ABB Ventures

Using data and automation to achieve 24/7 production.

Smart Factory

Oxipital AI (Formerly known as Soft Robotics) offers AI- vision technologies for robotic process automation and product inspection in critical industries such as food processing, agriculture, and consumer goods production.In August 2024, the company <a href="https://sp-edge.com/companies/243103">announced the sale of its gripper business assets</a> to the Schmalz Group and rebranded itself as Oxipital AI, shifting the company's focus towards the development and commercialization of its visual AI solutions.Key customers and partnershipsThe company launched a Preferred System Integrator Program in 2021 with several partners including Quest Industrial, Assatec Robotics, Boston Conveyor &amp; Automation Corporation, JMP Solutions, Applied Manufacturing Technologies, AMP Automation, SELO , and PATTYN France.

Element Analytics provides an operations data management platform for industrial enterprises to enable users to make data-driven decisions. Its flagship product is Element Unify, which combines information technology (IT) and operational technology (OT) data on a single platform to provide users with contextualized data for analytics. This unified approach enables industrial companies to create comprehensive 360-degree views of their operating assets, in the form of digital twins, and recycle them across similar projects, plants, and processes.&nbsp;The platform also provides a template library, as well as a number of pre-built connectors and no-code pipelines to reduce the time taken for programming. As of August 2024, the platform could be integrated into Azure Digital Twins by Microsoft, AWS IoT TwinMaker, AVEVA, Radix, Cyient, and AW IoT SiteWise.&nbsp; Key customers and partnerships As of April 2023, Element Analytics served more than 450,000 users across companies in industries such as chemicals, oil and gas, metals, power, and agriculture. Its enterprise clients included Cargill, Covestro, Teck, Evonik, and AGL.In August 2022, the company partnered with a global digital provider, IPCOS, to expand the Unify platform through the chemical plant industry. In April 2023, the company partnered with HighByte, a data management provider, to launch an integrated solution based on AWS’ Industrial Data Fabric Architecture. Other partners include Radix, Microsoft Azure, and AWS.&nbsp;Element Analytics has also collaborated with Microsoft (Element Analytics’ platform is exclusively deployed on Microsoft Azure), OSIsoft (users will be able to build and maintain assets four to 10 times faster than traditional approaches), and Amazon Web Services (AWS). Element Analytics announced an integration between its Element Unify platform and AWS IoT TwinMaker (December 2021), to allow for significantly faster digital twin development and improved effectiveness through contextualized and governed metadata. Element Unify is a foundational launch partner for AWS IoT TwinMaker, and is available in the AWS Marketplace.

Generating, collecting, and analyzing enterprise data will never be the same.

Edge Computing

Pratexo offers a software architecture platform for enterprises to design, test, and run IoT and AI solutions at the edge, especially for applications requiring that computer power be placed close to devices (including sensors) in remote locations. The platform also caters to multiple industries such as shipping, energy, utilities, defense, and smart buildings/cities. Pratexo offers a range of data processing solutions including image and people recognition, object tracking, and phrase detection, among others.Funding and financialsIn August 2023, Pratexo <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/21212">received an undisclosed amount </a>in a minority investment from ABB via its venture capital unit, ABB Technology Ventures (ATV). In addition to the funding, ABB also entered a strategic partnership to integrate Pratexo’s no-code development platform, Pratexo Studio, into its electrification service and enable its customers to deploy edge-based networks and solution architectures.

Hailo is an Israeli technology company specializing in the development of high-performance AI processors for edge devices.Hailo builds AI processors for edge devices to compute and interpret data in real time. The processor enables smart devices to perform deep learning tasks such as object detection and segmentation in real time. The company’s Hailo-8 processors are AI accelerators that use neural network architectures to enable edge devices to run deep learning applications. In addition, its Hailo-15 is a series of AI vision processors for smart cameras. The Hailo-15 System-on-a-Chip (SoC) combines Hailo’s patented and field-proven AI inferencing capabilities with advanced computer vision engines, generating premium image quality and advanced video analytics.Hailo also offers a dataflow compiler that provides offline compilation and optimization of user’s models for edge devices, while its runtime software provides real-time inferencing in production platforms with edge devices. The company also provides pre-trained AI applications and task templates that include a production-grade pipeline and pre-trained models in TensorFlow and ONNX.Key customers and partnershipsThe company serves customers in the automotive, intelligent transportation systems, industry 4.0, smart city, smart retail, and smart home sectors. Hailo’s customers include Intelligent Ultrasound, IDEN Inc, Wisesight Technologies, Blue White Robotics, and Q Technnology.Hailo’s technology partners are NXP, Renesas, and Socionext. The company has hardware partnerships with leading manufacturers, including Foxconn, Supermicro, Nexcom, Dell, and Lanner.Funding and financialsIn its latest funding round in <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/28101">April 2024</a>, Hailo raised USD 120 million in Series C funding at a valuation of USD 1.2 billion. This round was backed by new and existing investors, including the Zisapel family, Gil Agmon, and Delek Motors, among others. The funds were earmarked for accelerating the growth of the company and the execution of its roadmap.

