Amsterdam-based BrainsFirst, a provider of neuroscience-based cognitive assessment software, has been acquired by Talent Motivation Assessment (TMA), a Dutch-based provider of talent management software.
The transaction follows TMA’s recent acquisition of STYR and comes after the company acquired US-based DecisionWise and France-based HMG in 2025.
Andries van der Leij, co-founder and CTO of BrainsFirst, said, “By combining TMA’s behavioural insights with our neuro-cognitive data, we are unlocking a new era of predictive talent intelligence. We are creating a future-proof ecosystem that translates complex human potential into scalable, data-driven organisational performance.”
Founded in 2016 by Andries Van der Leij and Dr Ilja Sligte, BrainsFirst provides organisations with neuroscience-based, game-powered cognitive assessments to objectively measure cognitive potential and decision-making capabilities.
The software is utilised by customers for early talent identification, team and talent insights, career mobility, and sports talent scouting, among other uses.
“BrainsFirst takes a different approach to talent identification. Instead of vague questionnaires or standard IQ tests, we use game-based brain assessments to provide objective insights into how someone thinks, learns, and solves problems. Based on neuroscience, we make natural cognitive abilities measurable, revealing talent that is normally overlooked,” the company stated on its website.
BrainsFirst has developed NeurOlympics, a suite of four neuroscience-based games that collectively assess the brain’s natural abilities. It claims that the results generate a Brain Profile capable of accurately predicting the player’s performance in specific functions or roles. Each game takes 10 to 15 minutes, so completing the entire NeurOlympics requires approximately 45 minutes.
Dr Ilja Sligte, co-founder and Chief Science Officer at BrainsFirst, said, “For years, neuroscience has offered a pure, unbiased look at cognitive capacity. By joining TMA, we can map this objective data onto rich behavioural profiles while strictly safeguarding the scientific integrity of both disciplines. It is the perfect marriage of ‘can do’ and ‘want to do’.”
BrainsFirst solutions are utilised in more than 12 countries across diverse sectors, including healthcare, government, sports, and business services. Its clients include AZ, STX, Luchtverkeersleiding Nederland, and the Municipality of The Hague.
TMA provides talent management solutions within the HR software sector. Its integrated talent management platform allows clients to oversee human capital through assessments and other employee development tools throughout both pre- and post-hiring stages.
According to the company, the platform also features capabilities for employee feedback, engagement measurement, and 360-degree reviews. By combining industry expertise, market knowledge, and the latest IT developments, TMA has developed the science-based ‘TMA Method.’
In 2024, Main Capital Partners acquired a majority stake in TMA. Including BrainsFirst, TMA now employs over 100 employees in the Netherlands, France and the United States and serves customers such as the Municipality of Amsterdam, Bol & Monuta.
In a LinkedIn post announcing the acquisition, BrainsFirst stated, “At BrainsFirst, we look at talent through a neuroscience lens. By measuring how the brain performs, we map someone’s unique set of cognitive abilities. TMA approaches potential through another lens, investigating talents in terms of motivations and drives. By combining these perspectives, we can better understand both what someone wants to do and what someone is naturally capable of doing.”
Both Dutch companies believe that there’s a strong strategic fit between the two as they support organisations in understanding employee fit and performance from complementary perspectives.
TMA offers insights into the intrinsic drivers and motivations of candidates and employees, whereas BrainsFirst concentrates on capabilities and potential. Both companies already serve several of the same clients, which creates a natural product synergy and considerable cross-selling prospects.
Glenn Frijde, CEO of TMA, stated, “Together, we deliver the most complete and future‑proof understanding of talent on the market. By uniting Neuroscience (the cognitive and neurobiological processes measured through game‑based assessments) with Psychometrics (personality, motivations, and behavioural preferences), we create a talent insight that is richer, more predictive, and more human.
“This fusion results in a uniquely human‑centric, powerful, and bias‑reduced talent profile, so robust and distinctive that organisations simply can’t afford to ignore it. It empowers companies to make smarter, fairer, and more forward‑looking decisions in hiring, development, team design, and strategic workforce planning. The outcome: people in roles where they truly thrive, boosting performance, engagement, and long‑term success.”
Read the orginal article: https://www.eu-startups.com/2026/03/tma-acquires-amsterdams-brainsfirst-to-combine-psychometrics-with-neuroscience-based-talent-insights/
