Timefold is a Belgian software company that provides a platform for automated planning and scheduling optimization. It is headquartered in Ghent, Belgium.[1]
History
editTimefold's technology originated with OptaPlanner, an open-source constraint solver created by Geoffrey De Smet in the mid-2000s and later maintained by Red Hat.[1][2][3] In late 2022, Red Hat announced it would end support for the project.[4] In response, De Smet and Maarten Vandenbroucke founded Timefold BV in early 2023, forking the OptaPlanner codebase to create the Timefold Solver.[1][5]
In March 2023, Timefold secured a €2 million pre-seed investment led by the Belgian venture fund Smartfin.[6] Timefold was officially launched in mid-2023. In September 2024, it raised an additional €6 million in a seed funding round led by the European venture firm Lakestar, with participation from Smartfin.[7] The funding was used for the development of PlanningAI.[8]
Timefold Solver
editTimefold operates under a commercial open-source model.[9] The core Timefold Solver is available under an Apache License.[4] The Solver uses constraint solving algorithms and heuristic search techniques to solve complex optimization problems such as Vehicle Routing Problems (VRP) and shift scheduling problems.[9][3] It allows users to define planning constraints using programming languages such as Java and Kotlin.[9]
References
edit- ^ a b c De Preter, Wim (September 17, 2024). "Van duivenkwekers tot Deutsche Bahn: Timefold maakt bedrijven efficiënter met AI" [From pigeon breeders to Deutsche Bahn: Timefold makes companies more efficient with AI]. De Tijd.
- ^ Smet, Geoffrey De (May 2, 2023). "Timefold is the fork of OptaPlanner".
- ^ a b Lawrence, Cate (September 16, 2024). "Belgian startup Timefold raises €6M for planning optimisation platform".
- ^ a b Proven, Liam (May 20, 2024). "Red Hat prunes middleware to invest in AI".
- ^ Burroughs, Callum. "Timefold, a Belgian startup using AI to help companies plan operations, has raised $6.7 million using this pitch deck". Business Insider.
- ^ Ravichandran, Vigneshwar (September 17, 2024). "Belgian startup Timefold secures €6M to develop its 'planning intelligence' platform".
- ^ "La start-up belge Timefold lève 6 millions d'euros" [Belgian startup Timefold raises €6 million]. Trend. September 17, 2024.
- ^ "La start-up belge Timefold lève 6 millions d'euros". La Libre Belgique. September 17, 2024.
- ^ a b c Pop, Olimpiu (January 22, 2024). "The Code Written in Timefold Outsmarted the Solution Provided by ChatGPT for Devoxx Talks Scheduling".