Best Machine Learning Development Companies in Europe

WeAreBrain vs Imaginary Cloud: full comparison for 2026

Last updated: July 2026

Quick verdict

WeAreBrain (4.2/5) edges ahead of Imaginary Cloud (4.0/5) overall. WeAreBrain is the better choice for companies wanting AI and machine learning delivered as part of a broader digital product build. Imaginary Cloud is the stronger option for companies wanting ML capabilities delivered alongside strong product design and UX engineering. The right choice depends on your project size, budget, and required tech stack.

WeAreBrain vs Imaginary Cloud: head-to-head summary

Criterion WeAreBrain Imaginary Cloud
Founded 2015 2010
HQ Amsterdam, Netherlands Lisbon, Portugal
Team size 51–200 51–200
Rating 4.2 / 5 4.0 / 5
Best for Companies wanting AI and machine learning delivered as part of a broader digital product build Companies wanting ML capabilities delivered alongside strong product design and UX engineering
Pricing model Fixed project, dedicated team Fixed project, dedicated team
Min. engagement $25K $20K
Primary tech stack Python, AWS, Azure Python, React, Node.js
Industries served SaaS, Fintech, Enterprise, Retail SaaS, Fintech, Healthcare, E-commerce

WeAreBrain vs Imaginary Cloud: overview

WeAreBrain

WeAreBrain is an Amsterdam, Netherlands-headquartered digital product and AI agency founded in 2015 by Mario Grunitz, Elvire Jaspers, and Ievgen Miasushkin. The roughly 60 to 70 person team specializes in digital transformation, AI and machine learning applications, and intelligent process automation. In 2017, WeAreBrain co-founded Tur.ai, an AI and hyperautomation platform with joint Amsterdam and Kyiv operations, reflecting the founders' Ukrainian engineering ties.

Imaginary Cloud

Imaginary Cloud, founded in 2010 and headquartered in Lisbon, Portugal, is an AI-first software development company with roughly 77 employees. The firm combines design, engineering, and AI to deliver custom software and machine learning-enabled products, positioning itself around what it calls seamless digital acceleration, per company website.

Services and capabilities: WeAreBrain vs Imaginary Cloud

Capability WeAreBrain Imaginary Cloud
ML model development
Computer vision
NLP
Generative AI / LLM integration
MLOps
AI strategy consulting
Staff augmentation

Tech stack comparison: WeAreBrain vs Imaginary Cloud

Framework / platform WeAreBrain Imaginary Cloud
Python
TensorFlow
PyTorch N/A N/A
AWS
Azure N/A
Kubernetes N/A N/A

Pricing comparison: WeAreBrain vs Imaginary Cloud

Criterion WeAreBrain Imaginary Cloud
Minimum engagement $25K $20K
Engagement models Fixed project, Dedicated team Fixed project, Dedicated team
Rate transparency Minimum disclosed Minimum disclosed
Price tier Accessible Accessible

Target audience comparison: WeAreBrain vs Imaginary Cloud

Dimension WeAreBrain Imaginary Cloud
Best company size Startup to mid-market Startup to mid-market
Best industries SaaS, Fintech, Enterprise SaaS, Fintech, Healthcare
Best use cases Building an AI-powered consumer-facing digital product, Intelligent process automation for back-office workflows AI-enabled consumer product design and development, Custom software with embedded ML recommendation features
Typical project type Fixed project Fixed project

WeAreBrain vs Imaginary Cloud: pros and cons

WeAreBrain
+ A decade of operating history since founding in 2015 as an Amsterdam-based digital product agency
+ Co-founded a dedicated AI and hyperautomation platform, Tur.ai, showing deeper AI investment beyond client services
+ Combines product design with ML and AI engineering, useful for consumer-facing AI products
+ EU-headquartered in the Netherlands, simplifying GDPR compliance for European clients
- AI and ML is one of several practice areas alongside broader digital product work
- Some delivery ties to Kyiv, Ukraine via the Tur.ai venture carry the same continuity considerations as other Ukraine-linked firms
Imaginary Cloud
+ 15 years of operating history since founding in 2010 as a Lisbon-based software studio
+ Strong design and UX engineering complements ML and AI delivery for consumer-facing products
+ EU-headquartered in Portugal, useful for European data-residency requirements
+ Positions AI as a first-class design consideration, not a bolted-on backend feature
- Broader software and design studio heritage means ML depth is narrower than pure-play ML specialists
- Smaller team of around 77 relative to larger regional generalists on this list

Who should choose WeAreBrain?

