Former NVIDIA SVP will help accelerate growth

, an NVIDIA-backed edge AI company, announced today the appointment of Gary Hicok as Executive Chair of the board of directors. Hicok, who recently served as an 

 to Utilidata, will transition into his new role on the board to lead alongside the senior leadership team at Utilidata. He will help scale the company’s distributed AI platform and custom NVIDIA module, Karman, for use in energy systems and critical infrastructure, including data centers.

“The rapid growth of AI factories creates a unique opportunity to unlock the value of edge computing, and there is no greater need than in data centers,” 

said Gary Hicok, Utilidata’s Executive Chair of the Board

. “As experts in power flow with a cutting-edge AI platform built on a custom, ultra-compact NVIDIA module, Utilidata is uniquely positioned to unlock up to 50% more compute capacity using existing data center infrastructure. During my time at NVIDIA, I often spearheaded expansion into new markets, and I’m excited to help Utilidata do the same as we tackle some of the most urgent energy challenges.”

As a former executive at NVIDIA for more than 25 years, Hicok has pioneered new technology and growth in edge computing. Hicok was the senior vice president of Automotive and Systems at NVIDIA, where he oversaw the NVIDIA DRIVE platforms used to develop self-driving vehicles. Before that, he served as senior vice president of NVIDIA's core logic business unit and the mobile business unit. His extensive experience will help Utilidata expand into new sectors that can benefit from edge AI, including AI factories.

“Gary Hicok has been an invaluable advisor, and we are thrilled to have him join our team as the Executive Chair of the Board,” 

 “Leveraging Gary’s experience and leadership, we’re excited to expand the impact of our Karman platform – especially in AI factories, where sub-millisecond power flow visibility, control, and guardrails paired with local AI will unlock significant power capacity.

Utilidata's Karman platform is built on a custom version of the NVIDIA Jetson Orin Nano and can be easily embedded into infrastructure devices to deliver unparalleled visibility and control of power flow. Hubbell Incorporated is the first electric hardware company to 

, creating the industry’s first AI smart meter. Like the electric grid, overprovisioning and lack of visibility and control over inefficient power use create major challenges for data centers. Karman is uniquely positioned to alleviate energy constraints and unlock significant value at the edge in both the grid and data centers.

Utilidata has built one of the smallest edge computing modules, making it easy to embed AI into critical infrastructure devices. With over a decade of experience using AI to optimize power flow on the electric distribution grid, the company’s edge AI platform – Karman, powered by their custom NVIDIA module – has already been embedded into smart meters to bring AI to the grid.

Gary Hicok Joins Utilidata as Executive Chair of the Board

A demonstration project achieved a 27% peak reduction and 12.5% bill savings using distributed AI

 announced the successful completion of a 

 Incubatenergy® Labs (IEL) and Southern California Edison (SCE). The project showed the capabilities of Utilidata’s Karman AI platform in delivering real-time, autonomous management of distributed energy resources (DERs) from the electric meter. Utilidata’s technology proved that local dynamic DER management is possible by enabling real-time operational signals to DERs – overriding static dispatch schedules. This allows DERs to actively respond to real-time system needs rather than pre-scheduled events.

Using wireless communication and on-device AI, Karman calculated optimal DER dispatch and sent control signals directly to DERs – while keeping data local at the source (the meter). This approach will enhance resiliency, reduce data transmission costs, maintain customer privacy, and increase customer benefits. The demonstration project resulted in a 12.5% reduction in electricity cost for a simulated home and a 27% reduction in peak demand.

Utilidata was selected by SCE to demonstrate the Karman platform for load forecasting, solar disaggregation and forecasting, local DER optimization calculations and DER commands. The study was performed using EPRI’s Simulation Platform for Integration of DER (SPIDER) software which generated realistic net load data. “Delivering scalable, real-world solutions for the future grid, such as distributed energy resources, requires deep collaboration between utilities and technology innovators, and EPRI’s Incubatenergy Labs facilitates these partnerships,” said

 Dan Killoren, Head of the Global Innovation Hub for EPRI

. “This project demonstrates that AI could be used to enhance grid operations.”

