Relayr raises $23M Series B from Munich RE/HSB Ventures, KPCB and Munich Venture Partners

The Internet of Things, Industry 4.0 and the insurance industry are coming together. Berlin-based IoT startup Relayr raises $23M (€20.7M) Series B from Munich RE/HSB Ventures, KPCB and Munich Venture Partners. It turns out that the industrial insurance company Hartford Steam Boiler (HSB), since 2009 part of Munich RE, has started to embrace IoT a while ago to make their life easier and insurance business smarter. In a nutshell, HSB insures manufacturing companies against the risk of equipment breakdown and other reasons for suboptimal factory performance. By making the machines smart and connecting them to the Relayr cloud, their health status can be monitored online. If the automated machine data analysis identifies any problems, the malfunctioning machines can be repaired or replaced before it is too late and the production line has to be put on hold without knowing why.

Josef Brunner tells the growth story of JouleX and his successful exit to Cisco

Ecosummit TV: Serial entrepreneur Josef Brunner tells the growth story of JouleX and his successful $107M cash exit to Cisco in 2013. Josef founded JouleX in Munich in 2009 and was backed by Target Partners from early on. Being a 100% energy management software startup that helps companies save OPEX by switching off unused IP devices, Josef and Olaf Jacobi, his board member at Target Partners, quickly decided that the headquarter should be transferred to the US while keeping the software development team in Germany. As a US company it is easier to sell to American customers, raise more money for faster startup development and ultimately sell to an American buyer. Tom Noonan, Co-Founder of Internet Security Systems that he sold to IBM in 2006, invested in JouleX and joined as CEO in 2010. From there it was all about managing fast growth and winning new customers that enjoy instant savings without setup fees while JouleX enjoys a 30% share of the money saved. Josef appreciates the professional integration processes at Cisco who are very experienced buyers due to a long history of successful acquisitions – JouleX was Cisco’s acquisition number 166. Now you may talk to Josef if you need a smart green software business angel.

Rolf Adam of Cisco talks about new business models for public lighting by making it intelligent

Ecosummit TV: Smart green cities need intelligent lighting. At ECO13 London, Rolf Adam of Cisco talks about new business models for public lighting by making it intelligent. IP-based lighting infrastructure reduces OPEX by remotely managing and metering a large network of street lamps. When cities and utilities plan to upgrade public lighting to energy-efficient LEDs, they should also think about new business models that are enabled by the internet, sensors and smart algorithms. For example, the Dutch startup Tvilight implemented the brilliant idea of light-on-demand with the help of sensors that detect nearby users. If there aren’t any people or cars present, the street lights are dimmed and energy is saved. The street lights of the 21st century may be used for wireless internet access, location-based advertising, traffic control, street parking, measuring air quality and, last but not least, charging electric vehicles as promoted by Berlin-based Ubitricity. The more services you want to integrate, the more service providers you have to bring together to make money with smart lighting.

Rolf Adam discusses critical infrastructure for the new energy system

Ecosummit TV: On 15 November 2012, the city of Munich experienced a power outage affecting 450.000 people, the first one in 20 years. Just in time Rolf Adam of Cisco goes on stage at Ecosummit Düsseldorf to discuss 6 megatrends affecting large and small utilities in their efforts to manage the critical infrastructure for the new energy system: economics, employees, resources, innovation, industry fragmentation and regulation. To be fit for the future, Rolf recommends that utilities take a system approach, embrace rapid innovation and align their business model with 2050 rather than betting the company on today’s industry setup.

Ecosummit Düsseldorf 2012 happens on 14 and 15 November

Europe’s cleantech scene meets at the Langen Foundation. 15 sponsors are joining.

Press release – Berlin, 24 October 2012: Ecosummit is the Smart Green Business Network for startups, investors and corporates. Europe’s cleantech scene gathers at Ecosummit Düsseldorf 2012 on 14 and 15 November at the Langen Foundation. The international conference focuses on competitive cleantech, resource efficient business models, renewable energy, sustainable mobility, smart green city, venture capital and Lean Cleantech Startup.

Ecosummit Düsseldorf 2012 steigt am 14. und 15. November

Europas Cleantechszene trifft sich in der Langen Foundation. 15 Sponsoren sind dabei.

Pressemitteilung – Berlin, 24. Oktober 2012: Ecosummit ist das Smart Green Business Network für Startups, Investoren und Konzerne. Europas Cleantechszene trifft sich auf dem Ecosummit Düsseldorf 2012 am 14. und 15. November in der Langen Foundation. Auf der internationalen Konferenz geht es um wettbewerbsfähige Umwelttechnologien, ressourceneffiziente Geschäftsmodelle, erneuerbare Energien, nachhaltige Mobilität, Smart Green City, Venture Capital und Lean Cleantech Startup.

Rolf Adam explains Gridonomics – the energy strategy of Cisco

Ecosummit TV: Rolf Adam, Business Development Director Smart Grid and Utilties of Cisco in Europe, shares his thinking about the future of the smart grid and the Internet of things at Ecosummit Berlin 2012. Industry transitions don’t wait for anyone to happen. The energy industry is changing dramatically and utilities have to build a new energy platform to manage this disruptive change. Cisco calls its energy strategy Gridonomics and it’s about the future of the entire energy system combining technology, economics and policy.

ECO11 Panel: Smart Green Utility of the Future

If we make energy more expensive, consumers and companies will make a big effort to save energy. At Ecosummit 2011, I moderated an expert panel about the Smart Green Utility of the Future. Panelists include (from left): Joerg Fabri (allocate), moderator Jan Michael Hess (Ecosummit), Andre Shortell (GP Bullhound), Robert Werner (Greenpeace Energy) and Rolf Adam (Cisco). A smart green utility offers 100% renewable energy and helps clients save energy with smart green services and transparent tariffs.