Collo, a Tampere-based tech company specializing in IoT analyzers for optimizing industrial liquid processes, recently announced a significant growth funding of €5 million. This funding round was co-led by Swedish SEB Greentech Venture Capital and Dutch deep tech investor FORWARD.one, with participation from existing investor Scale Capital.
The core offering of Collo is its unique analyzer that can quickly characterize any type of liquid. This technology provides food and beverage companies with continuous, real-time measurement capabilities, allowing them to better control and optimize their production flows. By utilizing Collo’s analyzer, companies can save raw materials and water, reduce CO2 emissions, and minimize waste production.
One striking example provided by Collo is the potential impact on a mid-sized dairy plant. Without inline process control, such a plant could lose up to 8 million liters of raw milk annually. By implementing Collo’s analyzer, these losses can be significantly reduced, resulting in savings of up to 11 million kilos of CO2 emissions and 35 million liters of clean water.
The recent funding injection of €5 million will enable Collo to expand its solution globally, addressing the growing demand for sustainable and efficient operations in the food and beverage industry. Matti Järveläinen, co-founder and CEO of Collo, highlighted the industry’s transformation driven by climate change, sustainable priorities, and environmental regulations. He emphasized that Collo’s solution supports the industry in achieving these goals and is well-positioned to establish a strong presence in global markets.
Collo’s competitive edge lies in its sensor, analytics, and machine-learning capabilities. The sensor is versatile and can be used with any liquid in a plant, eliminating the need for multiple traditional sensors. Additionally, the analytics and machine learning features provide actionable insights for plant management, enabling operators to optimize processes without the complexity of maintaining sensors or interpreting raw data.
Järveläinen explained that all savings achieved through Collo’s solution are realized through process optimization using existing infrastructure. This means that any processing company can implement Collo analyzers without significant investments in new production lines, bringing their plants into the IoT era and making their processes more sustainable.
Collo’s current customer base includes global food and beverage companies such as Fonterra, Danone, and Valio. The company’s solution has proven effective in minimizing product losses, as well as optimizing processes like Clean-in-Place (CIP) and fermentation. This versatility has positioned Collo as a key player in the evolving landscape of „Food 2.0“ products.
Investors like SEB Greentech VC and FORWARD.one have expressed confidence in Collo’s technology and team, recognizing the potential for the company to become a leader in liquid analytics. With a focus on cutting emissions and conserving water, Collo’s laboratory-level technology offers precision in a cost-effective format, appealing to a wide range of processing industry plants.
In conclusion, Collo’s growth funding and innovative technology showcase the company’s commitment to driving sustainability and efficiency in the food and beverage industry. With a strong product-market fit and a track record of success with global industry players, Collo is poised for continued growth and impact in the liquid analytics space.