Comparison updated · Newest review
Side by side
Published data on both agencies. Where one side measurably differs, the dot marks it: the higher score, the lower published rate, the larger team, the more recent review. Which of those is an advantage depends on your brief.
| Attribute | 2021.AI | Halfspace |
|---|---|---|
| Editorial score | 64/100 | Higher score: 65.8/100 |
| Hourly rate | €130-175/hr | Contact for rates |
| Team size | 50-249 | 50-249 |
| Location | Copenhagen, Denmark | Copenhagen, Denmark |
| Founded | 2016 | 2015 |
| Last reviewed | Sep 3, 2026 | More recent review: Sep 20, 2026 |
What we said about each
Our take on 2021.AI
Four named clients show completed AI systems, not pilots: a GRACE-platform virtual assistant answering patient questions live at Rigshospitalet, a computer-vision proctoring system deployed for Prometric, a recommendation engine BetterNow expects to lift average campaign performance by about 45%, and 20-plus forecasting models that improved Maersk Tankers' freight-price accuracy by 20%. Every one of these systems runs on 2021. AI's own GRACE platform, so the technical narrative centers on…
Reviewed Sep 3, 2026
Read the full assessment →Our take on Halfspace
The Molslinjen engagement is the one to read: an arrival-forecasting and dynamic-pricing engine for a Nordic ferry operator, credited in the write-up with a DKK 22 million annual earnings increase, a 3% cut in total fuel consumption, 3. 5 percentage points fewer delayed departures and 6% more available capacity per departure, with the client's CEO named and on record. Nordisk Film Cinemas repeats the shape—a 40% cut in operating cost on its data platform, CTO quoted—and the Maersk Drilling work…
Reviewed Sep 20, 2026
Read the full assessment →Best for
Where each agency measurably leads on the published data — team capacity, declared specializations, editorial scoring, and rates where both publish them. Use these to match an agency to your project priorities.
Choose 2021.AI if you need
- disclosed specialization in Public Sector / Healthcare
- an overall editorial score of 64/100
Choose Halfspace if you need
- disclosed specialization in Manufacturing / E-commerce
- an overall editorial score of 65.8/100
Strengths and watch-outs
Both upsides and risks, straight from our editorial assessments.
2021.AI
Strengths
- Client testimonials come from named executives, including Maersk Tankers' Chief Digital Officer and BetterNow's CEO, not anonymous quotes.
- The Rigshospitalet assistant explicitly uses retrieval-augmented generation over clinically approved sources, with every response logged for traceability.
- Founded in 2016 with offices across five countries and 65-plus staff, more institutional depth than a single-city boutique.
Watch-outs
- Ask whether your project would run on GRACE's standard workflow or require custom architecture outside the platform.
- The 84%-auto-routed email system and its 80% time-saving figure belong to an anonymized regulatory authority—ask for a speakable reference before treating that number as typical.
- Rates aren't published on the agency's site—confirm current pricing directly rather than relying on the directory's listed range.
Halfspace
Strengths
- Client executives go on record by name and title across the studies read—Molslinjen's CEO, Novo Holdings' CFO, Nordisk Film Cinemas' CTO, Energinet DataHub's VP—so references are traceable
- The team page names its scientists: Chief Scientist Pierre Pinson is an Imperial College professor and Editor-in-Chief of the International Journal of Forecasting, beside Oxford, CERN and DTU PhDs
- Third-party recognition is checkable—a 2024 Franz Edelman Award for operations research, a Børsen Gazelle growth listing and three 2024 Danish Digital Awards, with CVR 13227500 published
Watch-outs
- The company page claims more than 100 AI and data projects against roughly 19 published cases—ask for the list behind the number and which of those reached production
- Published technical writing is mostly Azure and NVIDIA product explainers—ask for an engineering write-up of a delivered system if method matters to your evaluation
- No rate is published and delivery now sits inside an Accenture-owned group—ask for the rate card and set it against the European range on our rate index before scoping
Service coverage
Both agencies cover the same services — on this axis there is nothing to separate them, so decide on the evidence behind the work rather than its labels.
Industry coverage
Where the two overlap, and where each covers ground the other does not.
Pricing math
What a 12-week engagement at one full-time equivalent (~480 hours) costs at each agency’s published rate. An arithmetic projection, not a quote — real scopes move with seniority mix and team shape.
2021.AI
Rate: €130-175/hr
€62,400–€84,000
Halfspace
Contact for rates
Only 2021.AI publishes a rate, so there is no gap to measure. Halfspace quotes per engagement — ask for a rate card early, since a comparison that starts on scope and ends on price tends to end late.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has more FinTech experience, 2021.AI or Halfspace?
- Both agencies show documented FinTech work and have similar industry breadth. Compare directly on the agency profiles: 2021.AI and Halfspace.
- Which scores higher overall, 2021.AI or Halfspace?
- Halfspace scores 65.8/100, 1.8 points higher than 2021.AI at 64/100. See our methodology for how scores are calculated.
- When should I consider both 2021.AI and Halfspace?
- Consider running parallel discovery briefs with 2021.AI and Halfspace if your project spans multiple workstreams, you want competitive proposals to compare scope and approach, or you're undecided between the specialization angles each brings (see the Best for cards above). Most engagements ultimately go with one — but the parallel-brief phase is a low-cost way to validate fit.
Read the full reviews
A side-by-side is a starting point. The full assessments carry the portfolio analysis, documented engagements, and the evidence behind every strength and watch-out above.