WeAreBrain is the right choice for companies wanting AI and machine learning delivered as part of a broader digital product build.

Digital product agency DNA combined with a dedicated AI, ML, and intelligent automation practice. Minimum engagement starts at $25K. Works best with clients in SaaS, Fintech, Enterprise, Retail.

Who should choose Imaginary Cloud?

Imaginary Cloud is the right choice for companies wanting ML capabilities delivered alongside strong product design and UX engineering.

Design-led software development studio with AI positioned as a first-class capability, not an afterthought. Minimum engagement starts at $20K. Works best with clients in SaaS, Fintech, Healthcare, E-commerce.

Decision matrix: WeAreBrain vs Imaginary Cloud

Your situation Recommended choice
You need full-ownership delivery on a defined project scope WeAreBrain
You need a large dedicated team for an ongoing programme WeAreBrain
Your budget is at the lower end Imaginary Cloud
You need specialist depth in a specific vertical WeAreBrain
You need staff augmentation or team extension Neither; consider alternatives that offer staff aug
You need consulting before committing to a build WeAreBrain

Use case fit: WeAreBrain vs Imaginary Cloud

Use case WeAreBrain fit Imaginary Cloud fit Winner
Building an AI-powered consumer-facing digital product Strong Limited WeAreBrain
Intelligent process automation for back-office workflows Strong Limited WeAreBrain
AI-enabled consumer product design and development Limited Strong Imaginary Cloud
Custom software with embedded ML recommendation features Limited Strong Imaginary Cloud
Fixed-price build Limited Limited Both equally
Staff augmentation Limited Limited Both equally

Verdict: WeAreBrain vs Imaginary Cloud

WeAreBrain (4.2/5) is the stronger overall choice for most Machine Learning Development projects. Digital product agency DNA combined with a dedicated AI, ML, and intelligent automation practice. It is best for companies wanting AI and machine learning delivered as part of a broader digital product build.

Imaginary Cloud (4.0/5) is the better choice when companies wanting ML capabilities delivered alongside strong product design and UX engineering. If your situation matches those criteria, Imaginary Cloud is a competitive option.

Related comparisons

WeAreBrain vs Imaginary Cloud FAQ

Is WeAreBrain better than Imaginary Cloud?

WeAreBrain (4.2/5) scores higher overall, but "better" depends on your use case. WeAreBrain is better for companies wanting AI and machine learning delivered as part of a broader digital product build. Imaginary Cloud is better for companies wanting ML capabilities delivered alongside strong product design and UX engineering.

How do WeAreBrain and Imaginary Cloud differ in pricing?

WeAreBrain uses fixed project, dedicated team pricing with a minimum engagement of $25K. Imaginary Cloud uses fixed project, dedicated team pricing with a minimum engagement of $20K. Neither firm publishes a full rate card; a discovery call is required for project-specific quotes.

Which is better for enterprise: WeAreBrain or Imaginary Cloud?

WeAreBrain is the larger team and typically the better enterprise-scale choice. For very large programmes, verify team size and compliance coverage directly with each company before shortlisting.

What are the main differences between WeAreBrain and Imaginary Cloud?

WeAreBrain's primary differentiator is: digital product agency dna combined with a dedicated ai, ml, and intelligent automation practice. Imaginary Cloud's primary differentiator is: design-led software development studio with ai positioned as a first-class capability, not an afterthought. They also differ in team size (51–200 vs 51–200), minimum engagement ($25K vs $20K), and primary industries served (SaaS, Fintech vs SaaS, Fintech).

Last reviewed: July 2026. Verify all details directly with each company before making a decision.