Vention
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Automation |
| Founded | 2016 in Montreal, Canada |
| Founders | Etienne Lacroix, Max Windisch |
| Headquarters | Montreal , Canada |
Area served | Worldwide |
| Products | Engineering software, modular automation hardware, 3D CAD design software, robot programming solutions |
Vention is a Canadian firm specializing in automation, providing a platform that combines engineering software with modular automation hardware. The company develops hardware, distributes components, and offers both e-commerce services and 3D CAD design software. Based in Montreal, with additional offices located in Berlin and Boston, Vention supports more than 3,000 manufacturing facilities globally.
Clients
Among Vention's clientele are engineers working at factories operated by leading global corporations such as Toyota, General Electric, Tesla, Siemens, Airbus, Google, Amazon, Boeing, and Lockheed Martin. Utilizing its online platform, clients can design, purchase, and implement bespoke equipment including testing stations, robotic work cells, and production lines. The company also provides robot programming solutions that require no coding, enabling cloud-based configuration of robotic cells for industrial production environments.
History
Established in 2016 in Montreal by Etienne Lacroix—formerly a GE product manager and McKinsey consultant—and Max Windisch, Vention secured $3.5 million USD in funding during 2017 from White Star Capital, Bolt, and Real Ventures. That same year marked the beta release of their 3D CAD software called MachineBuilder.
In 2018, the company rolled out the MachineMotion controller alongside MachineApps to streamline programming of equipment movements. The following year, Vention obtained $13 million USD in Series A financing led by Bain Capital Ventures and debuted MachineLogic, a programming environment designed for automation without coding.
The Series B funding round in 2020 raised $30 million USD with participation from Georgian Partners, Bain Capital Ventures, and White Star Capital. In 2021, Vention expanded operations to Berlin to better serve manufacturers across the Atlantic and established collaborations with FANUC, OnRobot, and Universal Robots.
During 2022, the company raised upwards of $95 million USD in a Series C round led by Georgian Partners and Fidelity Investments while launching an office in Boston. Additionally, Vention introduced MachineCloud software aimed at facilitating industrial automation deployment.
In 2023, Vention inaugurated a 70,000-square-foot distribution facility in Montreal dedicated to assembly and shipping throughout North America. The same year saw the opening of the Vention Experience Center at its headquarters to provide training for professionals specializing in automation.