This year was marked by several important milestones for Qcify.
We moved into a new and larger office, reflecting both the growth of our team and the ambitions ahead. We refreshed our logo and brand identity, sharpening how we present ourselves to the world while staying true to our roots. We joined Eivis Group, strengthening our foundation and opening new opportunities for collaboration and scale.
In May, we launched a new sorter machine, the Qcify AIR, extending Qcify’s presence further into the processing line. And by the end of the year, a long-term vision came together. At the Almond Board Conference, we presented the outcome of years of thinking, building, and refining: a more connected approach to quality control and food processing intelligence, introduced through our latest solutions: Pack2Spec and QDashboard.
Together, these developments did more than close a successful year. They captured what Qcify has always been about: connecting the dots between data, machines, and people — and turning quality from a checkpoint into a continuous, intelligent process.
Qcify's new office in Herentals, Belgium.
Pieter Ieven, Matthias Jeindl and Raf Peeters.
We moved into a new and larger office, reflecting both the growth of our team and the ambitions ahead. We refreshed our logo and brand identity, sharpening how we present ourselves to the world while staying true to our roots. We joined Eivis Group, strengthening our foundation and opening new opportunities for collaboration and scale.
In May, we launched a new sorter machine, the Qcify AIR, extending Qcify’s presence further into the processing line. And by the end of the year, a long-term vision came together. At the Almond Board Conference, we presented the outcome of years of thinking, building, and refining: a more connected approach to quality control and food processing intelligence, introduced through our latest solutions: Pack2Spec and QDashboard.
Together, these developments did more than close a successful year. They captured what Qcify has always been about: connecting the dots between data, machines, and people — and turning quality from a checkpoint into a continuous, intelligent process.
Qcify's new office in Herentals, Belgium.
Pieter Ieven, Matthias Jeindl and Raf Peeters.
Why Qcify Started
Qcify began with a question.
Why, in an industry driven by precision and safety, were quality decisions still slow, manual, and fragmented? Why was technology so powerful, yet so often difficult to use? And why did the people closest to the product still lack real-time insight into what was actually happening on their processing lines?
Ten years ago, that question turned into action.
Sometimes, to make something that truly works, you have to start from scratch.
Incrementally improving old machinery can solve individual problems, but it rarely leads to a technological shift. Real change requires rethinking the system itself — how data is captured, how decisions are made, and how technology supports the people using it.
That belief is what led Raf Peeters to start Qcify ten years ago.
With deep experience in optical inspection and sorting technology, Raf had seen the same pattern across processing facilities: quality checks that were manual, slow, subjective, and disconnected from production. Results arrived too late to influence decisions. Operators worked with complex systems that didn’t reflect how production actually worked. Whole batches had to be reworked frequently in order to meet product specifications, losing a lot of time and money due to limited integrated communication across quality control machinery within one plant.
Raf, Founder of Qcify, reflects: “The foundation of Qcify was a result of a series of events. I moved to the US in 2010 for work, and around 2014 I realized I no longer felt aligned with the company’s dynamics and decided to move on, even without a clear alternative.”
Rather than adapting legacy equipment, Qcify was created to build something new — purpose-built for real production environments, designed around usability, reliability, and meaningful data.
Why, in an industry driven by precision and safety, were quality decisions still slow, manual, and fragmented? Why was technology so powerful, yet so often difficult to use? And why did the people closest to the product still lack real-time insight into what was actually happening on their processing lines?
Ten years ago, that question turned into action.
Sometimes, to make something that truly works, you have to start from scratch.
Incrementally improving old machinery can solve individual problems, but it rarely leads to a technological shift. Real change requires rethinking the system itself — how data is captured, how decisions are made, and how technology supports the people using it.
That belief is what led Raf Peeters to start Qcify ten years ago.
With deep experience in optical inspection and sorting technology, Raf had seen the same pattern across processing facilities: quality checks that were manual, slow, subjective, and disconnected from production. Results arrived too late to influence decisions. Operators worked with complex systems that didn’t reflect how production actually worked. Whole batches had to be reworked frequently in order to meet product specifications, losing a lot of time and money due to limited integrated communication across quality control machinery within one plant.
