Belgian AI Startup Polysense Opens First U.S. Office in Chicago

Belgian food-tech startup Polysense is opening its first U.S. office in Chicago, moving from remote expansion to a permanent operating base in North America.

The Ghent-based company expects the office to open within weeks and plans to use Chicago as a base for customers across both the United States and Canada.

Polysense already has technology deployed with food manufacturers internationally, including in the U.S. The Chicago move adds local leadership, commercial hiring and product expertise as the company looks to turn that early traction into a larger North American business.

Why Chicago

Polysense says Chicago was chosen because of its position at the center of a large North American food and manufacturing ecosystem.

The region gives the company access to food producers, industrial customers and a broader network of companies involved in processing, packaging and distribution.

For Polysense, that proximity matters more than simply having a prestigious U.S. address. Its technology is designed for physical production environments, meaning sales, implementation and customer support can depend heavily on understanding what happens directly on factory floors.

The company's U.S. hiring materials list an office at 330 North Wabash Avenue in Chicago and describe new commercial hires as part of Polysense's founding U.S. team.

Founder-level leadership moves closer to the market

The expansion is also notable because Polysense is putting senior leadership on the ground rather than treating the U.S. as a remote sales territory.

Co-founder Jarne Bogaert is set to become President of Polysense US, giving the American business direct founder-level leadership.

Jonas Lernout will also support the new U.S. operation with technical and product expertise as the company builds out its first local commercial team.

That creates a more serious market-entry structure than simply hiring one salesperson. Product knowledge, leadership and customer development are being brought into the U.S. operation at the same time.

AI built for food factories

Polysense develops AI-powered quality-control and process-optimization technology for food manufacturers.

Its systems use cameras and machine vision to monitor products directly on production lines. The software can identify changes in quality and production conditions in real time, giving manufacturers data they can use to adjust processes before problems create larger amounts of waste.

Applications span products including potatoes, vegetables, bakery items, confectionery and packaged foods.

Polysense has said that one potato-processing customer reduced peeling time by 45% after deploying its technology. Results will vary by factory and application, but the example illustrates the type of operational problem the company is targeting.

The U.S. move follows a $10.7 million seed round

The Chicago expansion follows an oversubscribed $10.7 million seed round announced in July.

The round was led by Felix Capital, with participation from Fortino Ventures, Syndicate One, 100IN and other investors.

Polysense said at the time that the funding would support engineering, sales, customer success and faster international deployments.

The company was already working with food manufacturers across Europe, the United States and the Middle East, including companies such as Agristo, Darta and Poppies Bakeries.

That makes the Chicago office a logical next stage: the company has already tested whether American manufacturers will use the product and is now building the local organization needed to support growth.

From European pilots to an American operating base

Polysense's U.S. expansion follows a pattern that is common among European B2B companies but often less visible than a major factory opening or acquisition.

The first step is often serving American customers from Europe. Once demand becomes repeatable, companies begin adding local sales, support and leadership.

Only after that proof point does a dedicated office become necessary.

Polysense appears to have reached that stage. The company is no longer testing whether the U.S. could become a market. It is building the structure required to operate there more permanently.

What this means for European companies

Polysense shows why U.S. expansion does not always need to start with a large physical investment.

The company first built the product and won international customers from Belgium. Only after proving demand did it commit to a dedicated American base.

For European industrial and B2B technology companies, that can reduce the risk of entering the U.S. too early while still creating a clear path toward local operations once customer demand justifies it.

Chicago now gives Polysense a place to turn that demand into a larger North American business — with local leadership, hiring and customer support built around the food-manufacturing industry it serves.