Amsterdam-based BrainsFirst, a supplier of neuroscience-based cognitive evaluation software program, has been acquired by Talent Motivation Assessment (TMA), a Dutch-based supplier of expertise administration software program.
The transaction follows TMA’s current acquisition of STYR and comes after the corporate acquired US-based DecisionWise and France-based HMG in 2025.
Andries van der Leij, co-founder and CTO of BrainsFirst, stated, “By combining TMA’s behavioural insights with our neuro-cognitive knowledge, we’re unlocking a brand new period of predictive expertise intelligence. We’re making a future-proof ecosystem that interprets complicated human potential into scalable, data-driven organisational efficiency.”
Based in 2016 by Andries Van der Leij and Dr Ilja Sligte, BrainsFirst offers organisations with neuroscience-based, game-powered cognitive assessments to objectively measure cognitive potential and decision-making capabilities.
The software program is utilised by clients for early expertise identification, staff and expertise insights, profession mobility, and sports activities expertise scouting, amongst different makes use of.
“BrainsFirst takes a distinct strategy to expertise identification. As an alternative of imprecise questionnaires or customary IQ exams, we use game-based mind assessments to offer goal insights into how somebody thinks, learns, and solves issues. Based mostly on neuroscience, we make pure cognitive skills measurable, revealing expertise that’s usually missed,” the corporate said on its web site.
BrainsFirst has developed NeurOlympics, a collection of 4 neuroscience-based video games that collectively assess the mind’s pure skills. It claims that the outcomes generate a Mind Profile able to precisely predicting the participant’s efficiency in particular capabilities or roles. Every sport takes 10 to fifteen minutes, so finishing all the NeurOlympics requires roughly 45 minutes.
Dr Ilja Sligte, co-founder and Chief Science Officer at BrainsFirst, stated, “For years, neuroscience has supplied a pure, unbiased take a look at cognitive capability. By becoming a member of TMA, we will map this goal knowledge onto wealthy behavioural profiles whereas strictly safeguarding the scientific integrity of each disciplines. It’s the good marriage of ‘can do’ and ‘need to do’.”
BrainsFirst options are utilised in additional than 12 international locations throughout various sectors, together with healthcare, authorities, sports activities, and enterprise companies. Its purchasers embrace AZ, STX, Luchtverkeersleiding Nederland, and the Municipality of The Hague.
TMA offers expertise administration options throughout the HR software program sector. Its built-in expertise administration platform permits purchasers to supervise human capital by means of assessments and different worker growth instruments all through each pre- and post-hiring phases.
In keeping with the corporate, the platform additionally options capabilities for worker suggestions, engagement measurement, and 360-degree evaluations. By combining business experience, market information, and the most recent IT developments, TMA has developed the science-based ‘TMA Technique.’
In 2024, Major Capital Companions acquired a majority stake in TMA. Together with BrainsFirst, TMA now employs over 100 staff within the Netherlands, France and the USA and serves clients such because the Municipality of Amsterdam, Bol & Monuta.
In a LinkedIn put up saying the acquisition, BrainsFirst said, “At BrainsFirst, we take a look at expertise by means of a neuroscience lens. By measuring how the mind performs, we map somebody’s distinctive set of cognitive skills. TMA approaches potential by means of one other lens, investigating abilities when it comes to motivations and drives. By combining these views, we will higher perceive each what somebody needs to do and what somebody is of course able to doing.”
Each Dutch firms consider that there’s a robust strategic match between the 2 as they help organisations in understanding worker match and efficiency from complementary views.
TMA gives insights into the intrinsic drivers and motivations of candidates and staff, whereas BrainsFirst concentrates on capabilities and potential. Each firms already serve a number of of the identical purchasers, which creates a pure product synergy and appreciable cross-selling prospects.
Glenn Frijde, CEO of TMA, said, “Collectively, we ship essentially the most full and future‑proof understanding of expertise in the marketplace. By uniting Neuroscience (the cognitive and neurobiological processes measured by means of sport‑primarily based assessments) with Psychometrics (persona, motivations, and behavioural preferences), we create a expertise perception that’s richer, extra predictive, and extra human.
“This fusion leads to a uniquely human‑centric, highly effective, and bias‑diminished expertise profile, so sturdy and distinctive that organisations merely can’t afford to disregard it. It empowers firms to make smarter, fairer, and extra ahead‑trying selections in hiring, growth, staff design, and strategic workforce planning. The end result: folks in roles the place they honestly thrive, boosting efficiency, engagement, and lengthy‑time period success.”
