Clear is a Silicon Valley venture capital firm that is purpose-built to help startup teams win in business technology and services. Founded by veteran company builders and venture investors Chris Rust and Rajeev Madhavan, formerly of Sequoia Capital and USVP and founders of four successful companies, Clear provides access to customers, talent and insight to bold startup teams so their ideas can grow into market-leading companies. Visit Clear online at www.clear.ventures.

Clear Ventures

We solve national security problems through the application of “Lean Startup” principles combined with an unparalleled network of Silicon Valley and government partners.  We translate problems into language that is understandable and useable by entrepreneurs, industry and investors. We use these translated problems to energize our network to rapidly form a tightly connected, trusted ecosystem of entrepreneurs and experts around the problems. We uncover user requirements and problems and apply Lean Startup methodology to test theories and derive minimum viable products. Once potential solutions are identified we provide the strategies by which those solutions can be tested, improved and delivered to our partners for further development and deployment.

BMNT

DN Capital is an early-stage venture capital firm that invests primarily in Europe and North America. The firm focuses on companies that plan to establish operations on both sides of the Atlantic, and strives to help its companies build international businesses. Founded in 2000, the company has operations in London and Silicon Valley. DN Capital’s previous funds are top performers and the firm is one of the lead investors in companies such as Endeca (sold to Oracle), Shazam (one of the world’s leading mobile app), Auto1 (world's largest used car marketplace), Purplebricks (IPO London) and Quandoo (sold to Recruit).

DN Capital

Tignis

Tignis is an information technology company that enables hardware and software vendors to continually monitor performance data while their products are in use. Using real-time edge computing, machine learning, and customer-specific controls, vendors can quickly identify and proactively remedy performance issues and predict problems before they occur. The company was founded in 2017 and headquartered in Washington, United States.

Tignis utilizes machine learning (ML), artificial intelligence (AI), cloud, and edge technologies mainly for industrial applications. Its ML and analytics monitor and analyze mechanical systems, anomaly detection, and identification of operational impacts. The company noted its primary users include building system automation services, process manufacturing, and oil and gas, among others.

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

Edge Computing

Tignis offers a process control solution for maintenance and monitoring that is specialized for semiconductor manufacturers and fabricators. The company uses digital twin technology to offer two specific solutions 1) PAICe Maker, which is able to make optimization adjustments at the wafer level and speed up the time to market and 2) PAICe Monitor, which is able to identify causes of variance beyond traditional monitoring tools and enables users to proactively adjust processes to reduce future variances in production quality and yields.

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

Digital Twin

Seattle startup Tignis raises $7.2M to fuel use of AI process control in semiconductor manufacturing

DC Blox offers edge colocation centers, including disaster recovery services, mainly targeting the underserved markets in the southeastern region of the US. Its clients range from enterprises, cloud providers, government entities, and educational institutions, among others. DC Blox connects users to any destination globally through its private network and ecosystem of global communication partners.DC BLOX’s data centers are located in Birmingham, AL; Huntsville, AL; Chattanooga, TN; Greenville, SC, and Myrtle Beach, SC, with others in development near Atlanta and Berkeley County, SC as of March 2024.In 2023, DC Blox embarked on an <a href="https://finance.yahoo.com/news/dc-blox-set-build-hyperscale-133500449.html">expansion strategy</a>, with the development of a hyperscale-ready data center campus in Rockdale County, Georgia, being one of the latest and most significant projects. This new campus was set to feature a sprawling 750,000 sq ft space with a total power capacity of 216MW, supplied by Georgia Power. The project was designed to include a dark fiber ring around the Atlanta metropolitan area, enhancing the connectivity for its tenants and bolstering the company's network infrastructure.Funding and financialsDC Blox raised USD 187 million in funding from Post Road Group and Bain Capital Credit, in March 2021. It aims to use the funds to refinance existing credit facilities, add liquidity to its balance sheet, and expand data center capacity in new and existing locations.

