Sparely

About Sparely

1996 –The Spark: Metallurgist Ko Buijs spent three weeks waiting for a replacement tool in Norway, inspiring the core concept: transferring design files digitally via the internet for local production instead of shipping physical parts. 2002 – Early Proof of Concept: Pitching TNT Express in Paris, the team 3D-scanned TNT’s CFO and printed his head live via webcam. The CEO called digital delivery the future, but declined because it disrupted TNT’s core "kilometers $\times$ kilograms" freight revenue model. 2014–Present – Revival & Funding: Bernhard van Riessen revived the initiative in 2014. After exiting a digital recruitment startup in December 2023, he committed full-time to Sparely, graduated as top top performer at the largest pre-seed accelerator program within the Founder Institute, and secured backing from Loyal VC as a top performer in 2025. What We Are Building? A Software-Driven Platform: A digital ecosystem where intelligence resides in the software platform rather than the hardware, managing digital CAD inventories and routing production to qualified local 3D-printing hubs (partnered with HP, EOS, and Capgemini). Predictive Monitoring Combining IoT sensor monitoring with predictive analytics to manufacture replacement parts "InTime" before equipment failures occur. Qualified Local Production: On-demand digital manufacturing that eliminates global shipping delay, validated through pilots like local 3D handwheel production with Petrobras in Brazil. For Whom? Heavy Industrial Operators: High-value asset owners in oil and gas, defense, rail, and maritime whose continuous operations rely on immediate replacement parts. Global OEMs: Equipment manufacturers wanting to offer Print-on-Demand (PoD) services globally without tying up capital in stagnant physical spare parts inventory. Why Now? The Cost of Downtime: Unplanned downtime costs Fortune 500 companies $\$1.4\text{ trillion}$ annually, and 50% of customers remain dissatisfied with traditional spare parts lead times. Fragile Supply Chains: Port closures, Panama/Suez Canal bottlenecks, trade tariffs, and geopolitical conflicts have exposed the vulnerabilities of traditional global shipping routes. Technology Maturity: Enterprise IoT sensors, predictive data analytics, and industrial-grade additive manufacturing have reached the precision, qualification, and scale necessary to replace physical distribution.