Moving industry forward with next-gen advancements in energy storage and transmission

Alternative Energy

Natron Energy develops sodium-ion batteries using Prussian Blue chemistry as an alternative to lead-acid and lithium-ion batteries. Natron claims that its battery solution is the first to not be lifetime-limited due to chemical factors. The company’s new cell technology is based on Prussian Blue analog electrodes and a sodium-ion electrolyte that charge and discharge by single-phase reactions within the stability window of the electrolyte. This eliminates the conversion reactions and electrolyte decomposition that limit the lifetime of lead-acid and lithium-ion cells. Natron’s battery technology can be used in mission-critical stationary applications such as data centers, electric forklifts, smart grids and microgrids, and renewable energy support systems.In September 2020, Natron announced that its BlueTray 4000 rack-mounted battery pack would be commercially available for shipment. The BlueTray 4000 is an 8-kilowatt, 50-volt battery tray that can be used in data centers to manage peak compute load and provide critical backup power. Natron claims that BlueTray 4000 provides data center operators up to double the power density and 10 times the lifecycle compared to existing products.In <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/13744">October 2022 </a>, Natron launched its Blue Rack battery cabinet in 250kW and 500kW configurations. This world's first sodium-ion battery cabinet can be used for data centers, peak power-shaving, and other industrial power environments.Funding and financialsThe company raised USD 189 million in January 2024 according to a <a href="https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1567664/000156766424000001/xslFormDX01/primary_doc.xml">SEC filing</a>. In September 2020, Natron received a USD 20 million grant from the US Department of Energy’s Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E) to expand commercial production of its battery pack to 18,000 trays per year.Natron raised USD 7 million in a strategic investment round led by Nabors Industries in July 2022. Previously the company raised USD 35 million in a July 2020 Series D round led by ABB Technology Ventures, NanoDimension, and Volta Energy Technologies. The funds were earmarked for increased product operations to meet market demand.

Orbital Marine Power (formerly Scotrenewables) is a Scottish developer of tidal turbine technology. The company uses floating vessels, which are moored in powerful tidal streams or river currents, allowing the underwater rotors to capture the flow and convert it to energy.Orbital Marine Power’s lineup of products includes the SR2000 and the O2, with the 2 MW O2 claimed to be the most powerful tidal turbine in the world. The O2 is currently anchored in the Fall of Warness at the European Marine Energy Center (EMEC), providing energy to the local electricity grid of Orkney via subsea cables. It is a 74 m long floating superstructure, that supports two 1 MW turbines on either side for power output of 2 MW. It is capable of generating enough electricity to meet the demand of ~2,000 UK homes.&nbsp;Key customers and partnershipsOrbital Marine Power’s tidal turbine tech was developed through a strategic partnership with Designworks. The project was also backed by the EU’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation program under the FloTEC (Floating Tidal Energy Commercialisation) project.&nbsp;In March 2023, Orbital was awarded an option agreement from Crown Estate Scotland for a new 30 MW tidal energy project in the Westray Firth. Under this, the company would deploy 12 Orbital devices. In <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/23452">October 2023</a>, Orbital Marine was selected by the European Commission's Horizon Europe Programme to deliver a multi-turbine tidal energy project known as the European Tidal Energy pilot farm focused on Industrial Design, Environmental Mitigation, and Sustainability (EURO-TIDES). In December 2023, Orbital Marine was named Euclaire Tidal’s technology partner at the Fundy Ocean Research Centre for Energy, which required the deployment of one 2.4MW O2X machine.Funding and financialsIn September 2023, Orbital Marine secured GBP 8 million (~USD 10.1 million) in funding from the Scottish National Investment Bank and individuals via the Abundance Investment platform. The company intended to use the funds to continue the operation of the O2.Prior to this, in July 2022, the company secured GBP 8 million (~USD 9.6 million) in a debt financing round. Half of the funds were provided by the Scottish National Investment Bank, while the other half has been financed via individual investors. The funds raised were to be used for financing ongoing operations, while the debt was expected to be serviced by money raised via the long-term sale of electricity to the grid.

Electrifying passenger and commercial travel

EV Economy

Freewire offers DC fast-charging infrastructure for EVs. The company offers two charging solutions: Boost Charger, a fixed charging station, and Mobi Charger, a mobile charging station. The company sells its charging stations to site owners but does not participate in charging revenue. Freewire’s high-profile customers include Microsoft, bp, Facebook, Uber, and Walmart.&nbsp;In <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/27235">February 2024</a>, the company launched its Boost Power Pro EV charger with several new features, including built-in energy storage for power sharing, blackout charging, site backup power, and grid services.FreeWire plans to develop a 66,000-square-foot R&amp;D facility in California. Construction of the facility is underway and is expected to be fully operational by Summer 2022. The company also expects to roll out AMP Pro, a distributed energy management service platform, in 2022, followed by a Charging-as-a-Service solution in 2023.Freewire states that its Boost Charger delivers up to 100 miles with just 10 minutes of charging and has a 70% lower energy cost to the operator compared to conventional solutions. The Mobi charger is battery-powered and does not require a permanent connection to the grid; once the charger is charged using grid power, it can be detached and moved to any location.&nbsp;Key customers and partnershipsIn October 2022, the company partnered with <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/13575">Patriot Capital Corporation</a>, a company providing leasing and business equipment financing, to provide a vendor financing option for Boost Charger purchases. In the same month Freewire also partnered with <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/13636">Voltus</a>, to provide flexible battery charging load to utilities and wholesale electricity markets in North America and also create additional revenue opportunities for the company’s client base. In December 2022, the company acquired <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/15226">Mobilyze.ai</a> to use its charging analytics and prediction platform to expand FreeWire’s service offerings and support customers to make data-driven decisions regarding charging station deployment.In June 2023, Freewire partnered with <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/19483">Sagelio</a>, where the latter agreed to distribute Freewire’s product, “Booster Charger”, in Italy. In January 2024, the company partnered with <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/25931">General Motors</a> (GM) to expand ultrafast EV charging infrastructure for GM Envolve's fleet and commercial clients.Funding and financialsFreewire’s most recent funding event was in April 2022, when it raised USD 125 million in a Series D round. The proceeds were to be used to accelerate international market expansion, hiring, and R&amp;D.

