Rethinking Sensing - Brighter Signals Featured in the Industry Blog Post by Autosence and IN Cabin
Brighter Signals and Seed Robotics have been awarded non-dilutive funding to incororate sensors into robotic hand
As a follow up to talking at IROS Brighter signals were invited to speak at the AI-enhanced wearables event in the UK on 11th of February 2026
We are delighted to welcome Ludo Stellingwerff to the Brighter Signals team.
Ludo is a highly talented and exerienced Software, Systems & Solutions Architect.
Brighter Signals B.V. a startup based in Amsterdam, has received a €328,000 convertible loan from Innovatiefonds Noord-Holland. Brighter Signals is developing a new type of sensor to detect human touch and pressure. These highly accurate, fabric-based sensors enable new safety and comfort features in automotive applications and provide robot grippers and humanoid robots with advanced grasping capabilities. The funding supports several projects with car manufacturers, Tier-1 automotive suppliers, and leading robotics developers. These initiatives focus on the technical and commercial validation of the Brighter Signals platform, which combines flexible textile sensors, integrated electronics, and embedded software for real-time pressure and position detection. This investment will accelerate the engineering, testing, and certification work required to bring the technology to mass production. The company and technology are already attracting significant interest from both automotive and robotics sectors. Edward Shim, Co-Founder & CTO of Brighter Signals: “This investment from Innovatiefonds Noord-Holland comes at a pivotal moment as we validate and scale our technology toward industrial production. Our sensors demonstrate that soft, lightweight materials outperform the incumbent and more expensive sensing systems, offering higher resolution and more accurate results at lower cost. This funding will accelerate our development and bring us closer to commercial deployment.” Ludolf Stavenga, Fund Manager at Innovatiefonds Noord-Holland: "Brighter Signals' tactile sensors offer clear advantages over existing technologies and support promising applications in the automotive, robotics, and other sectors. We are pleased to support the company during this critical phase." About Brighter Signals Brighter Signals is a startup based in Amsterdam developing flexible, fabric-based tactile sensors for automotive, robotics, and other markets. Based on patented sensor technologies created by Edward Shim, the platform delivers high-resolution pressure mapping, durability, and seamless integration into complex surfaces. Brighter Signals partners with global car makers and their Tier-1 suppliers to enable next-generation in-cabin safety and comfort applications, and collaborates with leading robotics manufacturers to give human-like touch to industrial grippers and humanoid hands. https://www.brightersignals.com/ About I n novatiefonds Noord-Holland Innovatiefonds Noord-Holland is an initiative of the Province of North Holland, University of Amsterdam, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences, Amsterdam UMC, and Sanquin. The fund supports entrepreneurs in the province of North Holland by financing innovation in the Proof-of-Concept phase through convertible loans. Innovatiefonds Noord-Holland manages two funds: one for innovative startups, supported by RVO, and one for academic startups, supported by EFRO. www.innovatiefondsnoordholland.nl For more information Andrew Klein, Co-Founder & CEO of Brighter Signals: andy@brightersignals.com , +31 6 2366 0310 Ilmatar Lutje Schipholt, Investment Manager at Innovatiefonds Noord-Holland: Ilmatar.LutjeSchipholt@innovatiefondsnoordholland.nl, +31 20 246 0024