The story behind Umely
Umely was founded in 2022 by Sonny de Leeuw and grew from a comparison site for AI tools into a long-term partner for growing companies. We look at your organisation to find where repetitive work can be done more efficiently, and build AI there that saves time and cost and gives back room for the human touch.
Trusted by teams at
9.1
average rating
across 50+ organisations
2022
started as an AI comparison site
0
AI tools compared at the start
0+
organisations inspired and helped
0.0
average keynote rating
Sonny de Leeuw
Founder of Umely
Sonny de Leeuw founded Umely in 2022, initially as a comparison site for a hundred AI tools. By testing every one of them he learned exactly what AI does and does not deliver for an organisation in practice.
That knowledge took him to the stage. Wouter de Vries invited Sonny to speak and together they went on as a duo. Since then they have delivered AI keynotes for rooms of 25 to 500 people, walking organisations through what AI concretely delivers, without jargon and without empty promises.
But for Sonny, inspiring is only half the work. From the stage Umely grew into consultancy and implementation. The approach always starts with the client: where is the repetitive work that could be done more efficiently? That is where Umely builds custom AI agents and automation that save time and cost and give back room for the work where people make the difference.
Connect with Sonny on LinkedInInspiring a room is great. The real value only appears once it actually gets built.
Our tech stack grows every year
AI changes fast, so our tech stack never stands still. From the first AI tools and custom GPTs to automation with n8n and autonomous agents: every year we grow along with what is possible.
- 2022
Starting out as a comparison site
Umely started as a comparison site for a hundred AI tools. Testing them all made it clear what AI genuinely delivers for organisations in practice.
- 2023
AI keynotes and the first automations
Wouter de Vries invited Sonny to speak and together they took the stage as a duo. At the same time implementation began: the first generative AI with custom GPTs, Voiceflow and automations in Zapier and Make.
- 2024
AI automation with n8n
The automations matured. With n8n, Umely built more robust workflows that reach deeper into client processes.
- 2025
Vibe coding and automation combined
The start of vibe coding: AI that helps build software. Combined with AI automation, that produced custom solutions extremely quickly.
- 2026
Agentic and autonomous systems
Vibe coding keeps getting smarter and the systems keep getting more autonomous. Umely builds agentic AI that carries out tasks independently.
Our mission
The latest AI technology moves extremely fast. Our mission is to keep translating it into concrete impact for your business processes.
Three principles we do not compromise on
They shape how we approach projects, from the first conversation to the system that eventually runs in production.
Concrete over conceptual
We deliver working systems and measurable results, not advisory reports that disappear into a drawer.
Agile
Fast, value-driven development, delivering early and adjusting based on real user feedback. You see results quickly and we build exactly what works.
You stay in control
AI prepares, you decide. We always build in human checks, so you never rely blindly on an algorithm.
Inspiring is where it started
The stage remains an important part of Umely. Together with communication strategist Wouter de Vries, Sonny delivers keynotes and talks for organisations of every size and sector. The combination of technical depth and a story that sticks works: across more than fifty organisations it produced a consistent 9.1 rating.
Meet co-speaker Wouter de Vries →
Curious what AI could do for you?
We are happy to sit down and look at where the opportunities are in your organisation. Entirely without obligation and without a sales pitch.
Book an intro callWe reply within 2 working days.