ChargeLab has developed a hardware-agnostic software platform to manage EV charging infrastructure. The company’s main product is a cloud-based charging station management system (CSMS). This software runs at the edge and in the cloud, enabling fleets, building operators, and utilities to deploy large numbers of EV chargers and manage them as an intelligent network. Furthermore, the company’s platform is able to carry out automated EV charger monitoring, management of pricing and access rules, payment processing, and electrical load balancing.ChargeLab has also developed apps for EV drivers, dashboards for fleet managers and site hosts, and open APIs for integration with third-party systems.The company manages EV chargers built by companies such as ABB, Eaton EV, EVBox, Lite-On, Siemens, Tritium, United Chargers, and Zerova as part of an open EV charging ecosystem driven by the Open Charge Point Protocol (OCPP).Funding and financials ChargeLab raised USD 30 million in a Series A funding round that was completed in <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/17697">April 2023 </a>and intended to use the funds to expand its engineering team and support the commercialization of new products.

Technologies that automate and optimize building operations using data-driven insights.

Smart Building Technology

PointGrab is a pioneering company in the commercial real estate technology space, specializing in developing an internet of Things (IoT) platform that provides valuable data insights into how buildings are occupied and utilized. Founded in 2008 and headquartered in Israel, the company initially focused on gesture control technology for televisions before pivoting in 2015 to create its CogniPoint edge-analytics sensing solution.
PointGrab's innovative solution combines smart sensors with artificial intelligence and deep learning capabilities to capture real-time occupancy analytics. The sensors employ advanced computer vision algorithms to detect and count people entering and exiting spaces, monitor occupancy levels, and generate heatmaps without compromising privacy or storing any visual data. This data-driven approach enables building operators to optimize space utilization, reduce energy consumption, and enhance occupant comfort and productivity.
A key differentiator of PointGrab's technology is its ability to process data at the edge, eliminating the need to transmit or store sensitive visual information. This approach adheres to stringent data privacy regulations, including GDPR and ISO standards, making it suitable for deployment across various industries and regions.
PointGrab's platform integrates seamlessly with existing building management systems, allowing for easy adoption and scalability. As of 2022, the company had nearly 40 Fortune 500 companies as customers, demonstrating its proven capability to deliver effective solutions on a large scale.
In March 2023, PointGrab was acquired by a leading global provider of smart building solutions, further solidifying its position as a prominent player in the intelligent building space.

Smart Homes: Energy & Water Solutions

Atom Power is a technology company that has revolutionized the circuit breaker industry by developing the world's first commercial UL-listed solid-state digital circuit breaker. This breakthrough innovation, known as the Atom Switch, utilizes semiconductor technology to control the flow of power digitally instead of relying on mechanical switches. Atom Power's digital circuit breakers offer several advantages over traditional mechanical circuit breakers, including intelligent protection, visibility, and control, enhanced reliability and durability, and superior safety and speed.
Atom Power has leveraged its cutting-edge digital circuit breaker technology to create comprehensive electric vehicle (EV) charging solutions. Their EV charging portfolio includes proprietary Atom EV Level two charging systems, DC Fast Chargers (Level 3), switchgear, on-premise and cloud-based monitoring and control systems, intelligent energy management capabilities, and industry-leading cybersecurity standards. Atom Power's EV charging solutions are designed to cater to various sectors, including workplaces, multi-family residences, and fleets such as company vehicles, trucking, and buses.
In November 2022, Atom Power partnered with Geotab, a global leader in IoT and connected transportation, to deliver the industry's first electric vehicle charging infrastructure integration available through Geotab's fleet management platform, MyGeotab. This collaboration enables fleet managers to access complex fleet analytics and industry-leading EV charging infrastructure through a single dashboard, simplifying the transition to electrification and optimizing operational performance.
Atom Power's innovative technology and EV charging solutions aim to create a new standard for an electrified world that is more reliable, scalable, and secure. The company's digital circuit breakers and EV charging infrastructure provide businesses, governments, and organizations with maximum reliability, visibility, protection, and control over their EV charging portfolios.
In April 2024, Atom Power achieved a significant milestone by receiving Federal Risk and Authorization Management Program (FedRAMP) authorization for its Atom Cloud Software Solution, making it one of the few EV charging companies to receive this certification. This authorization enables Atom Power to provide secure and reliable EV charging infrastructure to US government agencies as they work toward transitioning their fleets to zero-emissions vehicles by 2035.

Pushing the envelope in MedTech with emerging technologies

Next-gen Medical Devices

CMR Surgical is a prominent medical device company specializing in robotic-assisted surgery. The company has developed Versius, a small, modular, and versatile surgical robotic system designed to assist surgeons in complex soft tissue surgeries. Its portable design allows seamless integration into hospital workflows, enabling high utilization across multiple surgical departments. The system's modularity allows surgeons to use only the required number of arms for a specific procedure, optimizing port placement and facilitating precise and accurate movements through its fully-wristed instruments and 3D HD vision. In&nbsp;<a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/34840">October 2024</a>, the company received FDA clearance for Versius.&nbsp;Versius has been utilized for a wide range of procedures, including prostatectomies, abdominal wall repairs, hysterectomies, proctocolectomies, esophagectomies, and lobectomies. It has also been employed in combined operations such as endometrial tissue removal, rectopexy, ureteroplasty, fundoplication with Nissen's technique, gastric bypass, and cholecystectomy. As of March 2024, over 20,000 surgical cases were completed using Versius globally, with over 160 installations worldwide.In addition to its surgical capabilities, Versius incorporates a digital ecosystem that captures meaningful data to support surgeons' continuous learning. Through the Versius Connect app, Versius Trainer, and the CMR clinical registry, the system provides insights to improve surgical care.&nbsp;CMR Surgical's Versius global install base grew by more than 50% from 2022 to January 2024.Key customers and partnershipsCMR Surgical primarily targets hospitals, surgeons, and teams seeking advanced robotic-assisted surgical systems. The company has established partnerships with renowned hospitals globally, including Royal Papworth Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, Addenbrooke's Hospital, Milton Keynes University Hospital, NHS Foundation Trust, Institut Curie, Policlinico di Milano, Max Super Specialty Hospital, the Sindh Institute of Urology and Transplantation, Hospital Moinhos de Vento, Gleneagles Hospital, Klinikum Chemnitz GmbH, The Wellington Hospital, and Rotenburg Hospital.&nbsp;In September 2022, CMR Surgical partnered with Surgical Innovations to develop YelloPort Elite 5mm, a new surgical port access system designed for Versius. In November 2023, it partnered with Ledidi to develop a clinical registry platform that enhances data-driven clinical practice.&nbsp;

