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A lot has changed since we launched akirolabs.

We set out with a belief that procurement could — and should — play a much more strategic role in the enterprise. That belief hasn’t changed. In fact, it’s only grown stronger, shaped by the conversations we’ve had with you: our customers, partners, and community.

You’ve challenged us to think bigger. To look beyond digitizing procurement. To build a platform that doesn’t just automate — but enables and augments strategy. And to do it in a way that reflects the complexity, collaboration, and intelligence required in today’s world.

Our platform has evolved to meet that challenge. We’ve grown from a next-gen toolbox into a operating system for strategic procurement or to say the plan to strategy phase in procurement. We’ve embedded artificial intelligence and real-time collaboration into the core of everything we do. We’ve pushed the boundaries of what procurement can achieve — not just in savings, but in value beyond.

And now, it’s time for our brand to reflect that evolution.

Our new identity is more than a colour refresh. It’s a visual representation of who we are today and where we’re headed. It reflects the intelligence we enable, the ecosystems we connect, and the value we help create. It’s been designed to feel open, dynamic, and human — just like the work we believe procurement should lead.

We’ve built this new identity with you in mind — because you’ve been part of this journey from the beginning. Your insights, your feedback, your ambitions — they’ve shaped not just our product, but our purpose. And now, they’re reflected in every element of how we show up in the world.

This is the new akirolabs.

And built to help you lead.
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Our Story, Then and Now
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The original mission of akirolabs emerged from a moment of challenge and reflection. Nearly six years ago, Detlef Schultz—the founder and former CEO of Vodafone Procurement Company —approached Michael Pleuger, with a question: could he support the digitalization of Vodafone’s procurement organization? Michael’s initial response was telling: “No—I don’t even understand the question,” he said, noting that Vodafone was already highly digitalized by conventional standards, meeting or exceeding procurement benchmarks across the board.

But that exchange sparked a deeper insight: while procurement had embraced digital tools for operational and transactional efficiency, strategic procurement was still operating in silos—manual, disconnected, and PowerPoint-based. The processes that determined what to buy, why, and how were not truly digitalized—they lacked consistency, traceability, and business alignment.

Embracing the idea that “all experts are experts in what was—there are no experts in what will be,” the team set out to build something fundamentally different and make a bold move—to step out, build from scratch, and launch akirolabs as an independent company in 2021. Its founding mission was clear: to digitize, structure, and elevate the strategic procurement process—transforming it into a function that creates real, measurable business value.

Since then, the scope and ambition of akirolabs have expanded dramatically. What began as a toolkit to bring order to category strategy development has matured into a Strategic Procurement Operating System—one that not only structures thinking but fundamentally enhances it. Procurement today faces new demands: agility in volatile markets, alignment with business objectives, resilience in supply chains, and measurable progress on sustainability and ESG goals. akirolabs has risen to meet this complexity—not by simplifying the problem, but by amplifying procurement’s ability to address it intelligently, collaboratively, and proactively.

The platform now integrates AI and GenAI capabilities at its core—with features like akiroAssist, a procurement-trained large language model that offers strategic recommendations, insight summaries, and intelligent support throughout the process. Procurement professionals are no longer left alone with blank templates—they are guided through best practices, supported by contextual insights, and empowered to make better decisions, faster.

Also, Capabilities like Strategic Scenario Modeling and BEYONDcategory strategy development allow teams to think beyond traditional taxonomy —addressing major initiatives, supplier strategies, and cross-functional challenges. No longer constrained by static frameworks like the Kraljic Matrix, procurement can now explore multiple paths, simulate outcomes, and select strategies aligned with what the business truly values.

In this journey, akirolabs has grown from a structured toolkit into a strategic intelligence layer for procurement—one that enables organizations to move from fragmented workflows and short-term cost thinking to collaborative, insight-driven, and future-proof strategies. It empowers teams to co-create, optimize, and execute with confidence, delivering 4–5x greater business value than traditional approaches. It is not just about procurement doing things better; it is about procurement doing better things—driving impact where it matters most.
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What’s Changing — and Why It Matters
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As akirolabs has grown, so has the scope of what we enable.

And over the last few years, something important has happened.

We’ve evolved — fast.

We’ve become the strategic layer of modern procurement.

But our brand identity — how we showed up visually, and digitally — no longer told that story. It reflected our origin, but not our ambition. It conveyed trust and confidence, but not the momentum, capability, and intelligence that define akirolabs today.

That’s why we knew it was time for change.

The akirolabs Logo: More Than a Mark

In the midst of evolving our brand, one thing remained unchanged: our logo. Not because we were holding onto the past — but because it already captures the essence of everything we stand for.

At first glance, the logo is quiet and simple. But it holds a deep and deliberate meaning — one that reflects both our roots and our vision.

At its core is the lowercase “a” — a nod to humility, approachability, and action. It stands for Akirolabs, of course. But it also points to something deeper.

In Esperanto, the international language created for universal understanding, “akiro” means procurement.