DC Blox

Edgeworx offers the Eclipse ioFog Engine, an application platform that turns hardware into an intelligent edge node. The company allows users to extend their cloud to the edge and run and monitor microservices from any infrastructure. It caters to both developers and operations users to uniformly manage hardware and software.In November 2023, Edgeworx, <a href="https://sp-edge.com/companies/728459">launched Edgeworx Cloud</a>, an enterprise-grade edge computing platform, on the Google Cloud Marketplace. The platform enables enterprises to deploy and manage containerized edge applications from any network without needing to operate their own Kubernetes clusters. It provides secure data management across edge devices, micro-services, hosts, and clients, as well as a hardware-agnostic agent for synchronizing deployments of heterogeneous fleets.Key customers and partnershipsEdgeworx's technology benefits from a range of partners including Docker, Kubernetes, Microsoft, and Red Hat, among others.

Edgeworx

Crosser offers a real-time analytics platform for enterprise Internet of Things (IoT), primarily for industrial IoT (IIoT).The Crosser Platform enables real-time processing of streaming or batch data, to enable industrial IoT, data transformation, analytics, automation, and integration, all to improve the utilization of industrial assets. The platform moves machine data into the cloud while also enabling edge analytics, hybrid integration, and factory floor integration.Key customers and partnershipsCrosser has a robust portfolio of partnerships with leading technology, AI, and ML providers. Some of its notable partners are AWS, Microsoft, SAP, Agora, Oracle, IFS, Siemens, ZEDEDA, and Intel.Funding and financialsIn March 2021, Crosser raised EUR 3 million (~USD 3.6 million) in Venture funding led by NTT DOCOMO Ventures and Montan-Ventures-Saar, with existing investors Industrifonden, Spintop Ventures, 42 Cap, Almi Invest, and Norrlandsfonden also participating.

Crosser

Zededa was founded in 2016 and came out of stealth in 2018 to offer an open edge ecosystem to provide visibility, control, and security when deploying apps remotely on the edge, regardless of the hardware used. The company commercially launched its remote management software in January 2021. The platform allows developers to avoid vendor lock-in and additionally offers support for industries facing more complex edge applications. Moreover, Zededa allows enterprises to mix old and new technology seamlessly, making it for industries like surveillance. The red company has an office in Pune, India, in addition to its headquarters in San Jose, California.In July 2023, the company released a suite of edge application tools including “Edge Access,” which provides access controls and audit tracing for edge deployments. Users can remotely access edge devices from any location at any time without requiring backend configuration or specialized skills.<a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/24108">In November 2023,</a> the company announced a new service named ZEDEDA Edge Kubernetes Service, offering a fully managed Kubernetes service for distributed edge.Key customers and partnershipsThe company has a substantial customer base, with numerous Fortune 500 enterprises spanning various industries like manufacturing, renewable energy, telecommunications, and healthcare. Prominent clients include Rockwell Automation, Emerson, Agora, and VMware.Zededa collaborates with leading technology firms through its global ZEDEDA marketplace, granting partners direct entry to edge operations teams. This marketplace facilitates swift scalability for customers across thousands of edge devices with one-click deployments, eliminating the need for extensive professional services. Notable partners encompass Microsoft, Suse, Juniper Networks, AWS, Rafay Systems, Aviatrix, Fortinet, and more.Through Zededa's technology partnerships, customers can procure hardware devices and have them shipped directly to their intended destinations. This adaptable approach reduces solution expenses and empowers technology providers to offer optimal value to their clientele. Noteworthy partners in this initiative comprise Dell, Supermicro, HP Enterprise, Equinix, and others.During 2023, Zededa collaborated with Applied Digital in August, a company specializing in advanced digital infrastructure for High-Performance Computing, to use ZEDEDA's management and orchestration software. In May, it also partnered with Avassa, a container management platform tailored for edge environments, to facilitate comprehensive orchestration across the entire stack, ensuring security and visibility from hardware to edge applications.Zededa is also a part of multiple industry consortiums to use edge computing to address emerging issues faced by the energy industry. These collaborations include the OSDU Forum as well as LF Energy and Project Alvarium, which are part of the Linux Foundation (a non-profit group to standardize and support the adoption of Linux). In December 2022, the company extended its partnership with Emerson to integrate its edge application management and orchestration solution into Emerson’s DeltaV automation system. This would in turn enable Emerson’s customers to extend this automation system into the distributed edge.Funding and financialsIn <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/26448">February 2024</a>,it raised USD 72 million in a Series C funding round led by Smith Point Capital, with participation from Hillman Company, LDV Partners, Endeavor Catalyst Fund, Juniper Networks, and others. The funds were directed toward expanding sales and marketing endeavors and speeding up R&amp;D.In January 2023, the company announced that it had grown its annual revenue growth by 300%, and nodes under management by 250% over the previous year.

