Tech Startup Perry, backed by funds totaling €1.6 million, primarily from Google and McKinsey alumni, sets out to bridge Europe's skills gap in artificial intelligence.
In the heart of Europe, a new AI-powered solution is making waves. **Perry**, a Dutch startup founded in 2025, is on a mission to bridge the acute shortage of skilled technical workers across the continent. The platform, designed specifically for technicians, provides adaptive work instructions that evolve with real-world feedback[1][2][3].
Laurens Feenstra and Arie Kuiper, seasoned professionals with experience from companies like Google, Waymo, TomTom, McKinsey, and BuyBay, are the brains behind Perry. Their vision is to make industrial software more user-friendly, shifting it from a process-centric approach to one that caters to the needs of technicians, much like a smartphone app for consumers[2][3].
The timing of Perry's launch is crucial. Over the past two decades, Europe has seen a shrinkage of approximately 15 million technical roles[4]. This trend is expected to worsen due to an aging workforce and insufficient training pipelines for younger workers[4]. Key sectors such as renewable energy, telecommunications, and construction face the risk of stagnation if the skills gap persists[2][3][4].
Perry's innovative platform aims to help technicians get trained faster and more effectively, ensuring safer working conditions, and improving the quality and efficiency of technical work[1][4]. By delivering AI-driven, adaptive work instructions, Perry aspires to alleviate the Europe-wide shortage of skilled technical professionals in critical industrial sectors[1][4].
The startup has secured €1.6 million in seed funding led by Berlin-based Revent, with participation from angel investors with backgrounds in Google and OpenAI[1][2][3][4]. This funding will be used to grow the team, enhance the AI models and platform, and expand operations into major European markets including Germany, France, and the UK[1][2][3][4].
Lauren Lentz, founding partner at Revent, emphasised the urgency of Perry's mission, stating that without enough skilled professionals, progress in key sectors like the energy transition risks grinding to a halt[1]. The software is developed in close collaboration with technicians, ensuring it works in practice, not just in theory[1].
Van Vulpen, a leading Dutch energy infrastructure company, is Perry's first customer, using the tool to train and support its workers[1]. With a promising customer base, Perry is poised to make a significant impact in Europe, future-proofing its workforce and driving progress in critical sectors.
In the words of Arie Kuiper, getting the newest AI technology in the hands of technical workers will make a big difference[1]. Laurens Feenstra adds that Perry's solution makes the knowledge of experienced professionals available to everyone, exactly when it's needed[1]. The founding team of Perry blends deep tech and business expertise, setting the stage for a promising future in addressing Europe's skilled workforce shortage.
[1] https://perry.ai/news/perry-raises-1-6-million-to-revolutionize-technical-workforce-training [2] https://techcrunch.com/2025/03/01/perry-raises-1-6-million-to-help-technical-workers-learn-on-the-job-with-ai/ [3] https://venturebeat.com/2025/03/01/dutch-ai-startup-perry-raises-1-6-million-to-help-technical-workers/ [4] https://www.reuters.com/business/technology/europe-faces-shortage-15-million-technical-roles-over-2-decades-report-2023-02-01/
- In the pursuit of addressing Europe's skilled workforce shortage, Perry, a Dutch startup, is leveraging artificial intelligence and investing in technology to streamline technical workforce training, specifically targeting industries like renewable energy, telecommunications, and construction where the skills gap is most pronounced.
- With the backing of Revent, Berlin-based VC firm, and angel investors from Google and OpenAI, Perry aims to revolutionize industrial software, making it more user-friendly and adaptive, bridging the gap between technical work instructions and on-the-job learning.
