Panenco announces takeover of AI-specialist Inect to strengthen its position as AI software partner

Big news from our Leuven studio: Panenco has acquired AI specialist Inect! By joining forces, we are welcoming 10 new experts, growing our team to 40 specialists, and deeply integrating advanced Artificial Intelligence into everything we do.

For over 10 years, Panenco has been driven by a "quality over quantity" philosophy. We don't just build software; we build digital products that make a real impact for scale-ups and corporates. We are committed to keep working at the very edge of technology, that's why we're excited to announce our takeover of AI-specialist Inect.

Based in Haasrode, Inect has rapidly built an impressive reputation as the region's AI boutique. Led by founders Bjarne Desmet and Gus Vanherf, and further strengthened by COO Harris Van der Stighelen, they have proven that AI isn't just an abstract concept—it's a powerful tool for solving concrete business challenges.

Why does this partnership work so well? Because we speak the same language. Egwin Avau, founder of Panenco:

"Inect shares our boutique mentality. By merging their AI expertise with our product know-how, we enable our clients to develop not just digital products, but the smartest products in their industry, in the most efficient way possible."

This acquisition is about more than just numbers (moving toward €5M in consolidated revenue). It's an enormous upgrade to our collective capabilities:

From ideation to scale: we cover the entire software lifecycle—from the initial AI concept and data engineering to building and maintaining large-scale platforms. Deep tech expertise: we are adding specialized knowledge in Machine Learning, Computer Vision, and Generative AI to our core offering. A boost in talent: we're welcoming incredibly talented teammates, each with their own specialties.

For Inect's clients, this step provides access to the broad software expertise and years of experience of the Panenco team. For Panenco's clients, it means the path to advanced AI implementation is now shorter than ever.

Harris Van der Stighelen, who will continue his journey as a Product Manager within the combined organization, puts it perfectly:

"We are retaining the innovative spirit that Bjarne and Gus established at Inect, but we can now leverage the experience of an organization that has been building high-level software solutions for over a decade."

This acquisition is the result of a deliberate strategy: investing in talent, building long-term customer relationships, and focusing on quality. Panenco has a resolute ambition to empower its clients to compete at the highest technical level.

"The talent we have gathered within our team is of an exceptional level in our industry," emphasizes Avau. "The people from Inect joining us in this integration fit that profile perfectly. From the start of our conversations, both sides felt that this would be a perfect match—one that is mutually reinforcing."

We are incredibly proud of the talent coming together today. With a team of 40 specialists across Leuven, Antwerp, and Kyiv, we are ready for the next chapter of our entrepreneurial story.

Curious about what this new synergy can do for your business? We'd love to discuss how we can make your software even smarter.