Using real-time data to create dynamic virtual representations of the real world

Digital Twin

Element Analytics provides an operations data management platform for industrial enterprises to enable users to make faster and data-driven decisions. Its flagship product is Element Unify which combines information technology (IT) and operational technology (OT) data on a single platform to provide users with contextualized data for analyticsAs of June 2024, the platform can be integrated into Azure Digital Twins by Microsoft, AWS IoT TwinMaker, AVEVA, Radix, Cyient and AW IoT SiteWise. By integrating into a digital twin platform, users are able to deploy, govern and maintain models. The platform is available in personal, team and enterprise packages.&nbsp;Key customers and partnershipsThe company operates a B2B business model providing services to customers in the chemical, power, agriculture and oil and gas industries.&nbsp;In August 2022, the company partnered with a global digital provider, IPCOS, to expand the Unify platform through the chemical plant industry. In April 2023, the company partnered with HighByte, a data management provider, to launch an integrated solution based on AWS’ Industrial Data Fabric Architecture. Other partners include Radix, Microsoft Azure, and AWS.&nbsp;Funding and financialsThe company raised USD 18 million in June 2020 in a series B funding round co-led by Activate Capital and Forte Ventures. The funds were earmarked toward advancing its industrial enterprise solutions.&nbsp;As of April 2023, the company had a customer base with a total revenue of USD 750 billion.

Reinventing how computers think based on biological neural networks

Neuromorphic Computing

Intrinsic is a robotics software and AI company that specializes in industrial robotics. The company focuses on making manufacturing robots more intelligent and accessible to businesses, entrepreneurs, and the general public. Intrinsic's approach is software-first, aiming to enhance the capabilities of industrial robots to perform complex tasks. In April 2022, Intrinsic acquired Vicarious, a company known for its turnkey robotics solutions that use AI to automate tasks too complex for traditional automation. This acquisition was intended to accelerate Intrinsic's mission of reimagining the potential of industrial robotics. Vicarious's technology was designed to integrate AI and robotics into traditional mainstream production, offering solutions for tasks such as palletizing, picking, and packing in warehouse and logistics environments.
Key customers and partnerships
Intrinsic has been collaborating with teams throughout Alphabet, its parent company. The company has also been working on building technology pilots with real-world manufacturing firms. Prior to its acquisition, Vicarious had been working with companies like Pitney Bowes to deliver mission-critical products to their customers.

The toolkit to build machine learning applications at scale

Machine Learning Infrastructure

Hailo builds AI processors for edge devices to compute and interpret data in real time. The processor enables smart devices to perform deep learning tasks such as object detection and segmentation in real time. The company’s Hailo-8 processors are AI accelerators that use neural network architectures to enable edge devices to run deep learning applications. In addition, its Hailo-15 is a series of AI vision processors for smart cameras. The Hailo-15 System-on-a-Chip (SoC) combines Hailo’s patented and field-proven AI inferencing capabilities with advanced computer vision engines, generating premium image quality and advanced video analytics.Hailo also offers a dataflow compiler that provides offline compilation and optimization of user’s models for edge devices, while its runtime software provides real-time inferencing in production platforms with edge devices. The company also provides pre-trained AI applications and task templates that include a production-grade pipeline and pre-trained models in TensorFlow and ONNX.As of January 2024, Hailo operated in the US, Israel, Germany, Japan, Taiwan, China, and South Korea.Key customers and partnershipsThe company serves customers in the automotive, intelligent transportation systems, industry 4.0, smart city, smart retail, and smart home sectors. As of October 2021, Hailo had more than 100 customers, including notable companies such as Foxconn, Socionext, NEC, Macnica, and ABB Technology. In June 2021, it partnered with Vecow to develop the latter’s next-gen AI solution, Vecow’s ABP-3000 AI computing system. It also partnered with Advantech in May 2023 to develop a ready-to-use reference platform that enables scalable high-performance AI capabilities at the edge.Funding and financialsIts latest funding round was in April 2024, when Hailo raised USD 120 million in <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/28101">Series C</a> funding at a valuation of USD 1.2 billion. This round was backed by new and existing investors, including the Zisapel family, Gil Agmon, and Delek Motors, among others. The funds were earmarked for accelerating the growth of the company and the execution of its roadmap.

A new generation of building blocks for emerging tech

Next-gen Semiconductors

Hailo is an Israel-based AI chipmaker founded in 2017 that develops edge AI processors and software solutions. The company's flagship product is the Hailo-8 AI accelerator, which allows edge devices to run deep learning applications efficiently. Hailo's processor architecture is designed to take advantage of the core properties of neural networks, enabling high performance AI inference on edge devices while consuming low power. The company offers its AI accelerators in various form factors including M.2 and mini PCIe modules.
In March 2023, Hailo introduced the Hailo-15 family of AI vision processors, designed to bring advanced AI capabilities directly to smart cameras. The Hailo-15 combines AI inferencing with computer vision engines to enable unprecedented video processing and analytics at the edge. In April 2024, Hailo launched the Hailo-10, a high-performance generative AI accelerator aimed at bringing GenAI capabilities to edge devices like personal computers and automotive systems. The Hailo-10 allows users to run generative AI applications locally without relying on cloud services.
Hailo's products target applications across industries including automotive, smart cities, smart retail, Industry 4.0, and security. The company's AI processors aim to bridge the gap between existing and future AI technologies by providing the necessary compute capacity for advanced edge AI applications. Hailo's novel dataflow architecture and software toolchain are designed to enable efficient deployment of neural networks on its specialized hardware.

