TMA completes second acquisition of 2026 with the add-on acquisition of BrainsFirst

Founded in 2016, BrainsFirst provides organizations with neuroscience-based, game-powered cognitive assessments to objectively measure cognitive potential and decision-making capabilities. The software is used by customers for early talent identification, team & talent insights, career mobility, and sports talent scouting, amongst other uses. BrainsFirst solutions are used in over 12 countries and are applied in a wide range of sectors such as healthcare, government, sports, and business services. Customers include a.o. AZ, STX, Luchtverkeersleiding Nederland and the Municipality of The Hague.

TMA is a provider of talent management solutions in the HR software space. Its integrated talent management platform enables customers to manage human capital through assessments and other employee development solutions across the pre- and post-hiring phase. The platform also includes capabilities for employee feedback, engagement measurement, and 360-degree reviews. By combining strong industry expertise, market knowledge, and the latest IT developments, TMA has developed the science-based ‘TMA Method.’ Including BrainsFirst, TMA now employs over 100 employees in The Netherlands, France and United States and serves customers such as the Municipality of Amsterdam, Bol & Monuta.

There is a strong strategic fit between TMA & BrainsFirst, as both companies support organizations in understanding employee fit and performance from complementary perspectives.  TMA provides insights into intrinsic drivers and motivation of candidates and employees, while BrainsFirst focuses on capabilities and potential. The two companies already share several customers, creating a natural product fit and significant cross-sell opportunities.

Charly Zwemstra, Managing Partner & CIO at Main, said: “This acquisition represents another meaningful step in TMA’s growth journey. We see a strong strategic and cultural fit between both organizations, and we are confident this combination will further strengthen TMA’s position in the talent management market.”

Glenn Frijde, CEO of TMA, added: “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 behavioral 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 organizations 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.”

Andries van der Leij, Co-Founder and Chief Technology Officer at BrainsFirst, commented: “By combining TMA's behavioral 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 organizational performance.”

Dr. Ilja Sligte, Co-Founder and Chief Science Officer at BrainsFirst, concluded: “For years, neuroscience has offered a pure, unbiased look at cognitive capacity. By joining TMA, we can map this objective data onto rich behavioral profiles while strictly safeguarding the scientific integrity of both disciplines. It is the perfect marriage of 'can do' and 'want to do'.”

About TMA

TMA is a Dutch-based provider of talent management software, with offices in the Netherlands, France, Belgium, and the United States, and a strong focus on both the Benelux and North American markets. The company offers an integrated, scientifically grounded platform that supports organizations in assessing, developing, and engaging talent across the entire employee lifecycle, from hiring and onboarding to performance management and employee experience. TMA serves a broad international client base with more than 1000 customers across various sectors.

About Brainsfirst

BrainsFirst, founded in 2016, provides organizations with neuro-scientifically based cognitive game-based assessments to objectively measure cognitive potential and decision-making capabilities. The software is used by customers for a.o. early talent recognition, team & talent insights, career mobility and sports talent identification & potential. The solutions are used in over 12 countries and are applied in a wide range of sectors such as healthcare, governmental, sports and business services. Customers include a.o. AZ, STX, Luchtverkeersleiding Nederland, and the municipality of The Hague. The company employs approximately 16 employees.

About Main Capital Partners

Main Capital Partners is a software investor managing private equity funds active in the Benelux, DACH, France, the Nordics, and the United States with approximately EUR 7.0 billion in Assets under Management. Main has over 20 years of experience in strengthening software companies and works closely with the management teams in its portfolio as a strategic partner to achieve profitable growth and larger outstanding software groups. Main has approximately 95 employees operating out of its offices in The Hague, Düsseldorf, Stockholm, Antwerp, Paris, and an affiliate office in Boston. Main maintains an active portfolio of over 45 software companies. The underlying portfolio employs over 12,000 employees.

Nothing contained in this Press Release is intended to project, predict, guarantee, or forecast the future performance of any investment. This Press Release is for information purposes only and is not investment advice or an offer to buy or sell any securities or to invest in any funds or other investment vehicles managed by Main Capital Partners or any other person.