Walk through almost any industrial production line and you’ll see a system optimised to an extreme degree, where machines operate with precision, conveyors move continuously and output is measured in tonnes rather than units, all designed to maximise throughput without interruption.
And then, at the very end of that system, you’ll often find something that feels out of place.
A person, manually checking dimensions with a tape measure, scanning surfaces with the naked eye, looking for defects that could compromise an entire shipment, relying on focus and experience in environments that are noisy, dusty and unforgiving.
It works, until it doesn’t.
All it takes is one defect slipping through to turn an otherwise successful production run into a costly failure, with rejected shipments, damaged relationships and significant financial loss following close behind. Most manufacturers are acutely aware of this risk, but the alternatives available to them have historically come with trade-offs that are just as difficult to accept.
Automated inspection systems exist, but they are often expensive, rigid and disruptive to install, frequently requiring production lines to slow down or stop entirely, which is not viable in high-volume environments where every minute matters. As a result, many plants fall back on manual inspection, accepting inconsistency as the cost of keeping things moving.
That tension has been sitting in the background of manufacturing for years. Zabidou is built to resolve it.
Why existing solutions haven’t worked
While the problem is obvious, solving it has been harder than it looks.
Most automated inspection systems struggle in real factory conditions, where dust, inconsistent lighting and high-speed movement reduce accuracy, and where stopping production to install new systems simply isn’t viable.
As a result, manufacturers are left choosing between systems that don’t perform reliably and processes that don’t scale.
That’s the constraint Zabidou is designed around.
Seeing what others can’t
Zabidou builds laser-augmented, AI-powered vision systems that enable continuous, in-line quality control without interrupting the production process or requiring significant changes to existing infrastructure.
By combining laser-based imaging with edge AI, the system is able to construct a clear and structured representation of what is happening on the production line, effectively rendering materials in three dimensions even in environments where traditional vision systems struggle to operate reliably.
This shifts inspection from a reactive, end-of-line checkpoint to a continuous layer embedded within production, giving manufacturers immediate visibility into quality as it happens.
Because it retrofits into existing lines, Zabidou avoids the cost and disruption of traditional systems, delivering significantly better performance at a fraction of the price.
Built from deep technical roots
Zabidou is led by Cibby Pulikkaseril, a second-time founder and co-founder of Baraja, where he developed advanced LiDAR systems for autonomous vehicles.
That background in sensing, measurement and real-time interpretation translates directly into manufacturing, where quality control still relies heavily on human judgement despite the rest of the process being automated.
Having seen this gap firsthand, Zabidou is a natural extension of that work, applying proven sensing technologies to an industry that has been slower to adopt them.
From prototype to production
Zabidou moved quickly from concept to real-world validation, starting in 2025 with early prototypes tested directly in industrial environments.
Within nine months, the team had built and deployed fully functioning systems on live production lines, alongside securing initial deals and generating early recurring revenue across multiple sectors.
One moment crystallised the demand. After a cancelled meeting in Brisbane, the team met a rail manufacturer who immediately recognised both the problem and the limitations of existing solutions. When Zabidou shared its pricing, the reaction was instant, and a deal followed soon after.
It was a clear signal that a faster, more affordable approach to quality control wasn’t just compelling, it was overdue.
Scaling a new standard for quality control
In the near term, Zabidou is focused on expanding deployments and reaching meaningful scale, with plans to secure dozens of installations and build toward $1M in ARR while continuing to deepen its presence in construction manufacturing.
Beyond that, the roadmap includes the development of next-generation sensing capabilities, such as hyperspectral imaging, and expansion into adjacent industries including food production, mining and textiles.
The long-term ambition is to establish Zabidou as the default quality control layer across global manufacturing, making continuous, automated inspection both affordable and ubiquitous.
If successful, the impact extends far beyond individual production lines, improving efficiency, reducing waste and increasing reliability across entire supply chains.
The ask
Zabidou is looking to connect with manufacturers, particularly in precast concrete and heavy industry, who are experiencing quality control challenges and are open to piloting a more scalable, real-time approach.
You can learn more at zabidou.com
Watch them pitch at Demo Day
When: Thursday, 30 April @ 7:00 PM (pre-party starting at 5 PM)
Where: Carriageworks (at the close of Blackbird's Sunrise Festival)
What: Pitch night (19 companies)
Tickets: Grab your ticket here