Raf, Founder of Qcify, reflects: “The foundation of Qcify was a result of a series of events. I moved to the US in 2010 for work, and around 2014 I realized I no longer felt aligned with the company’s dynamics and decided to move on, even without a clear alternative.”
Rather than adapting legacy equipment, Qcify was created to build something new — purpose-built for real production environments, designed around usability, reliability, and meaningful data.
The Early Years: From Prototype to Proof
In the beginning, Qcify was lean and practical. There was no grand infrastructure — just a working prototype, the QIS machine, an inspection solution with direct feedback from customers.
Together with Bert Peelaers, Raf built and refined the first machines with a single goal: make them work in the field. Early prototypes were assembled in improvised spaces, tested extensively, transported directly to customers, and improved on the spot.
One of Raf’s early contacts was Brian Underwood, who became Qcify’s first investor. Not because it was a speculative bet, but because the solution addressed a real, unmet need that he knew from previous experiences.
“When I spoke with Brian Underwood, a visionary entrepreneur with multiple successful ventures, he encouraged me to develop an idea, promising financial backing. This conversation spurred the concept of automated quality control, and with the help of Brian and four other external investors, Qcify further grew. Their guidance and support were instrumental in those early days.” Mentioned Raf.
Raf showing the prototype on its roadshow.
The first three sold QIS machines.
Raf and Bert Peelaers
Together with Bert Peelaers, Raf built and refined the first machines with a single goal: make them work in the field. Early prototypes were assembled in improvised spaces, tested extensively, transported directly to customers, and improved on the spot.
One of Raf’s early contacts was Brian Underwood, who became Qcify’s first investor. Not because it was a speculative bet, but because the solution addressed a real, unmet need that he knew from previous experiences.
“When I spoke with Brian Underwood, a visionary entrepreneur with multiple successful ventures, he encouraged me to develop an idea, promising financial backing. This conversation spurred the concept of automated quality control, and with the help of Brian and four other external investors, Qcify further grew. Their guidance and support were instrumental in those early days.” Mentioned Raf.
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The first three sold QIS machines.
Raf and Bert Peelaers
Building the First Team
Raf mentioned that: “Starting Qcify was a solitary journey. Without a team or co-founders, I faced many lonely moments — no one to share victories or troubleshoot challenges with. Looking back, I wouldn’t start another business alone. While the autonomy was a luxury, the absence of a team made the early days particularly tough.”
But as the first machines found their way into the field, Qcify slowly began to grow beyond its founding duo. The next phase was about building a team that could turn a strong idea into a sustainable product.
In April 2018, Qcify strengthened its operational backbone with the arrival of Bert Switten. Bert played a key role in professionalising service and operations as the company scaled — helping ensure that what was being sold and installed could also be reliably supported in the field.
As Bert describes it: “What I liked most about Qcify was how closely we listened to customers. We didn’t just sell machines — we designed them based on feedback. Many machines work well at first, but after a while no one really understands how they work. We wanted to build machines that people can actually use.”
His contribution helped translate Qcify’s customer-first mindset into consistent execution, reinforcing trust as the company expanded into new regions. But having someone for service wasn’t enough; Qcify needed more automation.
A year later, Antoon joined while finishing his master’s degree: “I was doing my master’s degree and had quite some free time. I was interviewing everywhere. I saw a very poorly written vacancy — they were looking for someone with a lot of experience, and I was clearly underqualified. I applied anyway,” said Antoon De Cleen.
He joined when the team was still very small — at one point just four people — working with a single machine, the original QIS, which was far from perfect. In the beginning, progress was fast because things were rebuilt from scratch. As the team grew, validation and testing became necessary, which slowed things down but also made the product more robust.
During that period, Qcify moved into its first official office in Belgium, where it would remain until 2025 — though at the time, the team occupied just a single floor.
Around the same time, by the end of 2019, Pieter Boogaerts joined and took on a hands-on role in strengthening Qcify’s software foundations. He worked extensively on the original QIS user interface and led a major overhaul of the source code. One of the key shifts during this phase was the first real connection to cloud-based data flows, enabling device data to be uploaded and accessed remotely. Over time, as the team grew, Pieter gradually stepped away from day-to-day engineering, helping others take over hands-on development while he moved toward a broader role.