Zededa

SmartCone Technologies Canadian company specializes in developing Internet of Things (IoT) based safety and monitoring solutions.It mainly offers its services for securing dangerous worksites, controlling bicycle lane traffic, managing vehicle fleets, monitoring traffic incident scenes, crowd control, and site security surveillance, among others. Its devices range from wearables and torches, to constellation positioning systems.In July 2022 SmartCone Technologies announced HeatGuardian, a spin-off company dedicated to providing applications and micro-climate weather stations to calculate localized heat exposure to aid individuals and workers in staying safe during periods of hot weather. This initiative was undertaken in partnership with the Human and Environmental Physiology Research Unit at the University of Ottawa.Key customers and partnershipsThe company mainly caters to customers in the mining, logistics, and energy industries. Some notable customers are Nokia, IBM, DHL, and Exelon.In November 2021, the company partnered with the Centre for Integrated Transportation and Mobility (CITM) to build a database architecture and platform that would capture data from all Smart Mobility Networks, both 4G &amp; 5G elements, Intelligent IoT Nodes, C-V2X device, IoT devices, and other sensors installed on the Smart Mobility Networks.In January 2021, AutoGuardian by SmartCone became one of 37 firms in automotive company AISIN Group’s “open innovation initiatives.” This was in response to AutoGuardian’s successful proof of concept relating to vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2I) technology. AutoGuardian uses a SmartConeTM device, equipped with a camera, AI, radar, and onboard edge computing to offer non-line-of-sight alerts by using data such as vehicle speeds, vehicle and pedestrian count, and behavior estimations.Funding and financialsIn April 2019, Smartcone received CAD 187,500 in Debt Financing backed by FedDev Ontario.

SmartCone Technologies

Companies that provide software to enable users to run their applications at the edge.

Companies that produce hardware and infrastructure such as routers and servers that are not embedded on devices.

Companies that provide software that facilitates analytics, cyber security, and IoT at the edge.

Companies that produce embeddable hardware, including microchips, that allow devices to transmit and process data.

Companies that provide software used in data centers to carry out operations effectively.

Companies that offer datacenter infrastructure to facilitate edge computing, including micro data centers deployable to more strategic locations.

Some players in the embedded hardware segment offer microprocessors for running GenAI applications at the edge of enterprise networks

Most companies operating in this industry operate under a B2B SaaS model

Includes companies that support AI/ML workloads and offer IoT data management

All companies in this industry offer edge computing solutions

Offers solutions for managing IoT device data on the edge of users' networks

Includes micro processor manufacturers that particularly target AI workloads for the edge

Many service providers partner with telecom services to leverage 5G to reduce edge application latency

Tignis offers a process control solution for maintenance and monitoring that is specialized for semiconductor manufacturers and fabricators. The company uses digital twin technology to offer two specific solutions 1) PAICe Maker, which is able to make optimization adjustments at the wafer level and speed up the time to market and 2) PAICe Monitor, which is able to identify causes of variance beyond traditional monitoring tools and enables users to proactively adjust processes to reduce future variances in production quality and yields.The company’s proprietary platform has in-built libraries of components to easily setup a customers’ manufacturing operation in the system, and feeds into a patent-pending adaptive modeling system which can automatically adjust to changing conditions.Key customers and partnershipsThe company’s customer base includes Optimum Energy, which uses a customized version of Tignis’ platform for monitoring HVAC systems across hundreds of chiller plants globally. The company’s solutions have been deployed in hundreds of facilities as of May 2022.Funding and financialsTignis raised USD 7.2 million Series A funding round in May 2022, which was led by DN capital.The funds were used for expansion of its sales team and operational commitments related to existing contracts.

