An intuitive, AI-powered cloud platform enabling engineers to navigate the Machinery Regulation, streamline documentation, and deliver compliance faster, smarter, and without complexity.
Interview with Neil Frost, Co-Founder & Managing Director of CERTAIN GmbH.
A brief description of the company and its activities.
Neil Frost: CERTAIN is a technology company dedicated to simplifying CE marking and technical compliance for machinery and industrial products. Our cloud-based platform transforms complex regulatory processes into structured, manageable workflows. By combining engineering expertise with modern software design, we enable manufacturers and safety professionals to create compliant, high-quality documentation efficiently and with confidence.
What are the main areas of activity of the company?
N.F: Our primary focus is the digitalization of CE marking processes, particularly in machine safety. We support companies in risk assessment, requirements management, and the creation of technical documentation in accordance with European directives and regulations. At the same time, we help organizations move away from fragmented tools like spreadsheets and static documents toward a centralized, collaborative, and scalable system that integrates seamlessly into engineering workflows.
What’s the news about new products/services?
N.F: A major innovation is our AI-supported identification of harmonized standards, significantly reducing the time engineers spend researching applicable requirements. In addition, we are continuously expanding our platform to support further directives beyond the Machinery Directive, including EMC, Low Voltage (LVD), and RoHS—with additional directives already planned.
A key focus is also our readiness for the new Machinery Regulation. The transition from the current directive introduces new requirements and uncertainties for manufacturers. CERTAIN is designed to support this transition seamlessly, ensuring that users can adapt their processes early and remain compliant without disruption.
What are the ranges of products/services?
N.F: CERTAIN provides a comprehensive, cloud-based solution covering the entire CE process—from hazard identification and risk assessment to requirements tracking and final technical documentation. One of our key strengths is the intuitive, guided workflow: users are led step by step through complex processes without the need for extensive training. Even non-experts can quickly become productive, while experienced safety engineers benefit from structured efficiency and consistency.
A standout feature is our one-click generation of fully formatted, compliant documentation. This eliminates the need for time-consuming post-processing or manual formatting. Engineers can focus on their core responsibilities—ensuring safety and compliance—rather than spending valuable time on document editing and redaction.
A key principle behind CERTAIN is that data is only entered once and then automatically reused across all outputs. This ensures consistency, eliminates duplication of work, and significantly reduces the risk of errors throughout the entire CE process. At the same time, integrated revision control ensures that all changes are transparently tracked and documented, providing full traceability and confidence—especially in audit and compliance scenarios.
In addition, CERTAIN includes a dedicated module for the creation of operating instructions in accordance with applicable standards. These instructions are generated directly from the same structured data used in the risk assessment and requirements management, ensuring full alignment between safety analysis and user documentation—without redundant effort.
Another important capability is our growing multilingual support. Projects, operating instructions, and technical documentation can be created and managed in multiple languages, enabling companies to efficiently meet international requirements and collaborate across borders.
What is the state of the market where you are currently active?
N.F: The CE compliance market is at a turning point. Regulatory requirements are becoming more complex, particularly with the transition from the Machinery Directive to the new Machinery Regulation. Many companies are uncertain about how to manage this change efficiently. At the same time, a large portion of the market still relies on manual, error-prone processes, which increases both compliance risks and internal workload.
This situation is accelerating the demand for digital solutions that provide structure, clarity, and future-proof compliance.
What can you tell us about market trends?
N.F: We observe three key trends. First, increasing regulatory pressure—especially driven by the Machinery Regulation—is forcing companies to professionalize their compliance processes. Second, digitalization is accelerating, with cloud-based tools replacing local, isolated systems. Third, companies are beginning to recognize CE marking not just as a legal requirement, but as a strategic advantage that improves product quality, reduces liability, and enhances internal efficiency.
What are the most innovative products/services marketed?
N.F: What makes CERTAIN truly innovative is the combination of deep regulatory knowledge with a modern, user-centric software experience. Our platform is built on a strong foundation of practical expertise gained through years of CE consulting and support services. This knowledge is embedded directly into the system, guiding users through best practices and proven methodologies.
The software itself is designed as a scalable, serverless cloud application—offering high availability, security, and performance without the need for on-premise infrastructure or maintenance. This means no hidden costs, no IT overhead, and immediate accessibility from anywhere.
In addition, features such as guided workflows, AI-assisted standards research, automated documentation creation, integrated operating instructions, and multilingual project capabilities create a seamless user experience. By structuring information centrally and reusing it across all outputs, CERTAIN eliminates inefficiencies and enables a new level of consistency and productivity in compliance processes.
What estimations do you have for the beginning of 2026?
N.F: Looking ahead through 2026, we expect a significant acceleration in the adoption of digital compliance solutions. The Machinery Regulation will play a central role in this development, as companies seek reliable and future-proof ways to manage new requirements.
We believe that solutions like CERTAIN will become a standard tool in engineering organizations, much like CAD or PLM systems today. Our focus will be on expanding our platform capabilities, further enhancing AI-driven features, and continuing to deliver exceptional value for money—making advanced compliance accessible to companies of all sizes.
