KindelAI brings a revolution to vehicle repair diagnostics

In vehicle repair workshops, a considerable amount of time is often spent identifying faults in vehicles. Estonian startup KindelAI is developing AI-based software that can accelerate vehicle diagnostics by up to 200 times. This solution not only improves workshop processes but also demonstrates how artificial intelligence can transform an entire industry.

Co-founder Indrek Reimann shared the challenges they have overcome and their ambitions for the future.

How did KindelAI begin?

“I have worked in the vehicle repair industry my whole life, and for the past 13 years, I ran my own workshops. Throughout my career, I constantly encountered diagnostic issues and saw a clear need for a more efficient solution. Our co-founder and CTO, Andrei Aksjonov, researched similar problems during his PhD and postdoctoral studies, developing various AI-based technologies.

We have been testing several solutions together for a couple of years, but alongside our day jobs, progress was limited. Last autumn, after joining the Tehnopol Startup Incubator, we left our previous commitments behind, and the company’s development gained rapid momentum: with the support of mentors, we pivoted, refined our focus, and within a few months moved from idea to product, which is now being used by our first clients in the US market.”

What were your expectations when joining the Startup Incubator?

“This is my second time at the Startup Incubator. When building my first startup, I did not fully utilise all the opportunities the accelerator had to offer. This time, our approach is completely different – we are making the most of it right from the start, seeking out contacts, speaking to everyone, and actively using all the resources available through the programme.

The Estonian startup community is small, and much of it is centred around Tehnopol. For us, moving into a better environment and being closer to valuable contacts has been of great benefit.”

You have begun raising investment. How is that going?

“Optimistically and actively. We have already spoken to several dozen investors, and we have secured our first interested parties, who we keep regularly updated on our progress. Considering we only started recently, the initial feedback has been positive.”

Where will the investment be directed?

“Our goal is to raise €1.2 million to expand our team and accelerate product development. We urgently need top specialists in the rapidly growing GenAI sector to enhance our product’s capabilities and to continue expanding our customer base in the US market. Developing GenAI solutions also brings significant cloud costs – since we are not dependent on APIs or any specific GenAI model, running our solution requires substantial computational power.”

Are you recruiting internationally?

“Yes, most of the AI specialists we have spoken to are from abroad. There simply are not enough experts in this field in Estonia, so we are looking internationally. Some of them have already joined our team.”

How easy has it been to explain to investors that KindelAI is future technology?

“As the number of companies working with this type of technology increases globally, we are seeing that investors also understand its value and are willing to invest. However, our region has its limitations, which is why we are also open to investment from outside Estonia.

Explaining the technology has not been easy, but similar startups have achieved tremendous success – some have become unicorns in less than a year. GenAI startups have shown that with much smaller teams than traditional SaaS companies, they can achieve results that break all previous growth and revenue records.”

Where do you see KindelAI in five years’ time?

“In five years, we aim to be a strong player in both the US and European markets. It is also possible that by then we will have sold the company. Given the rapid development of AI, KindelAI could look very different within just a few years.”

Are you open to changing your business direction?

“In the world of startups, you must be flexible. If we see an opportunity to support the sector more broadly, we are ready to adapt. Our mission is to solve real problems and to bring innovation to the vehicle repair industry.”

How have customers and test users responded to the KindelAI solution so far?

“Very positively! They have long been waiting for a solution to this problem. Recently, we tested our solution with customers in the US, the UK, Estonia, and Finland, and gathered valuable insights on how to move forward. Many clients have found us independently, most likely through Google, which shows that the need for such a solution is real.

Our biggest progress and future focus are in the US market, where we have quickly found active early adopters, and where the receptiveness to AI products is significantly better. From the customers’ perspective, the key point is making workshop processes faster and more efficient – and that is exactly what KindelAI delivers.”