Augmenting the mining value chain with technology and automation

Mining Tech

MineSense Technologies Ltd. is a Vancouver-based company that develops smart technologies for the metallic mining industry. The company's flagship products, ShovelSense and BeltSense, provide real-time, sensor-based ore sorting solutions for mines. ShovelSense is a sensor installed on mining equipment that scans and estimates the grade of material in every shovel and bucket, while BeltSense is used on conveyance at different points of the mine's downstream operations. These technologies enable mine operators to make real-time decisions early in the mining process, routing ore to the mill for valuable mineral extraction or to the waste pile.
MineSense's solutions aim to improve ore grade control, operational profitability, and carbon intensity across the metals mining industry. The company's technology allows mining companies to see the value of material as it is being mined, bucket by bucket, addressing challenges such as depletion of high-quality metal resources and increasing political and environmental barriers. By more accurately sorting ore from waste, MineSense's technologies decrease environmental impacts through reduced greenhouse gas emissions, water and energy consumption per unit of metal recovered, and enable mines to optimize the use of resources.
Initially focused on copper mining, MineSense has expanded its capabilities to other base metals and is developing methods to predict non-metal material characteristics, such as ore hardness. The company's technology can increase metal recovery materially, with production from operating mines increasing by 5% to 25% on existing infrastructure. In December 2023, MineSense launched the MineSense Data Portal, a platform that leverages real-time data from ShovelSense and BeltSense to provide mining operators with data-driven insights for mine-to-mill optimization.

Harnessing tech to provide exceptional customer experiences

Customer Service Platforms

Mavenoid is an AI-powered product support platform designed specifically for hardware and consumer electronics companies. Founded in Stockholm, Sweden in 2017, Mavenoid offers intelligent troubleshooting and remote support solutions to automate technical support and onboarding for a wide range of products including printers, ovens, electric scooters, and industrial equipment. The company's platform combines AI-guided self-service, chatbot functionality, and live support services to help brands resolve customer issues efficiently.
Mavenoid's technology uses natural language understanding and proprietary algorithms to create support models tailored for hardware products. Its AI scans technical documentation, FAQs, and manuals to build a knowledge base optimized for automated hardware support. This allows the platform to handle complex queries beyond simple keyword matching, aiming to truly understand customer intent and provide relevant solutions. As of June 2024, Mavenoid reported achieving self-service resolution rates of 58% and up, compared to a 9% industry average.
The company has continued enhancing its AI capabilities, introducing features like Generative Answers, which instantly scans a brand's product knowledge to provide relevant information in response to customer queries. Another new feature, Vision Assist, allows users to scan product labels with their phones to quickly identify the exact model needing support. Mavenoid can be integrated into websites and applications, as well as connected to CRM software, ticketing systems, and ecommerce platforms.
Key customers and partnerships
Mavenoid works with several prominent hardware and consumer electronics brands including HP, Husqvarna, Jabra, Medion, and Stanley Black & Decker. The company has expanded to serve customers globally, with operations across the US, UK, EU and Canada.
In terms of partnerships, Mavenoid has integrated its platform with various third-party services including Salesforce, Zendesk, Shopify, and Zapier to enhance its capabilities and reach. The company supports over 50 languages, allowing it to provide multilingual customer support solutions for its clients.

Empowering Tomorrow's Innovations with Generative AI Infrastructure

Generative AI Infrastructure

Hailo is an Israeli AI chipmaker that designs specialized processors to run AI workloads on Edge devices. The company's flagship product, the Hailo-8 AI accelerator, delivers up to 26 tera-operations-per-second (TOPS) performance while consuming minimal power, making it suitable for compact, offline, and battery-powered devices such as cars, smart cameras, and robotics. Hailo's chips execute AI tasks with lower memory usage and power consumption than typical processors, enabling Edge devices to run deep learning applications more efficiently and effectively.&nbsp;In March 2023, Hailo introduced the Hailo-15 family of high-performance vision processors designed for integration directly into intelligent cameras. The Hailo-15 processors, ranging from seven to 20 TOPS, combine Hailo's AI inferencing capabilities with advanced computer vision engines to enable unprecedented video processing and analytics at the edge.In April 2024, Hailo launched the Hailo-10, a new AI accelerator specifically designed to bring GenAI capabilities to Edge devices. The Hailo-10 allows users to run applications like chatbots, copilots, and content generation tools locally on their devices without relying on cloud-based services.&nbsp;The company claims that this set of high-performance vision processors provide best-in-class power efficiency by consuming less than 3.5 W. It is also claimed to deliver high cost-efficiency compared to existing solutions. Tests have shown it can deliver 10 TOPS in Llama2-7B and five-second image generation in Stable Diffusion 2.1.Hailo's technology has found applications across various industries, including automotive, security, retail, industrial automation, medical devices, and defense. The company's processors are used for tasks such as object detection, semantic segmentation, AI-powered image and video enhancement, and running LLMs on Edge devices.&nbsp;Key customers and partnershipsAs of April 2024, Hailo claimed to have more than 300 customers worldwide and&nbsp; serves customers in the automotive, intelligent transportation systems, smart retail, and smart home sectors.

Automated Architecture provides the technological infrastructure for a distributed robotic micro-factory network producing sustainable timber housing.

Pratexo is an intelligent edge-computing and distributed cloud platform for Artificial Intelligence, the Internet of Things, and Industry 4.0 applications.

Zaphiro has developed a real-time monitoring and automation system that enhances the efficiency and profitability of grid operations. Moreover, Zaphiro Technologies transforms the electrical distribution grids from passive to pro-active. Zaphiro Technologies is a spin-off of the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology of Lausanne (EPFL). It has been incorporated in April 2017 and co-founded by 3 researchers: Paolo Romano, Marco Pignati and Lorenzo Zanni.