As Pieter Boogaerts describes it: “What I enjoyed most about Qcify was the speedboat feeling. We could decide something on Monday, realize by Wednesday that it didn’t work well, and change it within a week. Things move. That’s the most rewarding part — you can get things done much faster than in a thousand-person company.”
Joachim joined shortly after Bert Peelaers stepped back, in January 2020, at a moment when the QIS inspection system still needed hardware to be able to sell, and the mechanical work was outsourced. It would have been great to have it internally, which would be ideal for growth. This period was marked by intense hands-on work: refining mechanics, stabilizing software, and working with service.
For Joachim, the appeal was the variety.
As he describes it: “It was enjoyable. My tasks crossed several domains — and they still do. Mechanical engineering, procurement, manufacturing, and at the start even service. That mix gave me energy. The crossover between those domains was exciting then, and it still is today.”
Raf Peeters and Bert Switten working together in US.
But as the first machines found their way into the field, Qcify slowly began to grow beyond its founding duo. The next phase was about building a team that could turn a strong idea into a sustainable product.
In April 2018, Qcify strengthened its operational backbone with the arrival of Bert Switten. Bert played a key role in professionalising service and operations as the company scaled — helping ensure that what was being sold and installed could also be reliably supported in the field.
As Bert describes it: “What I liked most about Qcify was how closely we listened to customers. We didn’t just sell machines — we designed them based on feedback. Many machines work well at first, but after a while no one really understands how they work. We wanted to build machines that people can actually use.”
His contribution helped translate Qcify’s customer-first mindset into consistent execution, reinforcing trust as the company expanded into new regions. But having someone for service wasn’t enough; Qcify needed more automation.
A year later, Antoon joined while finishing his master’s degree: “I was doing my master’s degree and had quite some free time. I was interviewing everywhere. I saw a very poorly written vacancy — they were looking for someone with a lot of experience, and I was clearly underqualified. I applied anyway,” said Antoon De Cleen.
He joined when the team was still very small — at one point just four people — working with a single machine, the original QIS, which was far from perfect. In the beginning, progress was fast because things were rebuilt from scratch. As the team grew, validation and testing became necessary, which slowed things down but also made the product more robust.
During that period, Qcify moved into its first official office in Belgium, where it would remain until 2025 — though at the time, the team occupied just a single floor.
Around the same time, by the end of 2019, Pieter Boogaerts joined and took on a hands-on role in strengthening Qcify’s software foundations. He worked extensively on the original QIS user interface and led a major overhaul of the source code. One of the key shifts during this phase was the first real connection to cloud-based data flows, enabling device data to be uploaded and accessed remotely. Over time, as the team grew, Pieter gradually stepped away from day-to-day engineering, helping others take over hands-on development while he moved toward a broader role.
As Pieter Boogaerts describes it: “What I enjoyed most about Qcify was the speedboat feeling. We could decide something on Monday, realize by Wednesday that it didn’t work well, and change it within a week. Things move. That’s the most rewarding part — you can get things done much faster than in a thousand-person company.”
Joachim joined shortly after Bert Peelaers stepped back, in January 2020, at a moment when the QIS inspection system still needed hardware to be able to sell, and the mechanical work was outsourced. It would have been great to have it internally, which would be ideal for growth. This period was marked by intense hands-on work: refining mechanics, stabilizing software, and working with service.
For Joachim, the appeal was the variety.
As he describes it: “It was enjoyable. My tasks crossed several domains — and they still do. Mechanical engineering, procurement, manufacturing, and at the start even service. That mix gave me energy. The crossover between those domains was exciting then, and it still is today.”
Raf Peeters and Bert Switten working together in US.
Expanding Beyond the First Markets
As Qcify’s footprint grew, so did the need to expand beyond its initial markets. That moment marked the arrival of Simon Kerkhofs, who played a key role in broadening Qcify’s commercial reach. Until then, Qcify’s focus had been largely on California and Australia and solely on almonds. Simon helped open up the European market, with early traction in Spain and Portugal, and began exploring new applications in other parts of the world.
