
LineWise secures $1.1M pre-seed to end factory downtime and yield loss
LineWise, the US-based AI-powered “virtual engineer” for manufacturers, has raised $1.1 million in pre-seed funding from A2D Ventures, Y Combinator, Exitfund, REMUS Capital, SBXi Fund, and Team Ignite Ventures. The funding will accelerate LineWise’s mission to eliminate two of the most expensive problems in manufacturing: unplanned downtime and yield loss caused by defects.
Factory stoppages can cost manufacturers over $100,000 per hour, with cascading effects across production and supply chains. At the same time, defective output on high-speed lines – such as can makers and packagers – creates massive hidden costs. Wrinkles, leakers, false seams, and misfeeds not only waste materials but also strain downstream processes and force costly rework.
LineWise addresses these challenges by acting as a 24/7 AI engineer. Its multi-agent AI system is trained to think like seasoned process and maintenance engineers, ingesting sensor data, event logs, OEM manuals, and past fixes to provide rapid root-cause analysis and step-by-step defect troubleshooting guidance. The result: fewer line stoppages, faster recovery from issues like leaks or false seams, reduced rework, and higher yields – without waiting for senior engineers to manually sift through records.
Real-world impact:
- Secured 5 paid pilots with large manufacturers, including NASDAQ-listed leaders across packaging, food & beverage, and consumer electronics
- Early deployments show measurable reductions in downtime and defect-driven yield loss – proving ROI within weeks.
LineWise’s momentum and technology have attracted top-tier global investors, such as Y Combinator, A2D Ventures, and Exitfund.
Ankit Upadhyay, Founder & General Partner at A2D Ventures, said: “LineWise is solving two of the biggest hidden costs in the global economy: downtime and yield loss. Their AI-powered virtual engineer delivers immediate ROI by helping factories troubleshoot defects faster, prevent rework, and keep production online.”
James Kujareevanich, CEO of LineWise, added: “Every minute of uptime and every defect-free unit matters. With this funding, we’re scaling our platform so every factory has a 24/7 AI engineer – cutting losses, protecting yields, and freeing teams to focus on innovation instead of firefighting.”
With this investment, LineWise will expand across North America and Asia, scale its AI engineering team, and deepen support for defect prevention and troubleshooting – starting with can-making and packaging lines. The company aims to become the industrial AI backbone for manufacturers navigating Industry 4.0.
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