Tallarna offers climate tech for the built environment. They provide energy efficiency, building energy modeling, machine learning, guaranteed savings, insuretech, proptech, fintech, energy retrofits, from data to actionable projects, and net zero.

Mavenoid develops AI-driven support and troubleshooting tools for hardware companies. It works with hardware and consumer electronics companies to automate technical support and onboarding for customers spanning everything from printers and ovens to electric scooters and industrial equipment.

KEY develops innovation-driven businesses in the deuterium and hydrogen industries, serving global markets.

ChargeLab is the Android of EV charging. We don’t build EV chargers, but our hardware-agnostic platform runs on the world’s most popular EV chargers. Once connected, our software makes any EV charger smarter and easier to use.

Cassia Networks is wireless telecommunications company that focuses on Bluetooth technology. The company’s research aims to further develop Bluetooth technology for use in local area networks. Cassia Networks product portfolio includes the Cassia Hub Bluetooth router, Bluetooth smart plug, Bluetooth multi-color led, personal safety sensor, and Bluetooth speaker. The Cassia hub won best of CES in 2016 for being the world’s first Bluetooth router, which allows long distance remote control of up to 22 Bluetooth devices. Cassia Networks was founded by Felix Zhao in 2014. The company has offices in both the Silicon Valley, California and Beijing, China.

Automata is an automation company helping life sciences rapidly innovate, diagnose and discover at scale. It provides robotic automation for labs in the life science space that want to scale up and get results quicker.

Sevensense Robotics develops an autonomy kit for mobile robots driving in mixed indoor-outdoor, fast changing and crowded environments.

Hailo, an AI-focused chipmaker, is developing specialized AI processors that enable data center-class performance on edge devices. Hailo’s processors are the product of a rethinking of traditional computer architecture, enabling smart devices to perform sophisticated deep learning tasks such as object detection, image enhancement, and content creation in real-time, with minimal power consumption, size, and cost. The processors are designed to fit into a multitude of smart machines and devices, impacting a variety of sectors including security, automotive, personal computers, industrial automation, and others.

GO TO-U is a platform designed for EV charging management and operations. GO TO-U delivers a seamless EV charging experience with comfort, confidence, and simplicity.

Stellapps designs dairy management software applications that leverage the power of technology to improve dairy supply chain parameters. The company's applications leverage the Internet of Things (IoT), big data, cloud, mobility and data analytics to improve agri-supply chain parameters, including milk production, milk procurement, cold chain animal insurance and farmer payments, enabling dairy farms, dairy farmers and cooperatives to maximize profits while minimizing effort.

Oxipital AI specializes in visual AI solutions that enhance efficiency and sustainability in manufacturing. The platform addresses operational challenges by enabling real-time insights, improving product quality, and increasing throughput. By simplifying implementation, Oxipital AI empowers manufacturers to leverage their data effectively and optimize production workflows. Oxpital AI was previously known as Soft Robotics.

Enabling the Green Transition with Graphene.  The green transition requires a lot of materials, more than are easily available or affordable. So... use less material to do at least the same job.  Polymers for the hydrogen economy that leak 41% less.  Better metals. Copper/graphene powder for 3D printing that is 40% more conductive than pure copper. Conductive polymers for 3D printing

Enervalis develops software that provides sustainable energy solutions for electric vehicles, buildings, and microgrids. The platform monitors available energy sources and users, and can predict future demand and supply of energy through ]weather forecasting, input from users, AI, and big data. Using this information it then distributes the energy to meet the needs of users.

Natron Energy is an energy storage company that develops sodium ion battery solutions leveraging Prussian Blue electrode materials. Natron’s battery products are based on a unique Prussian Blue chemistry and can integrate into a wide variety of energy storage applications, ranging from critical backup power systems to EV fast charging and behind-the-meter applications.

Element, a leading software provider in IT/OT data management, enables industrial organizations to unite their IT and operations data to produce analytical insights that drive cleaner, safer, healthier, and more profitable operations.  Element Unify transforms siloed IT/OT data into contextualized, graph-based models to support diverse analytical workloads and data governance.  Element’s customers represent over $250 billion in revenue, $230 billion in fixed assets and 450,000 employees. To learn more about Element, please visit elementanalytics.com and follow the company on Twitter and LinkedIn.

Atom Power designs and manufactures a suite of intelligent products including a circuit breaker, distribution panel, and software that enables complete control and customization of electrical infrastructure for commercial and industrial applications. Atom Power’s product suite includes a circuit breaker (Atom Switch), distribution panel (Atom Panel), and software (Atom OS) that can intelligently control the flow of electricity to and from buildings and things. It was founded in 2014 and is based in Charlotte, North Carolina.

FreeWire Technologies is the leading manufacturer of battery-integrated EV charging stations and power solutions in the U.S. The Company’s fully-integrated Boost Charger plugs into existing and ubiquitous low-voltage utility service and delivers high-power charging in areas that typically require extensive grid upgrades. The Boost Charger’s combination of proprietary battery and power conversion technology enables ultrafast EV charging at all locations, freeing customers from the costs of providing fast charging using power directly from the electric grid. FreeWire has deployed battery-integrated chargers with Fortune 100 companies, commercial customers, fleets, retail locations, and gas stations across the U.S. and has partnered with bp pulse to deploy Boost Charger in its operations across the UK.

In-Charge Energy is an energy solutions company that is accelerating electrification of the transportation industry by providing a comprehensive scalable e-fleet solution. We tailor our solutions to private and public commercial fleets, electric vehicle OEMs, ride-share operators, municipalities and commercial/residential facilities owners.

MTEK creates smart software solutions for businesses in the manufacturing sector. They base the quality, production, and streams of their services. They have created a pre-assembled manufacturing intelligence system that is delivered. Its product portfolio consists of digital manufacturing, industrial intelligence, and digitization.