So in the simplest terms, akirolabs means: Procurement Labs — a space for experimentation, innovation, and making procurement understood by the business.

But the meaning doesn’t stop there. The form and flow of our logo echo the principles at the heart of our platform:

• Augmented intelligence, beyond artificial intelligence: Our symbol reflects the collective power of human insight, guided by AI
• Ecosystem collaboration over ivory-tower thinking: The interconnected structure suggests movement and flow — a representation of procurement teams aligning with finance, R&D, sustainability, and operations to co-create strategy.
• Dynamic planning over static playbooks: Strategy isn’t linear — and our logo reflects that. Its circular rhythm represents adaptability, scenario modeling, and the ongoing evolution of decisions.
• Purpose and sustainability by design: The open shape hints at larger horizons: the long-term, multi-dimensional value that procurement is now expected to deliver — not just cost savings, but resilience, innovation, and ESG impact.
• And yes — “a” for akirolabs: A platform built for leaders ready to think strategically, act intelligently, and deliver value that lasts.

In a world where procurement is redefining its role, our logo is a symbol of what’s possible — and a reminder of what we’ve believed from the start.

A brand that reflects who we’ve become

While our logo remains — honoring the clarity and conviction of our founding mission — the rest of our identity has been reimagined.

Each element of this new brand is intentional. Designed not only to look different, but to feel different. To reflect the kind of experience we’re building for our users: modern, powerful, intuitive — and above all, strategic.

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A new color system: evolving with intention

From the beginning, our brand reflected who we were: a bold, fast-moving team with a clear vision for the future of strategic procurement. Colors like #1CA1CE, with their energy and optimism, spoke to a spirit of innovation and the courage to challenge the status quo.

And that spirit hasn’t gone anywhere.

But as akirolabs has evolved — from an early-stage disruptor to a platform that’s powering strategic procurement at scale — we recognized that our visual identity needed to grow with us. Not to erase where we came from, but to reflect the broader ambition we now carry, and the trust our customers place in us.

That’s why we’ve introduced a new primary color: #003E7D, a deep navy/yale blue.

Where our previous palette spoke to clarity and exploration, this new tone adds a sense of stability, depth, and assurance. It’s a color often found in institutions that operate globally and lead confidently — and that’s exactly the trajectory we’re on.

This shift from bright, exploratory tones to richer, more grounded colors doesn’t mark an end. It marks a maturing of our identity — one that continues to reflect intelligence, openness, and innovation, while also conveying the confidence and credibility our users need as they lead strategic change.

Modernized typography

We introduced typefaces that bring both clarity and character. Functional when they need to be, expressive when they can be. Because we’re not just a technical platform — we’re here to support human insight, complex decision-making, and confident storytelling.

A fully redesigned website

Our new website isn’t just easier to navigate — it’s built to communicate value. To clearly articulate what we offer, why it matters, and how it transforms the role of procurement. It reflects our expanded capabilities and our global ambition — and it’s designed to meet users where they are.

A new platform experience
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Alongside our rebrand, we’re launching akirolabs V3 — a significant evolution of our product.

V3 delivers a more intuitive, powerful, and seamless user experience. This new experience is more than a feature release — it’s the embodiment of everything we’ve learned from our customers. It’s how we operationalize our belief that procurement can — and must — lead.

This rebrand is about alignment. Between who we are and how we show up. Between the platform we’ve built and the future we believe in. Between what we promise and what we deliver — every day, through every interaction.

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A tagline that says it all

As we reimagined our brand, we asked ourselves: What is akirolabs really here to do?

The answer wasn’t just about features, automation, or even strategy frameworks. It was about helping procurement teams do their work better, faster, and smarter — with the tools, intelligence, and confidence to lead.

It was about making procurement feel not just empowered, but strategic by design.

That’s why we’ve introduced a tagline that reflects not only what we offer, but how we want our users to feel:

Build better category strategies.

Because “better” isn’t just a tagline.

It’s a belief — in our platform, in our users, and in the future we’re building together.

It’s simple, focused, and actionable — just like the experience we’re creating for our users.

And it’s backed by something bigger: Our vision to become the AI-powered Operating System for Strategic Procurement
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What’s Next

If you’ve made it this far, thank you — we’re glad you’re here.

There’s so much more behind this rebrand than new colors or typography. It’s the product of everything we’ve learned from our users, everything we believe about the future of strategic procurement, and everything we’re building to support it.

And now, it’s time to experience it for yourself.

Explore our new website, where we’ve laid out what Akirolabs can do, why it’s different, and how it’s helping procurement teams rethink their strategic role. You’ll find deep dives, real use cases, and a clear view into the platform we’ve built.

Even better? See Version 3 in action.

Book a demo and get a firsthand look at how Akirolabs is transforming the way organizations build and execute category strategies — faster, smarter, and more collaboratively than ever before.

We’re proud of how far we’ve come.

And even more excited about where we’re going — with you.

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