Kuchera, an augmented intelligence and optimization platform for the mining industry, has recently secured an undisclosed investment from the family-owned German intralogistics company BEUMER Group through its renowned company builder, Beam.
“We are thrilled to extend our support to the mining vertical for the first time since the launch of Beam. Kuchera’s innovative approach, leveraging augmented intelligence and optimization, has the potential to revolutionize material hauling in the mining industry. We believe in their vision and are excited to be a part of their journey.”
Jesper Bang-Olsen, Head of Venture Development for Beam
Kuchera’s mission is to standardize driving behaviour and monitor fleet health in real-time, which the startup hopes will transform the mining industry. By harnessing the power of augmented intelligence and gamification, Kuchera strives to boost fleet availability, productivity, safety, and sustainability for off-highway vehicles.
The company also offers optimized and cost-effective alternative haulage solutions for each specific operation, resulting in substantial cost savings, increased output, and improved sustainability.
Derived from the Shona language, the name “Kuchera” means to “extract”, perfectly encapsulating the company’s vision of extracting valuable insights to optimize mining haulage operations. Kuchera envisions a future where technology empowers people to work smarter.
The solution emphasizes the significance of operator behaviour in improving truck availability, productivity, safety, sustainability, and cost-effectiveness.
Kuchera has partnered with Machinery Exchange, which is an earthmoving equipment specialist that specializes in equipment sales, equipment rental, spare parts, filtration, and power generation.
“Machinery Exchange is excited to utilise Kuchera’s optimization platform for our machines at Unki Mine in Zimbabwe. The prospect of gaining total control over our worksite and accessing detailed overviews of production numbers fills us with anticipation. We believe that empowering our operators with game-changing insights and driving recommendations will propel our mining operations towards unmatched efficiency and success.”
Oliver Rapha, the Fleet Track Controller
Innocent Guvakuva, Kuchera’s sub-Saharan Africa ambassador and Managing Director of Magna 24 said that Kuchera brings an exciting innovation to the mining industry, focusing on operator performance and proficiency management. The solution helps operators to become self-leading team members, optimizing safety, fleet management, and productivity. The solution creates empowered operators of the future. As Magna 24, we are happy to partner with Kuchera on this futuristic journey.”
Kuchera boasts a dynamic and experienced founding team, led by three Managing Directors who bring diverse backgrounds and expertise. Kumbirai Chipadza, “The Network Builder”, serves as the Director of Sales and Marketing.
Voted Ortel African Entrepreneur of the Year in Germany 2022, Chipadza was chosen by the German government as one of 40 African and German young business leaders accelerating economic cooperation between Africa and Germany.
Chipadza maintains an active dialogue between the mining industry and research organizations around the challenges and needs of mining operators and the application of novel software solutions.
Chris Hugger, “The Product Builder,” takes the role of Director of Product and Technology. With over two decades of expertise in product development, including gaming, Hugger has achieved remarkable success. His accomplishments, including building three successful startups, underscore his crucial role in driving Kuchera’s product innovation across various sectors.
Mxolisi Sibiya, “The Company Builder,” is responsible for commercial operations at Kuchera. Sibiya has participated in leading incubation programs and has extensive experience in strategy, pricing, analytics, and commercial operations from various global companies. His deep understanding of commercial dynamics and ability to effectively navigate complex business environments contribute to the overall success of Kuchera, ensuring finely tuned business strategies, finance, and operations.
Kumbirai Chipadza expressed their gratitude, saying, “We would like to thank Beam and BEUMER Group for believing in us and giving us this opportunity, but we are even more excited by the market’s response to our solution as mining houses across the globe are engaging us on how we might be able to assist them in optimizing their operations.”
‘Augmented Intelligence’ is a design pattern for a human-centred partnership model of people and artificial intelligence (AI) working together to enhance cognitive performance, including learning, decision-making and new experiences.”