In addition to accurately identifying multiple DERs in real-time, during the simulation, the Karman platform demonstrated the following advanced capabilities:

With real-time insight into local conditions, Karman enabled accurate forecasting of site load and solar output. In the field, Karman can allow for more dynamic rate schedules. 

Generating and wirelessly sending operational signals to DERs: 

Unlike traditional systems that rely on centralized, static dispatch, Karman autonomously created and sent operational signals to DERs – curtailing solar generation and commanding batteries to charge or discharge – all without sending data to the cloud. This allows DERs to actively respond to real-time system needs, rather than pre-scheduled events.

Achieve peak reduction and cost savings for customers:

 By aligning DER control with time-of-use rates and peak pricing periods, Karman reduced peak load and lowered energy costs for the end user – demonstrating how AI at the grid edge benefits both utilities and consumers.

“This project is the first to show how distributed AI embedded in local grid devices can forecast, manage, and optimize DERs in real time,” said

 Jess Melanson, President & Chief Operating Officer at Utilidata

. ”To realize the full potential of DERs, utilities need the ability to rapidly and dynamically respond to system needs using local computing power.”

Current DERMS and virtual power plant (VPP) systems often rely on pre-determined schedules and lack awareness of local grid constraints. Utilidata’s Karman platform changes that paradigm by embedding AI directly into grid edge devices, creating a responsive, intelligent layer of local control. It enables DERs to act as dynamic participants in the grid – not passive assets awaiting pre-scheduled events.

SCE has become a leader in accelerating the energy transition by pursuing innovative technologies within grid edge computing to address growing energy demand and grid complexities. SCE's recent 

 aims to bring more AI-based solutions to the grid, and its leadership in the industry consortium, the 

Grid Edge Interoperability & Security Alliance (GEISA)

 project, has established important industry collaboration to set specifications for deploying grid edge solutions in the utility industry.

Built on a custom NVIDIA module designed specifically for grid operations, Karman’s distributed AI platform delivers secure over-the-air updates and an open architecture for third-party applications. DERMS and VPP providers can build applications directly on the Karman platform, expanding the ecosystem of intelligent DER management tools.

Founded in 1972, EPRI is the world's preeminent independent, non-profit energy research and development organization, with offices around the world. EPRI's trusted experts collaborate with more than 450 companies in 45 countries, driving innovation to ensure the public has clean, safe, reliable, affordable, and equitable access to electricity across the globe. Together…shaping the future of energy.®

Utilidata is an AI-powered technology company providing utilities with real-time, actionable insights to operate a dynamic and flexible grid. The company’s distributed AI platform, Karman, analyzes large volumes of electricity data in real-time leveraging a combination of on-chip and cloud based software. Powered by a custom NVIDIA module purpose-built for the grid, Karman provides industry-leading computational power to grid devices–starting with meters–enabling faster, smarter decision-making.

Utilidata’s AI Platform Demonstrates Breakthrough in Real-Time DER Management 

Providence, RI – April 29 – Utilidata, a leader in edge AI technology, announced today that it has secured $60.3 million in Series C funding. The round was led by Renown Capital Partners–an investment firm focused on growth-stage technology companies helping to secure an efficient, affordable, and reliable energy system–with participation from Quanta, NVIDIA, and existing investor Keyframe Capital. Citigroup acted as sole placement agent to Utilidata on the transaction. This funding will enable Utilidata to rapidly scale Karman, its distributed AI platform developed in collaboration with NVIDIA over the last four years. Built on a custom NVIDIA module based on the NVIDIA Jetson Orin Nano edge AI platform, Karman can be embedded in any device connected to the energy system.

“With this round of financing, Utilidata is positioned to deliver a major breakthrough in how the world manages power across the entire energy ecosystem,” said

 James McIntyre, Co-Founder, CIO & Managing Partner at Renown Capital.

