What started as three university roommates in Porto tinkering with an idea has grown into Smartex.ai — a startup using AI-powered cameras to detect fabric defects in real time. The goal? Cut textile waste in an industry that loses up to 10% of output to flaws and ranks among the world’s top polluters.
Founded in 2018 by Gilberto Loureiro, António Rocha, and Paulo Ribeiro, Smartex now counts nearly 100 clients — including H&M, Gucci and Balenciaga — and generates around €3M in annual revenue. Investors like Tony Fadell, Apple’s iPod “godfather,” have backed the company, helping it raise close to €40M.
With operations in 10 markets, from Turkey to Bangladesh, Smartex is scaling fast. Its AI stops looms the moment defects appear, saving water, chemicals and energy — and paying for itself within months. Loureiro’s ambition isn’t just unicorn status: “If we get there, it means we’re on the right path. What we really want is to change an entire industry.”
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