Tunisian startup VB SMART is offering a lifeline through digitization. The company provides a connected manufacturing operations management platform designed to replace fragmented paper-based systems with a unified digital workspace.
Founded in 2019 by Rami Kamoun and Amine Fourati, VB SMART aims to be the “ClickUp for manufacturing,” consolidating the management of machines, personnel, and tasks into a single system. The core of the solution is an Industrial IoT layer that connects directly to shop-floor machinery, sensors, and PLCs to harvest real-time data.
“This creates a live operational environment where managers can monitor machine status, observe task progress, and identify bottlenecks as they happen,” CEO Rami Kamoun explained to Disrupt Africa.
This stream of shop-floor data fuels three central software modules: a planning suite using dynamic Gantt charts, a tracking system with a Kanban-style interface for real-time reaction, and a visualization engine that transforms raw data into actionable dashboards. The platform is supplemented by a mobile app for frontline workers and an API for integration with existing ERP and CMMS systems.
For Kamoun, the market need is clear and quantifiable. “Many factories still rely on spreadsheets, paper, or whiteboards. This leads to miscommunication, delays, and waste,” he said, noting that SMEs typically lose between $500,000 and $650,000 annually due to poor production coordination.
VB SMART positions itself as the bridge between digital task management and physical factory operations. After developing its minimum viable product and several software iterations, the bootstrapped startup has gained traction with 10 paying clients and 250 active users across Tunisia and Morocco, generating approximately €80,000 in revenue.
Adoption, according to Kamoun, is “steady and pragmatic,” with clients often realizing value after a three-to-six-month pilot phase involving machine integration, training, and workflow validation. “It creates a single source of truth. That visibility is what converts pilots into paid deployments,” he noted.
The startup is now setting its sights beyond North Africa. Currently in discussions to onboard new clients in the agri-food and plastics sectors, VB SMART has also joined the FreshMango accelerator in Estonia. This six-month program is designed to refine its go-to-market strategy and facilitate entry into the Italian market.
“Our next step is expanding into Europe, with a strong focus on Italy and France,” Kamoun stated. “Once we succeed there, our long-term plan is to reach major factories in West Africa.”
TunisianMonitorOnline (NejiMed)