Norway-based Cognite is a provider of digital twin modeling software for an entire operation through complex industrial data. With machine learning and physics simulators, companies are able to use these for predictive maintenance, production optimization, and better decision-making.&nbsp;Its main solution Cognite Data Fusion offers an open industrial digital twin by integrating IT, operational, and engineering data from sources such as ERPs, MES, and IoT platforms. The data is cleaned and contextualized into a single location and turned into insights for actionable advice, which then is used to build and automate workflows. The company claimed to be the first company to <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/17445">achieve DNV-RP-A204 compliance </a>for its core product, Cognite Data Fusion.&nbsp;In <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/16217">February 2023</a>, the company advanced with new data-modeling capabilities to accelerate (up to 10–25x) deployments of industrial digital solutions and reduce cost and complexity for users. In <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/25399">January 2024</a>, the company launched the beta version of a GenAI remote operations control room at the Celanese facility to deliver real-time operational transparency.&nbsp;Key customers and partnershipsThe company provides its solution mainly to the oil and gas, power and utilities, and manufacturing sectors. Its key customers include Siemens and Rockwell Automation.&nbsp;The company had partnered with Microsoft in January 2024 to integrate Cognite Data Fusion with Microsoft Fabric and deliver an AI-powered industrial data operations solution. In June 2022, Cognite formed a joint venture, CNTXT, with Saudi Aramco to provide its digitization services in the Middle East region for the private and public sectors. Also, in October 2022, the company partnered with industrial automation company Rockwell Automation to develop an industrial data hub for the manufacturing sector by combining Rockwell’s software, FactoryTalk, and the Cognite Data Fusion.Furthermore, in September 2022, the company partnered with Schlumberger to integrate the Cognite Data Fusion to Schlumberger’s Enterprise Data Solution to contextualize data in an interoperable platform.&nbsp;Funding and financialsThe company raised USD 150 million in May 2021 in an equity funding round from TCV, which brought the valuation of the company to USD 1.6 billion. The funds were allocated toward expanding its platform to global industries.&nbsp;Furthermore, in January 2022, petroleum and gas company Saudi Aramco purchased 100% of Aker BP's shares in Cognite to own a majority stake of 7.4% at a value of USD 183 million.

Cognite

Nexar is a developer of smart dash cams that gathers real-time street footage to create a digital twin of the physical world and provide data to users for decision-making. As of June 2024, the company had covered over 1.5 billion miles of imagery and holds 4T images in a neural library.&nbsp;Using AI and computer vision, captured images and videos from cars are localized on a map to detect any changes in roads to provide actionable changed data across the platform CityStream and Nexar network. The platform provides features such as detecting changes on the road (such as road blockages, potholes, and construction), driver behavioral maps, autonomous vehicles systems, and compute and connectivity optimization.&nbsp;In August 2022, the company acquired Portugal-based Veniam to combine its data with Veniam’s communications technology and provide real-time mapping for mobility applications.&nbsp;Key customers and partnershipsThe company operates a B2B business model providing its services to enterprises and institutions in the logistics, road construction, and insurance industries. Its key customers include the Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada, which partnered with Nexar in May 2021 to improve road management in Las Vegas. Also, in August 2021, the company partnered with Black Car Fund to provide cameras for Black car operators (rideshare drivers) in New York to protect Black Car Fund members in the case of accident or assault.&nbsp;It also partnered with AWS to deploy images, videos, and AI detections using AWS.&nbsp;Funding and financialsThe company raised USD 53 million in November 2021 in a Series D funding round led by Qumra Capital. The funds were used to scale its digital twin service using dash cam footage for automotive OEMs and cities.

