BrainBox AI, a developer of autonomous building technology, has raised $20 million to support the continued development of BrainBox AI’s decarbonization technology and its global commercialization efforts.
The company raised the funds from the Government of Québec, the lead investor for 10 million US dollars; and ABB, a returning lead investor and global partner to BrainBox AI.
Sam Ramadori, CEO at BrainBox AI, says: “We are grateful for this significant investment from the Québec Government and ABB. Having their support propels our mission to provide commercial real estate owners and retailers around the globe with a scalable and impactful decarbonization tool.
“As buildings account for over 38 percent of GHG emissions globally, there is no way around the necessity of making buildings significantly more efficient.
“The convergence of investments from both the public and private sectors clearly shows that the work we are doing is resonating across the board, which we view as very positive as this challenge will require collective involvement to make a meaningful impact given its sheer scale and difficulty.”
The Québec Government’s $10 million commitment, granted by Investissement Québec, signals the need for low CAPEX, high impact, decarbonization and energy efficiency solutions like BrainBox AI’s.
This investment further emphasizes the Ministry of Economy, Innovation and Energy’s unwavering support for technologies that contribute to the fight against climate change. With time running out, participation from the public sector is a must.
Pierre Fitzgibbon, minister of economy, innovation and energy, minister for regional economic development, and minister for the metropolis and the Montréal region, says: “The technology that BrainBox AI has developed will revolutionize energy consumption in commercial buildings.
“The adoption by Québec businesses of energy innovations such as the one that Brainbox AI is proposing is indispensable if we are to successfully decarbonize Québec and ensure more efficient use of our resources.”
BrainBox AI says it recognizes its role in bringing innovative solutions that “aggressively target GHG emissions” to the built environment. The strategic partnership between ABB and BrainBox AI is a “reflection of the common goal” both organizations share in making buildings smarter, greener, and more efficient.
It is in this spirit that, BrainBox AI says, the company has reached an agreement to acquire ABB’s multi-site retail (MSR) energy management system integrator business.
With the objective of accelerating the decarbonization journey for retailers, BrainBox AI intends to integrate ABB’s MSR business, its experienced team based in New Hampshire, USA, and an installed base of over 12,000 retail locations in its current operations.
Coupled with BrainBox AI’s industry-leading AI optimization technology, the combined offering will help retailers reduce their greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and utility costs without replacing their existing environmental management system (EMS).
AI and cloud enabled HVAC autonomous control, natively integrated with the leading on-premise EMS solution, will offer retailers an unparalleled ability to operate their stores and achieve their pressing decarbonization goals.
Ramadori says: “We are excited to announce our intent to bring this MSR-focused technology on board. This complementary acquisition, when completed, will enable BrainBox AI to solidify its position in the retail market, allowing us to offer stronger operational support and know-how to our valued customer base.
“Ultimately, the journey of delivering a hybrid cloud and on-premise solution will accelerate the transition to next generation virtualized EMS offerings that will allow retailers to meet and exceed ambitious ESG objectives at scale with a very cost effective solution.”
Mike Mustapha, president of the smart buildings division at ABB Electrification, says: “By transferring the MSR business to BrainBox AI, customers can leverage artificial intelligence to achieve better energy efficiency and decarbonization. This fully aligns with our mission to pursue building decarbonization jointly with our strategic partners.”
