Our story: For everyone interested in data
A quarter-century pioneering data science and intelligent automation. From humble beginnings to European market leader in innovative data solutions.
Picture this: it's 1999, the millennium bug grips the world, and while everyone wonders if computers will survive the new year, a small team of developers in Apeldoorn starts something revolutionary. They believe that data shouldn't just be numbers on a screen, but stories that can transform businesses. This vision became the foundation of what we now know as one of Europe's most innovative data science companies.
Everyone deserves access to the power of data! From text recognition to advanced machine learning, from local solutions to global cloud services. It's a journey of continuous innovation, where technical excellence goes hand in hand with human creativity. A story that shows how Dutch engineering and Armenian mathematical brilliance together shape the future of data processing.
The birth of a vision: more than just programming
When most companies in 1999 were still struggling with basic digitization, our founding team already saw further. They understood that real value lay not in collecting data, but in understanding it. Our business model was different from day one: no expensive licenses that fall outside budget, but accessible technology that truly makes a difference.
Those first years were a period of intense learning. EasySeparate, our first product for document recognition, was developed out of pure necessity. Customers came with stacks of paper documents and the question: "Can you automatically extract data from these?" The answer wasn't obvious then, but the challenge motivated our team to dig deeper into what was possible.
The team consisted of driven developers who wanted more than just writing code. They dreamed of software that would truly exhibit intelligent behavior. Where others saw text recognition as a technical problem, they saw it as a puzzle of pattern recognition and machine learning. This visionary approach would lay the foundation for everything that was to come.
What started as a local software company in Apeldoorn grew into a pioneer in artificial intelligence. The foundations laid in those early years - focus on mathematical excellence, understanding of algorithms, and an obsession with practical applications - still form the core of our identity as a European technology leader.
Today, more than two decades later, we look back on that beginning period as the moment when everything became possible. A time when dreams about intelligent software were converted into concrete solutions that have transformed thousands of businesses worldwide.
The EasyData team: from visionary startup to European market leader in data science
Why 1999 was the perfect moment
The timing was crucial. Internet became mainstream, companies digitized massively, but the tools to truly understand data were still missing. Large tech companies focused on hardware and basic software, while the real challenge lay in interpreting unstructured information. Our data-driven approach was revolutionary then, now it's the standard.
Open source pioneers avant la lettre
Long before open source became mainstream, we were already combining proprietary innovation with open technologies. This hybrid approach still gives us a unique advantage today: the flexibility of open source with the reliability of our own development.
The international breakthrough: from Apeldoorn to Yerevan
Growth brings choices. In 2022 we faced a crucial moment: do we remain a local player or dare to think internationally? The decision to open an office in Yerevan, Armenia was bold but proves strategically brilliant.
Armenia has a hidden treasure of mathematical excellence. The country has a tradition of strong exact sciences, and local developers brought a level of mathematical depth that perfectly matched our ambition to develop AI algorithms ourselves. No standard API calls, but truly understanding how machine learning works.
Why mathematical background makes the difference
Our developers have a mathematical background that goes beyond just knowing a programming language. Mastering Python is one thing, but understanding higher mathematics is essential for true AI algorithm development. This distinguishes us from companies that string together existing technology.
From data to insight: visualization as storytelling
Data without context is useless. Our data visualization experts transform complex datasets into understandable stories. With tools like Grafana and custom-developed dashboards, we make data accessible to everyone, not just data scientists.
The cloud revolution: own datacenter, own rules
When cloud computing emerged, many companies saw this as an opportunity to save costs by moving everything to American tech giants. We consciously chose a different path. Our cloud services run in a European datacenter, on our own servers, everything under our own management. This choice reflects our core values: reliability, privacy, and European data sovereignty.
Our cloud services follow the CIS Benchmarks and maintain strict security protocols. It's not just a technical choice, but a statement: European data belongs under European law, with European safeguards.
Protecting intellectual property and innovation
That intelligent technology produces unique intellectual property that falls under European law. In a world where data is the new oil, we ensure that European innovation also remains European. This gives our customers certainty about compliance, privacy, and continuity.
Automation of manual processes
Many organizations still process data manually. Our automation solutions transform these time-consuming processes into efficient, reliable systems. From invoice recognition to document classification: we take care of where human input is unnecessary.
25 years later: what have we learned?
A quarter-century in the data science world has taught us a lot about what works and what doesn't. The most important lesson? Technology is a means, not an end. The best algorithms are useless if they don't connect to users' daily practice. Our Excel integrations are a perfect example of this. Not because Excel is the most advanced platform, but because it's the most used. True innovation means usable innovation.
Sources consulted
- Statista - European Enterprise Software Market - Official European technology statistics
- Eurostat Science & Technology - European comparison data
- EU Digital Decade Programme - European digitization goals 2030
- Gartner AI Market Analysis - Global AI adoption trends
- McKinsey State of AI 2024 - Enterprise AI implementation
- IDC European Digital Transformation - Market research and forecasts
Partnerships that make the difference
We are proud of our partners who demonstrate the ability to successfully implement our innovative technology. By working with industry-recognized partners, our customers can rely on maximum returns. Our partners know industry-specific aspects and what is experienced as the most efficient business operations.
More than 25 years of ABBYY partnership
As one of the longest-running ABBYY partners in Europe, we combine world-class OCR technology with our own innovations. This synergy between established excellence and our own creativity defines our approach.
The future: what we believe in
After more than 25 years, we continue to believe in the same core principles that motivated us in 1999. Data must be accessible, technology must be usable, and innovation must add value to human work, not replace it.