This expansion proved crucial. As Simon looked further afield, Chile and South America became an increasingly important part of Qcify’s story — helping stabilize and secure the company during a challenging year for almonds in California. Through this broader market presence, Qcify transitioned from a regionally focused startup into a more resilient, internationally active company, without losing the directness and speed that defined its beginnings. For this to happen, other application engineers were needed to ensure each nut inspected would have its dedicated attention and deliver the best results.
Pieter Ieven joined Qcify in 2021, shortly after Simon. “I was mainly triggered by the data. We had it, but it wasn’t yet what I imagined it could be. Turning that into something real became a personal goal,” said Pieter Ieven.
Over time, Pieter Ieven’s role evolved from a hands-on contributor to team leader. In the summer of 2022, the data function formally took shape, growing from a one-person effort into a team of six to seven people. That growth — both personal and organisational — mirrored Qcify’s broader evolution.
“The biggest challenge was moving from being an individual contributor to leading a team. I also received coaching, which was very helpful. I’m grateful to Raf for educating and training people. We really focus on personal development and growth, and I’m very thankful for the opportunity to grow both personally and professionally.”
For Pieter, one of the most rewarding memories was the sale of the first machine in the EU market:
“I still remember the message from Simon: ‘Hey, we’ve sold the first machine. We entered the European market!’ That moment had the most visible impact for me. When I started, it was only almonds. Last year, almonds represented around 40%. The fact that we are diversifying — and that the application team has made such a vital contribution — has been crucial. 2023 was a bad year for almonds, so having other applications really saved the company. There was a lot of uncertainty after several storms, and doubts and insecurities in California’s almond sector caused postponements.”
This expansion proved crucial. As Simon looked further afield, Chile and South America became an increasingly important part of Qcify’s story — helping stabilize and secure the company during a challenging year for almonds in California. Through this broader market presence, Qcify transitioned from a regionally focused startup into a more resilient, internationally active company, without losing the directness and speed that defined its beginnings. For this to happen, other application engineers were needed to ensure each nut inspected would have its dedicated attention and deliver the best results.
Pieter Ieven joined Qcify in 2021, shortly after Simon. “I was mainly triggered by the data. We had it, but it wasn’t yet what I imagined it could be. Turning that into something real became a personal goal,” said Pieter Ieven.
Over time, Pieter Ieven’s role evolved from a hands-on contributor to team leader. In the summer of 2022, the data function formally took shape, growing from a one-person effort into a team of six to seven people. That growth — both personal and organisational — mirrored Qcify’s broader evolution.
“The biggest challenge was moving from being an individual contributor to leading a team. I also received coaching, which was very helpful. I’m grateful to Raf for educating and training people. We really focus on personal development and growth, and I’m very thankful for the opportunity to grow both personally and professionally.”
For Pieter, one of the most rewarding memories was the sale of the first machine in the EU market:
“I still remember the message from Simon: ‘Hey, we’ve sold the first machine. We entered the European market!’ That moment had the most visible impact for me. When I started, it was only almonds. Last year, almonds represented around 40%. The fact that we are diversifying — and that the application team has made such a vital contribution — has been crucial. 2023 was a bad year for almonds, so having other applications really saved the company. There was a lot of uncertainty after several storms, and doubts and insecurities in California’s almond sector caused postponements.”
From Inspection to Intelligence
As Qcify gained traction, its scope expanded.
Inspection was no longer seen as the end of the process, but as the beginning of insight. With the introduction of AI, Qcify made a big leap forward. Tasks that once required years of incremental tuning could suddenly be improved dramatically in months.
Under the technical leadership in Belgium — with contributors like Joachim Van der Perre, Antoon De Cleen, Pieter Boogaerts, Pieter Ieven (current CEO of Qcify), and others — Qcify’s systems evolved into learning platforms. Algorithms improved with data. Machines improved with use. Quality decisions became faster, more consistent, and more scalable.
New developments were completed, such as the Qcify EYE, which added a sorter to our portfolio after the COVID pandemic had hit, ensuring the last quality check, as requested by customers during COVID. After that, development continued. The Qcify team started working on a line inspection system and a new version of the QIS, the Qcify 360. Soon after, the Qcify RAY came to market, together with the Qcify HUB, adding monitoring anywhere in the line. This continued until the release of the Qcify AIR this year, focused on upstream sorting and enabling connectivity across the entire line.
