OTIV raises €9M to automate the backbone of sustainable transport today

Founded in Ghent in 2020 by Sam De Smet and Niels Van Damme, OTIV is Belgium's fastest growing tech scale-up according to Deloitte's Technology Fast 50 (2025). The company is rapidly emerging as a leader in rail-automation technology, offering a three-step solution to convert rail operations from assisted driving to tele-operation and ultimately full autonomy. Their modular platform, which includes driver-assistance systems, remote-control solutions and fully autonomous deployment, is tailored for 3 core markets: industrial rail (such as steel works and chemical sites), urban transit (tram networks), and main-line networks for both freight and passenger traffic. Active across a growing international footprint of countries, OTIV collaborates with major players such as Deutsche Bahn, SNCF and ArcelorMittal, enabling safe and efficient automation of rail vehicles in complex environments.

In line with its commitment to sustainability, OTIV sees rail as the backbone of a low-emission transport future: a single train can replace up to 50 trucks while generating nine times less CO₂, making the shift to rail a powerful lever to meet climate targets. By automating rail operations, OTIV not only tackles the critical driver shortage and boosts productivity, but also unlocks the potential for 24/7 operations, improved reliability and increased safety. Their vision positions automation not as an end in itself, but as a practical catalyst for a modal shift from road to rail - a step that holds enormous benefits for our cities, industry and the planet.

“We are extremely grateful to the clients and partners who put their daily trust in our solutions,” say Sam De Smet and Niels Van Damme, founders of OTIV. “This funding marks an important milestone in our journey to make rail the backbone of sustainable transport. It allows us to accelerate our growth, expand internationally and further advance automation technologies that help our customers achieve their safety, efficiency and sustainability goals.”

“Miles Ahead is proud to support OTIV as they redefine the future of rail automation,” said Luc Burgelman, Founding Partner at MilesAhead. “The team has showcased exceptional capability to translate cutting-edge technology into real-world impact. With a strong track record and proven solutions already deployed across key international rail markets, OTIV is perfectly positioned to make driving safer, more efficient and more sustainable for rail operations worldwide.”

About OTIV

OTIV is a Belgium-based autonomous vehicle company that aims to increase the safety and efficiency of railway vehicles by teaching them to drive autonomously. The company’s AI-based solutions include assistance systems, remote control solutions and fully driverless systems. These solutions focus on different use cases of rail vehicles, including trams and light rail, freight trains, industrial locomotives and mainline systems. OTIV is working together with world-leading rail operators, industrial players and rolling stock manufacturers. The company is accelerated by Finindus, SHIFT Invest, imec.istart, Pitchdrive, Vlaio, NVIDIA, and the EU EIT Urban Mobility program.OTIV is a winner of the European Start-up Prize for Mobility in 2022 and is Belgium's fastest growing tech scale-up according to Deloitte's Technology Fast50 (2025).

About Miles Ahead

Miles Ahead is a Belgian early-stage Venture Capital Fund and Venture Studio, helping first-time founders of Deep Tech & AI startups grow faster by building and funding their business in an empowering environment. Miles Ahead was created by technology entrepreneurs, with the purpose to provide adequate funding as well as to bring the experience and support to new technology companies to develop their business on a global scale. The fund was launched end of 2022 and manages €30M in capital. FurthermoreMiles Ahead’s Venture Studio has a rich network of advisors and entrepreneurs in residence to coach its portfolio companies in different areas of expertise and industries.

Its name is inspired by the Miles Davis album. Just like great music, successful ventures are created through great individual talent and strong team chemistry.

About Finindus

Finindus is a Belgium-based venture capital investment company funded by ArcelorMittal and the Flemish Region and is linked to OCAS, a world-class metal research centre. Finindus provides early stage and growth financing to innovative companies offering smart and green industrial technologies in the field of materials, sustainable manufacturing and industry 4.0.

Finindus teams up with outstanding entrepreneurial teams and like-minded investors to bring sustainable industrial innovations to full commercial maturity. Finindus invests across Europe, with Flanders as a homebase and sweet spot. In addition, Finindus invests globally in technologycompanies at the very core of its expertise and aligned with the strategic interests of its shareholders, and across the globe for investment opportunities in technologies at the center of their core domains and in line with the strategic interests and areas of expertise of their shareholders.

About SHIFT

SHIFT Invest, founded in 2009, is a Dutch impact venture capital fund that invests in entrepreneurs who are combatting climate change, biodiversity loss and natural resource depletion. Sustainable mobility &logistics is one of the investment areas, next to food & agriculture, green industries and energy. SHIFT funds are backed by abroad ecosystem consisting of among others KLM Airlines, NS DutchRailways, Royal Schiphol Group, Rabobank, the European Investment Fund (EIF),Invest-NL and Dutch Technological universities. 

The investments are aimed at achieving a positive environmental impact and financial return. In the summer of 2025 SHIFT launch edits fourth edition at a first close of  €92M towards its target of €150M.

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