Dutch company Konekti wins the European Supply Chain Start-up Contest 2026

With a groundbreaking approach to decision intelligence and process-driven AI, Dutch start-up Konekti won the European Supply Chain Start-up Contest on 3 June during the inNOWvate Supply Chain Event in Amsterdam. Through this annual competition, Supply Chain Media has been offering promising European start-ups a platform – in the most literal sense of the word – since 2018. The audience: decision-makers, investors and supply chain executives. Lotte Vugs, CEO & Co-Founder of Konekti, was delighted with the €20,000 voucher attached to the prize for a marketing campaign by Supply Chain Media. ‘‘I am certain that this will enable us to put Konekti on the map in Europe’’.

Konekti is the first Dutch start-up to win this European competition. The other two finalists were CarbonLeap, also from the Netherlands, and Horizon Solutions from Belgium. Like Konekti, they presented their solution during the inNOWvate Supply Chain Event and each discussed the technological innovation, commercial potential and practical applicability of their solution with the expert jury.

A new step in decision-making with AI

According to the jury report, Konekti stands out with a clear vision on one of the fundamental challenges in supply chain digitalisation: the lack of a reliable, process-driven data layer as a basis for AI and decision-making. Whereas traditional solutions mainly provide insight into what has happened, Konekti focuses explicitly on the question of why processes run the way they do and which decisions need to be adjusted.

This approach shifts the focus from analysis to action. By utilising advanced process models and AI agents that identify causal relationships, Konekti helps companies make better-informed and immediately actionable decisions. The jury sees this as a significant innovation within the rapidly growing field of decision intelligence.

Demonstrable impact for customers

A key factor in the win was the proven impact of the solution in practice. Konekti’s technology has led to measurable improvements in operational performance and working capital for customers. In doing so, the start-up demonstrates not only technological depth but also concrete business value for organisations with complex supply chains.

The company’s strategic positioning was also notable. Konekti focuses primarily on medium-sized, fast-growing companies with fragmented supply chains – a segment where there is a significant need for ready-to-use solutions – whilst at the same time serving large multinationals such as ABB and BMW.

Eindhoven’s ecosystem as a growth accelerator

The jury also sees great potential in the combination of technological expertise and ecosystem strategy. Konekti has partnerships with companies including Celonis, Microsoft and SAP and benefits from its origins in the high-tech ecosystem centred around the Dutch city of Eindhoven and its Eindhoven University of Technology (TU/e). This foundation translates into a strong focus on in-depth process analysis and a clear growth strategy towards scaling up.