The Italian start-up turning raw data into safer roads and bridges

There is a growing need for improved infrastructure monitoring across Europe, particularly in the transport sector. Much of the transport network is ageing and increasing demand raises the risk of further deterioration and collapse. Asset owners must regularly assess their infrastructure to evaluate safety and identify the repairs needed to maintain - or even improve - the network.

Traditional monitoring methods are costly, labour-intensive and require specialised personnel and equipment. Moreover, these methods can only shed light on the current state of a structure, they cannot reliably predict future risks.

CAEmate brings together complementary skillsets in engineering and software design to deliver AI and simulation-based digital twins for real-time monitoring. The company’s approach leverages technology to assess both the present condition and future resilience of critical infrastructure.

The CAEmate solution

When brothers Massimo and Matteo Penasa founded CAEmate in 2017, the goal was to provide automated structural analyses through a cloud-based platform - freeing engineers to focus on strategic decision-making. 

Early pilot projects, however, revealed a deeper need. "We realised that infrastructure owners needed to link numerical simulation models with in-situ monitoring data to track an asset’s behaviour throughout its life cycle," says co-founder and CEO Massimo Penasa.

In response, CAEmate developed the WeStatiX SHM platform - a user-friendly interface that integrates finite element analysis, AI and IoT sensors to create digital twins of existing assets. Models are updated continuously as new monitoring data arrives, minimising the gap between simulation and observation. 

The WeStatiX SHM platform has been a huge success, providing structural monitoring and predictive maintenance to over 300 assets in Italy and abroad. "Each new project still astonishes asset owners," says Penasa. "The digital twin swiftly turns raw field data into actionable insights, revealing safety margins or hidden issues invisible to both the design model and raw monitoring feeds. This has been one of the most gratifying aspects of our journey."

The power of place at the NOI Techpark

In 2019, CAEmate relocated to the Network-affiliated NOI Techpark in Bolzano, Italy. There, the company benefited from the NOI Techpark’s vibrant innovative research and business ecosystem. Initially enrolled in the pre-incubation programme, which helped refine and validate its concepts, CAEmate later joined the start-up incubator, working with Enterprise Europe Network coaches to develop their business plan and funding strategy.

"Beyond these programmes, the company benefited from the ‘power of place’," says Network partner Giulia Benvenuti . "Being part of the NOI Techpark ecosystem – a hub of startups, established companies and research institutions – allowed CAEmate to build valuable relationships and initiate new collaborations through daily interaction with key innovation stakeholders."

From award to acceleration

Thanks to the guidance of the Network, the company joined international R&D consortia, securing over EUR 1 million in Horizon and Interreg funding between 2020 and 2023, connecting with both venture capital and industrial investors. This groundwork enabled a EUR 3 million seed round led by CDP Venture Capital and 360 Capital in December 2023, formally launching CAEmate’s scale-up phase.

Building on this momentum, and again with support from the Network, CAEmate applied to the EIC Accelerator programme. At the beginning of 2025, its technology was awarded the European Commission’s Seal of Excellence, following an outstanding evaluation by Horizon Europe experts for innovation, impact and implementation. The endorsement unlocked an additional EUR 3 million in public co-financing through regional ERDF mechanisms, now accelerating both product industrialisation and international expansion.

"This critical mix of public and private funding provided CAEmate with substantial financial resources that enabled it to significantly advance its R&D activities, strengthen its market position, and ultimately achieve exponential business growth," explains Benvenuti.

With this support, CAEmate is scaling fast. By 2026 the company anticipates a team of 70 engineers, data scientists and business experts. Learn more about the CAEmate success story and the company’s synergy with NOI Techpark here.