Netcompany takes full ownership of Smarter Airports to scale AI platform globally
What's the deal? Danish IT firm Netcompany has acquired Copenhagen Airport's stake in Smarter AirportsDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →, becoming the sole owner of the company behind AIRHART — an AI-driven digital platform that powers operations at major European airports including Copenhagen, Munich, and Heathrow.
Smarter Airports was founded in 2020 as a joint venture between Netcompany and Copenhagen Airport. The platform aggregates data from multiple airport systems and converts it into AI-based decision-making support, improving workflow efficiency, safety, and operational performance.
Why now? Deals with Munich and Heathrow airports have accelerated global demand for AIRHART, making this the right moment for Netcompany to take full commercial control. "The agreements with Munich and Heathrow have accelerated the worldwide demand for AIRHART, and full ownership by Netcompany will ensure a dedicated focus on the commercial scaling of Smarter Airports as a growth engine for Netcompany's international expansion," said André Rogaczewski, chief executive officer and co-founder of Netcompany.
Copenhagen Airport, meanwhile, wants to refocus on its core operations. It will remain a key partner in AIRHART's ongoing development and continue using the platform.
What could go wrong? Scaling a platform built in close collaboration with a single airport to dozens of airports worldwide is no small feat. Each airport has different legacy systems, regulatory environments, and operational workflows. Losing the co-ownership dynamic with Copenhagen Airport could also reduce the depth of real-world operational feedback that shaped the product.
The signal: Netcompany, classified as a late-growth IT services firm on Dealroom, is using this acquisition to pivot from consulting-led revenue toward owning scalable vertical software — a playbook increasingly common among Northern European IT firms seeking higher-margin international growth. With Smarter Airports still in its early-growth phase, the bet is that full ownership will let Netcompany commercialise AIRHART far faster than the joint venture structure allowed, capitalising on a wave of airport digitalisation driven by post-pandemic capacity pressure.
Read more: dutchitleaders.nl