In the coming years, we see artificial intelligence further democratizing. Our role remains the same: translating complex technology into practical solutions that truly make a difference in our customers' daily business operations.
Whether you're a multinational wanting to optimize processes, or an SME taking first steps in automation: our experience and technology serve your ambitions. Because that's ultimately our story: making your success possible by unleashing the power of data.
Frequently asked questions about our story
EasyData was founded in 1999 by Rob Camerlink, under the stairs of a residential house in Apeldoorn. It was a time when digitization was accelerating, but affordable solutions for data capture and document recognition were lacking.
Technologies like 'scan and recognize' were then only available to large companies with substantial budgets, preventing many organizations from benefiting from digital data analysis and document processing. Rob Camerlink saw this gap in the market and decided with a small team to make the difference by developing accessible, affordable data solutions.
The timing was crucial: in the '90s, digital data volume grew exponentially, but tools to effectively process and analyze this data weren't widely available. By starting in 1999, EasyData could capitalize on the first major digitization wave within SMEs and governments, giving the company a market advantage and laying the foundation for further growth.
The mathematical background of EasyData developers forms the foundation for all data science activities. Data science revolves around discovering patterns, building predictive models, and optimizing business processes based on data.
This requires deep knowledge of statistics, probability theory, linear algebra, and calculus. Without this mathematical foundation, it's impossible to develop reliable algorithms, correctly interpret data, or build innovative machine learning models that go beyond standard implementations.
Mathematics enables our developers to model complex datasets, optimize algorithms, and make accurate predictions. This mathematical expertise ensures our solutions are reproducible and validatable, which is crucial for quality and reliability in data science projects.
EasyData deliberately chose a development office in Armenia because of the country's rich technological tradition and high education level of IT professionals. Armenia has been known as a center for computer science and mathematics since Soviet times.
Universities in Yerevan annually produce many well-educated software and data engineers. This makes Armenia an attractive location for companies wanting to invest in innovation and high-quality technology, while providing access to mathematical depth that perfectly fits our ambition to develop AI algorithms ourselves.
The choice for Armenia is also strategic: in Europe there's a growing shortage of qualified IT professionals, while demand for data science, cybersecurity, and digital transformation continues rising. Through our Armenian office, EasyData can access broad talent and assemble multidisciplinary teams specialized in machine learning, AI, and software security.
European data sovereignty means that data from European citizens and organizations remains under control of European entities and complies with strict requirements of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). EasyData places great value on this and has structured its processes and infrastructure accordingly.
This means data storage, processing, and management always take place within the European Union or in countries with equivalent protection levels. By choosing European datacenters and partnering with GDPR-compliant partners, EasyData ensures personal data and business data are protected against unwanted external access.
European data sovereignty provides not only legal certainty but also strengthens customer confidence in how their data is handled, preventing data from being subject to foreign legislation like the US CLOUD Act.
EasyData distinguishes itself through a unique combination of deep mathematical expertise, customer-focused innovation, and strong focus on data sovereignty within Europe. Where many data science companies limit themselves to standard solutions or consultancy, EasyData develops custom solutions that align with customers' specific challenges.
We do this by working closely with organizations from various sectors, from government to healthcare and SMEs, and by continuously investing in the latest technologies in machine learning, artificial intelligence, and data analysis. Additionally, EasyData pioneers in making complex data science tools accessible to a broad audience.
Through our transparent approach, clear communication, and focus on results, we build long-term relationships with our customers, ensuring they can rely on European-quality solutions with proven ROI.
Innovation is the driving force behind everything EasyData does. In a rapidly changing digital world, it's essential to continuously renew and anticipate the latest trends within data science and artificial intelligence.
EasyData therefore invests heavily in research and development, collaborating with universities, knowledge institutions, and innovative startups, both in the Netherlands and Armenia. Our teams follow the latest developments in machine learning, deep learning, natural language processing, and data visualization.
Innovation at EasyData also means continuously seeking ways to automate processes, improve performance, and generate new insights from existing data, while stimulating a culture of experimentation and knowledge sharing within the company.
Quality and security are central to EasyData in every data science project. We maintain strict quality standards and work according to proven methodologies like CRISP-DM and Agile/Scrum.
Every project starts with thorough analysis of customer requirements, followed by a transparent plan of approach. During execution, we continuously monitor progress and perform extensive testing to guarantee reliability and accuracy of our models.
Regarding data security, EasyData complies with all relevant European regulations, including GDPR. We exclusively use certified datacenters within the EU and implement advanced security measures like encryption, access control, and regular audits.
Data science offers enormous opportunities for both small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and the public sector. For SMEs, data science means business processes can be organized more efficiently, customer behavior can be better predicted, and new market opportunities can be identified faster.
Think of automatically analyzing customer feedback, optimizing inventory management, or predicting sales trends. By smartly using data, SMEs can compete with larger players and improve their services.
For the public sector, such as municipalities and healthcare institutions, data science offers the possibility to tackle societal issues more effectively. By analyzing data, patterns in healthcare demand, traffic flows, or crime can be recognized, allowing policy to be better aligned with citizens' needs while increasing transparency and optimizing public services.
Ready for transparent collaboration?
Our business model is more than pricing - it's a philosophy of fair, long-term partnerships. Whether you're interested in cloud solutions, on-premise software, or strategic advice, we always start with a clear conversation about your situation and our possibilities.
No surprises, real results
Transparent pricing, European quality, and 25+ years of experience. That's what you get when you choose a partnership with us.