“Our innovation? We bring full transparency to the diamond supply chain.”

“iTraceiT guarantees traceability across several sectors, including the diamond industry. I joined the company three and a half years ago after working for both a diamond firm and a tech company. Our journey began when several watch brands approached us, seeking greater transparency in the diamond supply chain. That led us to develop our platform in 2020, and we launched it a year later. Since then, we’ve been the fastest-growing traceability solution in the sector. Today, we work with producers in Angola, Lesotho, Canada, and South Africa."

“First of all, we are grateful for the innovation support we received from the City of Antwerp. We applied because we noticed it was complicated to include small-scale miners in the traceability story. I’m referring to individuals who pan for diamonds in rivers or dig them out artisanally. There are many of them, especially in Africa. These miners often operate in remote areas, far from digital infrastructure. Typically, they sell their findings to a so-called ‘compteur,’ who collects and resells the stones to producers or straight into the market. But these small miners play a crucial role in the journey of the stone that eventually ends up with the consumer, and we wanted to make sure they’re part of the story."

“We set out to create a tool that works in areas with little or no internet connection, especially underground, and that can be used by people who may not be able to read or write or use digital interfaces. Together with Verhaert | Masters in Innovation and the City of Antwerp, we designed a user-friendly wireframe featuring a simple, step-by-step process based on pictograms. It works offline and saves data locally, then automatically uploads it to the cloud once an internet connection is available."

“As you know, diamonds are highly valuable. With traceability, a fair portion of the profits can flow back to the person who discovered the stone. Thanks to our platform, we can offer our clients, typically jewellers and retailers, a transparent overview of the entire diamond journey, from the mine to the finished product. Also, let’s not forget that we’re here in Antwerp, the world’s most trusted diamond centre. If a jeweller or brand sources diamonds in Antwerp, they can trust the origin information. Traceability is also becoming a key component of sustainability reporting, particularly under European legislation. It’s not just about ethics anymore; it’s compliance too.”

“Excellent. They brought a wealth of experience and innovation expertise, which saved us a lot of time. We began by identifying the primary challenges: illiteracy, technological illiteracy, and inadequate connectivity. From there, we built a solution that addresses all three. Geolocation turned out to be a crucial element in verifying where the diamonds were sourced."

“Absolutely. Knowing who found the stone adds enormous value for jewellers and brands. Buying a piece of jewellery is an emotional purchase. If a customer knows the miner received a fair wage, that feel-good factor becomes part of the story and the product."

“The app is ready for further development. Several producers and governments have already expressed strong interest in this initiative. We’ll launch a pilot phase after the summer to gather user feedback. Governments, in particular, are keen to gain more control over the supply chain within their borders. They want to support their local communities, and this tool helps them do exactly that."

“Absolutely. Many industries face similar pressures. For example, in Dubai, we were asked to trace blood shipments across the world. In a fertility clinic in the Middle East, they wanted traceability for every step in the treatment process. We decided not to pursue these opportunities but instead to maintain our focus on luxury items, precious metals, and critical minerals. For our partners, it’s essential that we are a Belgian and European company, as this ensures compliance with the stringent EU regulations. That, in turn, helps them attract international investors. It acts like a quality label. And with Antwerp’s reputation for transparency and innovation, the city has an important role to play in this evolution."