Numocity is a company with business focus at the intersection of Automobile, Energy and Digital Technologies for Electric Mobility. We offer middleware platform for providing ''Energy as a Service'' with with fixed EV chargers or Battery swappable solutions. Our platform helps Oil marketing companies, Power Utility companies, Fleets and auto OEMS to build , operate and monetise services for Electric Mobility.

IMSystems introduces the new standard in high-performance gearbox technology: the Archimedes Drive. We have finally been able to get rid of the gear teeth and beat the traction drive paradox. This enables us to deliver precisely the right force at precisely the right place using our patented Flexroller technology. The Archimedes Drive is available in ratios up to 10,000:1 - almost 100 times it's nearest competition. We can deliver high torque in a fraction of the volume of other speed reducer technologies, and do it with precision approaching 1 arc-second. Simply put, our drive technology is lighter, stronger, more efficient, more scalable and lower cost than any competing drive technology. Our goal is nothing less than to cause a revolution in the robotics industry.

Kespry provides an aerial intelligence platform that transforms how organizations capture, analyze, and share insights about their business. It provides the information they need to accelerate their operations. Purpose-built for industrial use yet simple enough for any user, a wide variety of industries rely on Kespry to solve business-critical problems. Delivering a fully integrated solution from drone data capture to industry-specific analytics, Kespry serves customers across North America, Europe, and Australia, including John Deere, Hancock Claims Consultants, Catastrophe Response Unit (CRU), Fluor, Lehigh Hanson/Heidelberg, and Colas USA.

MineSense Technologies is a developer of a data analytics platform intended to monitor and improve the productivity and recovery of mines. The company's platform provides businesses with real-time, sensor-based sorting of low-grade ore to a level of sensitivity and to identify differences in mineralogy, enabling the mining industry to sort ores easily and enhance mineral planning. MineSense Technologies was founded in 2008 and is headquartered in Vancouver, Canada.

CMR Surgical develops a surgical robotic system for minimal access surgery. It makes minimal-access surgery universally accessible and affordable by significantly expanding the range of procedures that robots can perform and allowing surgeons to access 3D high-definition imagery and feedback during the operation.

Enbala provides the advanced technology needed to ensure the operational stability of the world’s power grids by harnessing the power of distributed energy. Enbala’s real-time energy-balancing platform provides a highly flexible approach for creating controllable and dispatchable energy resources from flexible loads, energy storage and renewable energy sources.  The platform underpins Enbala’s award-winning and industry-leading DERMS and VPP technology and dynamically optimizes and dispatches distributed energy resources to respond to the real-time needs of the power system. The platform gives energy retailers and utilities the flexibility to operate in real-time and to better manage the escalating complexities of increasingly variable energy assets and evolving market opportunities.

Bonsai offers an AI platform that empowers enterprises to build and deploy intelligent systems. By completely automating the management of complex machine learning libraries and algorithms, Bonsai enables enterprises to program AI models that improve system control and enhance real-time decision support. Businesses use these models today to increase automation and improve operational efficiency of industrial systems including robotics, manufacturing, supply chain, logistics, energy and utilities. Based in Berkeley, CA, Bonsai is backed by leading investors including NEA, Microsoft Ventures, ABB, Samsung NEXT and Siemens.

PointGrab Ltd. develops machine learning technology installed in optical IoT sensors for commercial Real Estate. The sensors enables Companies to better manage their real estate, increase efficiency and cut Real Estate costs, while keeping Employees' privacy and welfare. PointGrab is considered marker leader in providing occupancy and smart building features in commercial Real Estate.

Vicarious is an artificial intelligence company that uses the computational principles of the brain to develop general intelligence for robots. The company was founded in 2010 by Dr. Dileep George and D. Scott Phoenix.

Persimmon Technologies, Corporation is a technology company and provider of robotics for the Semiconductor, Data Storage, LED, OLED, Solar, and Flat Panel Display equipment markets. Persimmon Technologies is headquartered in Wakefield, Massachusetts.

Founded in 2013, Grabit produces game changing productivity solutions for the manufacturing and warehouse logistics industries. Grabit’s Chief Technology and Products Officer, Harsha Prahlad, Ph.D., was the principal inventor of electroadhesion technology. Electroadhesion is an electrically controllable adhesion technology that requires ultra-low power consumption. Grabit products provide customers with improved productivity and expanded capabilities. Customers include several Fortune 500 companies in a wide range of industries such as manufacturing automation, warehouse logistics, parcel handling, and consumer products.

Romo Wind is a technology-led product and service company. Their focus is on extracting the full value of wind turbines. The key technology underpinning our offering is the unique and patented iSpin technology based on the spinner anemometer technology invented by DTU Wind Energy in Denmark. Their  goal is to make the iSpin technology a standard technology for the wind industry. Romo Wind is an independent company even though they are backed by industry heavyweight investors such as Vattenfall and ABB. The Swiss venture fund b-to-v and a Swiss family office complete the shareholder base together with the founders. Romo Wind is headquartered in Switzerland and has operations in Denmark, Germany and Spain.

Scotrenewables Tidal Power Limited (SRTP) is a renewable energy research and development business based in the Orkney Islands. Founded in 2002, Scotrenewables has become a leading tidal turbine developer, and is the longest established, indigenous and still majority locally owned tidal energy technology developer based in Scotland.  SRTP have developed an innovative floating tidal energy converter known as the Scotrenewables Tidal Turbine.  Nine different scale models of the device have been tested extensively over the past 10 years both offshore and in laboratory environments.

Since 2006, Industrial Defender has been solving the challenge of safely collecting, monitoring, and managing OT asset data at scale, while providing cross-functional teams with a unified view of security. Their specialized solution is tailored to complex industrial control system environments by engineers with decades of hands-on OT experience. Easy integrations into the broader security and enterprise ecosystem empower IT teams with the same visibility, access, and situational awareness that they’re accustomed to on corporate networks.

