoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSME developing the crawler robot for tank inspection as part of Smart Tooling. Also the lead developer of the I-Ball inspection system in the IRI project. Specializes in solutions for inspecting, cleaning, and renovating pipes, tanks, and confined spaces.
• ExRoboticscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSME developing inspection robots for explosive environments (ATEX/IECEx robotics). Partner in Smart Maintenance Labs and IRI (Snake Robot development). The first company in the world able to develop ATEX/IECEx robotics for oil and gas industry customers. Headquartered in Breda.
• Terra InspectioneeringcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSME specializing in inspection projects using innovative robotics, video inspections, and 3D modeling. Based in Vlissingen, it holds two international patents on UT drones technology and leads the autonomous drone work package in the IRI project.
• BEMAS (Belgian Maintenance Association)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBelgian maintenance association and co-lead partner with KicMPi in the Circulair Onderhoud project. Collaborates on surveys, annual events, and the Circulair Onderhoud Award. Co-organizer of the Asset Performance Conference.
• Impuls ZeelandcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional economic development organization providing co-funding and coordination for KicMPi's innovation projects. Subsidizes the organization's activities as part of Campus Zeeland and co-organizes events such as the Inspiratietour Portlantis.
• DockwizecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerZeeland innovation hub that connects companies with industrial challenges and innovators. Provides physical space in Vlissingen (four of sixteen warehouse units) for developing and testing maintenance robotics solutions within Smart Maintenance Labs.
• Breda RoboticscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSmart Industry Fieldlab in Breda that stimulates development and application of robotics and industrial automation. Provides physical lab space, knowledge, and network for maintenance robotics solutions within Smart Maintenance Labs. Initiative of ExRobotics, Synchron, WWA, Avans Hogeschool, municipality of Breda, and REWIN.
• SirriscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBelgian technology center serving as knowledge partner in Praktijklab Corrosie & Isolatie, providing existing infrastructure for academic-level research and developing new infrastructure for field testing.
• ScaldacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerVocational education institution in Zeeland providing practical and execution support for Praktijklab Corrosie & Isolatie. Also developing a basic curriculum for Corrosion and Insulation Technicians at higher and secondary education levels.
• Yara SluiskilcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAsset owner and steering committee member of Circulair Onderhoud project, focusing on predicting remaining lifespan of control valves. Also bestuursvoorzitter (board chair) of KicMPi.
• HZ University of Applied SciencescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKnowledge institution contributing to multiple projects including Circulair Onderhoud (quantifying sustainability effects, control valve lifespan prediction) and Smart Maintenance Labs. Contributes research from the Asset Management lectoraat.
• ABBminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTechnology partner in Fieldlab CAMPIONE focused on 100% predictable maintenance in the process industry, contributing expertise in automation and industrial systems.
• TNOminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch organization participating in Fieldlab CAMPIONE, contributing to predictive maintenance research and technology development.
• TU EindhovenminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTechnical university contributing research expertise to Fieldlab CAMPIONE for predictive maintenance technologies.
• Schelde Safety Network (SSN)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSafety network and co-initiator of the Innovatiehub voor Techniek en Veiligheid (ITV) together with KicMPi and CDC. Focused on industrial safety training and innovation within the North Sea Port District.
• Competence Development Center (CDC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-initiator of the Innovatiehub voor Techniek en Veiligheid (ITV) with KicMPi and Schelde Safety Network. Focused on competence development and training in the North Sea Port District.
• Avans HogeschoolminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerApplied university contributing to Smart Tooling (indoor positioning research) and other projects, providing student involvement and academic expertise in robotics and automation.
• North Sea PortcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCross-border port authority (Netherlands-Belgium) and partner in Praktijklab Corrosie & Isolatie. Co-hosts the Innovatiehub voor Techniek en Veiligheid (ITV) in the North Sea Port District.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Dockwize: Zeeland-based innovation hub connecting companies with industrial challenges and innovators, already a core KicMPi partner within Smart Maintenance Labs. Comparable cluster-facilitating model in the same regional ecosystem.
• Catalisti: Flemish spearhead cluster for sustainable chemistry, operating a similar industry-academia-government collaborative model targeting innovation in the chemical process industry. Directly comparable cluster model for process industry innovation.
• Flanders Make: Belgian strategic research center for the manufacturing industry, running collaborative R&D programs between industry, universities, and research institutions. Highly comparable triple-helix model operating in the Flanders region that KicMPi also serves.
• Sirris: Belgian collective research center providing technology advisory and applied R&D infrastructure for manufacturing companies. Already a KicMPi project partner and an organizational analogue in the Flemish process industry ecosystem.
• BEMAS (Belgian Maintenance Association): Belgian maintenance association and KicMPi's co-lead on the Circulair Onderhoud project. Operates a near-identical member-based model for industrial maintenance knowledge sharing in Belgium, with overlapping membership and joint events.
• Brainport Industries: Dutch high-tech manufacturing cluster cooperative that connects OEMs, suppliers, and knowledge institutions in the Brainport Eindhoven region. Closely comparable cooperative-network model targeting industrial innovation in a specific Dutch cluster.

Emerging players

• Manufacturing Technology Centre (MTC): UK-based Catapult center for manufacturing innovation providing R&D, testbeds, and innovation programs for industrial companies. Comparable in its role as a publicly-funded innovation hub bridging academia and process/manufacturing industry.

Regional players

• IMPULS (Verband für Facility Management und Instandhaltung): German maintenance and asset management industry association providing networking, knowledge sharing, and best-practice programs for industrial maintenance. Comparable in mission (industrial maintenance innovation community), but operating primarily in the German-speaking market.

Broad incumbents

• TNO: Netherlands Organisation for Applied Scientific Research, a large public R&D organization with broad industry coverage including predictive maintenance. Comparable in its mission to bridge research and industry adoption, but at significantly larger scale and breadth.
• Fraunhofer Institute for Manufacturing Technology and Advanced Materials: German applied research organization running extensive R&D programs in industrial production and process technologies. Comparable in its collaborative research model with industry, but operating at much larger scale across multiple industrial sectors.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC0BtbKglDhjvCrHbFgi5GLA
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/kic-mvp

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 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 Kic | MPi