Slimmer AI

Slimmer AI (also styled Slimmer.ai) is a Groningen-based AI startup studio that builds B2B software-as-a-service ventures combining AI research with product development. Jan Wilmake worked there as a senior contract developer from May to July 2024, embedded in the ClaimWise venture.^[1]

Model

Slimmer AI operates as an internal startup accelerator: it finds or generates venture concepts, assembles engineering teams around them, and builds early-stage SaaS products. As the company puts it: "Slimmer doesn't build for you, but with you." Engineering staff rotate across ventures rather than being permanently assigned to one product.^[2]

The company is backed by institutional investors including NOM (Noordelijke OntwikkelingsMaatschappij), the regional Northern Netherlands development fund.^[3]

ClaimWise

During Wilmake's engagement, Slimmer AI's primary active venture was ClaimWise — an AI-powered patent search and claim construction platform targeting US patent attorneys and IP managers handling approximately 100 patent applications per year.^[3]

Technical Stack

ClaimWise ran on AWS using a microservices architecture:

Application code was written in Python (backend) with Lambda Powertools (FastAPI-compatible) and React (frontend). Environments: feature → dev → prod.^[4]

Team

Wilmake's Work

Wilmake was contracted at €90/hour under a formal modelovereenkomst signed ~25 April 2024, starting 13 May 2024.^[1] His work included:

• ML model deployment UI buttons
• Frontend and backend feature tickets
• Data migration pipelines
• Claim construction interface improvements^[5]

Contract End

The engagement ended on 16 July 2024, earlier than the contract end date of 30 November 2024, after a performance and cultural misalignment. Wilmake documented detailed lessons learned including the importance of team trust, not undermining the official tech lead, and managing the tension between product vision (Milo) and engineering culture (Ali).^[6]

Mika

A second Slimmer AI venture Wilmake observed during his time there was Mika — an AI-powered tax and accounting advisory tool targeting small German businesses (under 50 employees). Mika aimed to reduce the cost of tax advisor hours by 80% using bank account integration, receipt upload, email invoice parsing, and Slack-based input.^[7]

See Also

• Jan Wilmake
• Code From Anywhere
• ActionSchema
• Groningen