Nexar

Seeq is a provider of data analytics enabling insights, predictions, and collaboration for better production and business outcomes.The company’s product portfolio includes softwares for data analytics including 1) Seeq Workbench for advanced analytics, 2) Seeq Organizer for publishing reports and dashboards, 3) Seeq Data Lab for accessing Python libraries, and 4) Seeq Cortex for IT governance, data connectivity, and calculation features. Furthermore, the company provides deployment via cloud, SaaS solutions, and on premise depending on the customer’s system.Key customers and partnershipsThe company provides its services in more than 40 countries focusing on process manufacturing industries, including oil and gas, pharmaceutical, chemical, energy, mining, and food and beverage. In June 2024, Seeq partnered with Equinor, an international energy company, to leverage Seeq's platform across Equinor's global assets.Seeq’s software is built on long-term vendor partnerships such as SIsoft, Honeywell (since 2017), and Siemens (since 2017). Seeq has also partnered with Amazon Web Services (AWS) and Microsoft Azure to develop features specific to their offerings, recognizing Seeq's expertise in providing cloud solutions for the manufacturing and industrial sector. Other partners include Schneider Electric and Inductive Automation.

Seeq

Q Bio provides a predictive assessment platform to analyse existential risk in an individual’s health. The company claims its platform, Gemini Digital Twin, is the fastest and safest scanner, which takes 15 minutes for the whole body to be scanned.&nbsp;The company provides the Q Exam, which gathers millions of data points from the individual’s body, such as blood, saliva, and vitals, and sends results via a web-based Q Dashboard to the individual’s physicians. Data is facilitated via the Gemini platform that captures whole body patient vitals in a non-invasive manner.&nbsp;&nbsp;The company operates a B2B2C business model offering services via employers and to individuals. It charges membership plans for one year at USD 3,495 for one exam and USD 6,495 for two exams.&nbsp;Q Bio's is developing the Mark I scanner which uses proprietary tensor field mapping technology to offer full-body scans with 3,000 anatomical measurements in just 10 minutes, creating digital twins and large biological models for health insights. In <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/31878">July 2024</a>, Q Bio secured USD 27 million in strategic funding to propel the Mark I scanner toward market launch.&nbsp;Key customers and partnershipsIn May 2021, the company partnered with Amazon Web Services to provide Q Bio’s services on its cloud platform.

Q Bio

Israel-based Locusview has developed a digital construction management platform to allow companies to manage projects from start to end. The platform is supported by technological capabilities in physical assets, such as plastic and steel pipes, to enable a digital thread (information of an asset such as model or size) and for supply chain and asset traceability.&nbsp;The platform provides features to manage construction projects in and off the field including GPS and sensor-based data collection, fieldwork validations, cloud-based deployment and scaling, real-time progress tracking, online approvals, and built-in reports. Furthermore, companies can lease the complete solution or get a consultation for a customized solution.The company operates a B2B business model, providing its services mainly to the energy, utilities, and telecom industries.&nbsp;Key customers and partnershipsThe company’s customer base includes more than 30 leading energy utilities and telecom companies. The company has a market presence in India, the US, Australia, Mexico, the UK, and Israel.&nbsp;The company had partnered with Esri to offer a complete end-to-end solution for Esri-based utilities. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Funding and financialsThe company raised USD 64 million in April 2021 in a Series A funding round led by Israel Growth Partners. The funds were used to expand the platform capabilities and for market expansion.

Locusview

Companies that facilitate the creation of digital twins to monitor and maintain assets, including buildings and network infrastructure.

Platforms that facilitate digital twin modeling by either collectively or individually offering any combination of data capture and analytics solutions.

Companies offering digital twins to gain insights for use in commercial planning, logistics and distribution, and other supply chain processes.

Companies that offer digital twins to assess risks and recommend solutions in areas such as disaster management, DNA testing, clinical trials (to simulate effects of treatments), etc.

Used to design and build components contributing to smart cities, roads, airports, public transportation systems, etc.

Digital twins are the primary enabling technology for the digital twin industry

Startups can create digital twins of cities; enables modeling/simulation to improve efficiency/quality of life

Digital twins can be applied in the telecommunications industry for remote monitoring of communication towers

Startups can use digital twins to automate and proactively monitor industrial production lines and facilities

Uses edge computing for cost-effective and real-time data processing by reducing transmission costs

Uses AI/ML for the creation of digital twins and when running simulations

Digital twin startups use IoT for remote data collection from sensors to create digital twins

Tignis

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