Inspection was no longer seen as the end of the process, but as the beginning of insight. With the introduction of AI, Qcify made a big leap forward. Tasks that once required years of incremental tuning could suddenly be improved dramatically in months.
Under the technical leadership in Belgium — with contributors like Joachim Van der Perre, Antoon De Cleen, Pieter Boogaerts, Pieter Ieven (current CEO of Qcify), and others — Qcify’s systems evolved into learning platforms. Algorithms improved with data. Machines improved with use. Quality decisions became faster, more consistent, and more scalable.
New developments were completed, such as the Qcify EYE, which added a sorter to our portfolio after the COVID pandemic had hit, ensuring the last quality check, as requested by customers during COVID. After that, development continued. The Qcify team started working on a line inspection system and a new version of the QIS, the Qcify 360. Soon after, the Qcify RAY came to market, together with the Qcify HUB, adding monitoring anywhere in the line. This continued until the release of the Qcify AIR this year, focused on upstream sorting and enabling connectivity across the entire line.
Growing Without Losing What Matters
Growth brought complexity: more customers, more regions, more products, and more people. What could easily have diluted Qcify instead became a moment of clarification.
What tied everything together was a shared mindset: customer success comes first. Problems were solved before responsibilities were debated. People jumped in to help wherever help was needed. Machines were fixed without hesitation. Trust was built not through promises or presentations, but through consistent action.
Over time, this approach shaped Qcify’s culture — one rooted in ownership, authenticity, and long-term thinking. It also revealed an important difference: there is a gap between writing a manifesto and truly living it.
At Qcify, the values were never meant to stay on a wall. They showed up in daily work:
What tied everything together was a shared mindset: customer success comes first. Problems were solved before responsibilities were debated. People jumped in to help wherever help was needed. Machines were fixed without hesitation. Trust was built not through promises or presentations, but through consistent action.
Over time, this approach shaped Qcify’s culture — one rooted in ownership, authenticity, and long-term thinking. It also revealed an important difference: there is a gap between writing a manifesto and truly living it.
At Qcify, the values were never meant to stay on a wall. They showed up in daily work:
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We’re not big on hierarchy.
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We act on our ideas.
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We have a solutions-driven mindset.
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We’re constantly learning & improving.
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We don’t stay in our corner.
Even after a decade, these principles continue to guide how Qcify grows, works, and makes decisions today.
Closing the Loop: A Connected Vision
The developments of this year did not appear overnight. They are the result of a decade of learning — from labs to factory floors, from prototypes to production lines.
With Pack2Spec, Qcify closes the gap between specification and reality. With QDashboard, quality data becomes accessible, actionable, and connected across operations. Combined with the latest sorter technology, these solutions represent a shift from isolated quality checks to continuous, line-wide intelligence.
It is the logical outcome of a journey that started by questioning the status quo — and choosing to rebuild, rather than patch.
With Pack2Spec, Qcify closes the gap between specification and reality. With QDashboard, quality data becomes accessible, actionable, and connected across operations. Combined with the latest sorter technology, these solutions represent a shift from isolated quality checks to continuous, line-wide intelligence.
It is the logical outcome of a journey that started by questioning the status quo — and choosing to rebuild, rather than patch.
Looking Ahead
Ten years in, Qcify remains driven by the same belief that sparked its creation: technology should serve people, not the other way around.
The future lies in deeper connections — between processes, products, and decisions. New applications, new industries, and new ideas will emerge, built on the same foundations of clarity, trust, and practicality.
This year marks both a celebration and a continuation.
The last ten years were about building what didn’t exist.
The next chapter is about connecting it all together with Eivis and new hubs to come. Stay tuned.
The future lies in deeper connections — between processes, products, and decisions. New applications, new industries, and new ideas will emerge, built on the same foundations of clarity, trust, and practicality.
This year marks both a celebration and a continuation.
The last ten years were about building what didn’t exist.
The next chapter is about connecting it all together with Eivis and new hubs to come. Stay tuned.