TaKaDu is a leading provider of Integrated Water Network Management, enabling water utilities to improve efficiency and make smarter decisions. Using advanced statistical and mathematical algorithms, TaKaDu harnesses utility data, translating it into actionable insights and transforming the way water networks operate. The solution offers a comprehensive decision-making platform that can be integrated across the utility from the analyst monitoring the network to the executive team considering long-term strategic investments.

According to Forbes.com article on 9/12/12 -  ''...a major investor abruptly withdrew financial support for the company.  'A sudden, and unexpected, change in direction from a major strategic investor has affected GreenVolts’ access to funding,' the company said Wednesday in a statement, referring to ABB, the Swiss power and automation giant. 'The impact was at the last minute and so severe that GreenVolts cannot continue normal operation and has reduced its workforce to a small team to provide customer support and engage other options, including working with potential buyers of the system, technology and IP.' '' _____ GreenVolts has taken an integrated systems approach to development of complete Concentrating Photovoltaic (CPV) solutions that combines:  •State-of-the-art proprietary highly concentrating optics •¢High precision, low profile, two-axis solar tracking •Intelligent power and control systems •On-board, real time, high resolution performance monitoring  This unique integrated systems approach will achieve industry leading energy productivity and low overall Levelized Cost of Energy (LCOE).  The high energy density of GreenVoltsâ€™ CPV system enables low cost power production that can be deployed close to load, further increasing the real value of the energy generated.

Power Assure develops and delivers business automation software that reduces energy use and carbon emissions in commercial, corporate, and government data centers. The company's software platform intelligently manages data center server capacity in real time, maintaining required service levels at optimum efficiency and lowest total cost.

ECOtality is an electric transportation and storage technologies company offering clean electric transportation and storage technology solutions for its users. The company provides electric vehicle infrastructure products and solutions that are used in on-road grid-connected vehicles, material handling, and airport electric ground support applications. It engages in the development, manufacture, assembly, and sale of specialty solar products, advanced battery systems, and hydrogen and fuel cell systems.   ECOtality delivers renewable energy solar modules and thin-sealed rechargeable batteries for solar energy products and off-grid power; energy engineering services, such as hydrogen, solar, battery, coal gasification, and energy delivery infrastructure; eTec SuperCharge fast charge systems for electric vehicles; Minit-Charger fast charge systems that allow material handling equipment to convert to electric power systems that can be charged conveniently; and Hydrality technology, a reactor system that stores and delivers hydrogen on-demand using magnesium compounds and water. It also offers charging systems for on-road grid-connected electric vehicles; bridge power manager systems; hydrogen internal combustion engine vehicle conversions; industrial battery systems; solar products for consumer, emergency response programs, and remote power systems; and third-party hydrogen and education related products.    In addition, the ECOtality provides consulting services on educational programs, as well as offers demonstration kits, educational materials, fuel cell systems, and component parts. It serves commercial, industrial, institutional, governmental, and utility customers. The company was founded in 1999 and is headquartered in San Francisco, California.

Trilliant is a leader in delivering intelligent networks that enable the transition to the Smart Grid.  Trilliant offers a combination of hardware, software and services that serve as the nervous system of the Smart Grid.    Since its founding in 1985, the company has been a leading innovator in the delivery and implementation of advanced metering infrastructure (AMI), demand response, and grid management solutions.    Trilliant also offers installation, program management and meter revenue cycle services.    Trilliant focuses on providing an array of flexible and robust options for utility companies, ranging from meter, network and IT infrastructures to full or hybrid outsource models.    Trilliant has more than 100 utility customers including Duke Energy, E.ON US (Louisville Gas & Electric), Hydro One, Hydro Quebec,  Jamaica Public Service Company Limited, Milton Hydro, Northeast Utilities, PowerStream, Public Service Electric & Gas, San Diego Gas & Electric, Toronto Hydro Electric System Ltd., and Union Gas.    The company is privately owned.

Aquamarine Power is a wave energy company, with head offices in Edinburgh, Scotland and further operations in Orkney and Northern Ireland.  The company is currently developing its flagship technology, an innovative hydro-electric wave energy converter, known as Oyster.  Aquamarine Powerâ€™s goal is to develop commercial Oyster wave farms around the world.  The first demonstration-scale Oyster has been successfully deployed at sea at the European Marine Energy Centre (EMEC) in Orkney, Scotland and was officially launched by Scotland's First Minister Alex Salmond MP, MSP in November 2009 when it began producing power to the National Grid to power homes in Orkney and beyond.  Oyster's performance is now being monitored and the results from the testing will provide a basis for the design of the next-generation commercial-scale Oyster 2.

Pentalum develops the SpiDAR:  a revolutionary, cost effective, patent pending, wind LiDAR (Light Detection And Ranging) system, for remote sensing of wind. The system targets all three main wind farm applications: Wind resource assessment, Wind farm operation optimization and Wind forecasting.  Pentalum is a privately held company, funded by VCs and headed by highly experienced entrepreneurs, professionals in optics, fluid mechanics and atmospheric remote sensing.  Pentalum Technologies Inc. was incorporated in 2009 and is based in Rehovot, Israel.

ABB Ventures, the business-led venture capital investment framework of ABB, looks for breakthrough technology companies aligned with ABB’s goal to write the future of industrial electrification and automation. Since its formation in 2009, ABB Ventures, formerly known as ABB Technology Ventures (ATV), has deployed around $500 million into startups spanning a range of sectors including robotics, industrial IoT, AI/machine learning, energy transition, cybersecurity, electric mobility, smart buildings, and distributed energy. For more information, visit www.abb.com/ventures Feel free to reach out to our business-led venture capital teams: • ABB Robotics & Automation Ventures (ABB RA Ventures) • ABB Electrification Ventures (ABB EL Ventures) • ABB Motion Ventures (ABB MO Ventures)

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