ABB buys energy management specialist and invests in AI start-up
24 January 2025 
ABB is buying a Dutch energy management specialist, Sensorfact, to expand its digital energy management portfolio for industrial customers. It is also investing in a Canadian energy management start-up, called Edgecom Energy, which uses AI to help industrial and commercial users to manage and reduce peaks in their power demand.
Sensorfact, established in 2017, offers a scalable SaaS (software as a service) technology that helps smaller businesses to use AI in their operations, and energy management to lower their costs and boost efficiency. The company has more than 250 employees in the Netherlands, Spain and Germany, and more than 1,900 customers across Europe.
It uses plug-and-play sensors to measure consumption at the machine level and then applies algorithms to analyse the data, identifying energy-saving opportunities and offering easy-to-implement advice.
“ABB and Sensorfact are on a mission to help companies improve their energy efficiency, reduce maintenance costs and boost production,” says Massimiliano Cifalitti, president of ABB’s Smart Power division. “ABB is expanding its portfolio of energy management solutions that use big data and AI to make electrical distribution and energy management both efficient and intelligent. This acquisition advances our digital strategy and provides an innovative way for customers to digitalise their manufacturing operations – helping them to become leaner and cleaner.”
ABB’s acquisition of Sensorfact is expected to close during this quarter. Financial terms have not been disclosed.
ABB is taking a minority stake in Edgecom, which was a winner in ABB’s Startup Challenge in 2024. ABB’s Smart Power division will collaborate with Edgecom to develop new AI-enabled systems to help customers save energy and cut costs.
Edgecom’s AI Energy Copilot can turn complex datasets into energy-saving opportunities. It suggests small adjustments to lower bills or smart ideas to reduce environmental footprints. The company says it is the first in the market to use generative AI in this way.
“Edgecom shows how gen AI can create business value from complex data sets with an easy-to-use interface,” says Cifalitti. “The company also has the scalability and interoperability ABB is looking for as we grow our AI ecosystem for energy management.”