 “By bringing artificial intelligence to the edge of the grid, Utilidata’s Karman platform will help deliver unprecedented efficiency, resilience, and security to energy infrastructure across the world.”

Rapid growth in data center power demand alone is creating new constraints for grid operators and hyperscalers. By 2030, it is estimated that data center power demand will 

. This growth combined with the global clean energy transition is creating increased complexity on the grid, requiring new and advanced solutions, like edge AI. By enabling high power compute and AI capabilities to be embedded directly into grid infrastructure and data centers, Karman unlocks grid capacity, increases reliability, and reduces carbon emissions.

Utilidata’s Karman platform is now available for purchase directly from Advantech, the global leader in IoT intelligent systems and embedded platform. This will make it easy for any hardware partners to embed Karman into their equipment. 

 is already working with Utilidata to embed Karman into smart meters for electric utilities.

Utilidata’s strategic partnerships are designed to support utilities through every phase of implementing edge AI at scale. The company announced last year a

 first-of-its-kind collaboration with Deloitte

 to support clients in navigating the modern power grid and has now partnered with 

 to support the deployment of AI-enabled infrastructure at scale.

“Quanta’s expertise in electric infrastructure deployment positions us to help Utilidata scale AI across the grid,” said 

Andrew Schwaitzberg, Senior Vice President of Corporate Development at Quanta Services.

 “We look forward to showcasing the power of edge AI at the Quanta Advanced Training Center, and working with our customers and partners to modernize infrastructure. By enabling AI onto the physical grid, we can continue to support infrastructure that is more reliable and resilient as our customers’ needs grow.”

These investments, which will help scale Karman, come as several megatrends converge, including the rise of data centers and growing power demand. Quanta Services brings deep expertise in deploying power grid infrastructure and will play a critical role in ensuring that grid modernization keeps pace with the growing demands. NVIDIA’s AI innovations will help advance the transformative potential of Karman at the grid edge.

"Electricity has gone from being abundant and predictable to scarce and increasingly unpredictable,” said 

 “That paradigm shift requires fundamentally new technology and deeper industry collaboration. We’re bringing together a powerful coalition of partners who are committed to scaling AI across the grid to build a modern and dynamic energy system.”

“By embedding AI and accelerated computing at the grid’s edge, Utilidata is unlocking critical insights and enabling utilities and industries to make smarter, more informed decisions,” said 

 “These new capabilities, which don’t exist today, will allow the energy industry to do more with existing infrastructure – tapping into valuable capacity on the grid at a time when load is growing rapidly for the first time in decades. 

Utilidata is bringing edge AI to energy infrastructure, starting with smart meters. The company’s distributed AI platform, Karman, is built on a custom NVIDIA module that makes it easy to embed AI capabilities into any grid-connected device.

Utilidata Raises $60 Million to Scale Distributed AI Across Energy Infrastructure

The U.S. Department of Energy today selected Consumers Energy to receive a nearly $20 million financial assistance award to deploy new technology and provide real-time visibility into the grid and help integrate electric vehicles into Michigan's electric grid. The commitment will be matched by $20 million from Consumers Energy as it powers Michigan's EV transformation.

Consumers Energy will use the nearly $40 million to add artificial intelligence-powered modules to 18,000 electric meters that are used by Michigan EV owners, providing real-time data analytics and predictions to better understand the impact these vehicles have on the electric grid.

"Consumers Energy is building a stronger grid and a smarter one that will seamlessly power the next generation of clean vehicles," said Lauren Snyder, Consumers Energy's vice president of customer experience. "This allows us to quickly put the latest in technology to work, as we accommodate growing numbers of EVs parked in driveways across our state."

The new federal funding comes through the U.S. Department of Energy's 

Grid Resilience and Innovation Partnerships (GRIP) Program

, which supports the modernization of the nation's electric grid.

Consumers Energy is partnering with AI technology company 

 to deploy custom NVIDIA modules, bringing cutting edge AI capabilities to the electric grid. Utilidata manufactures in Michigan at their innovation lab in Ann Arbor and in collaboration with Brooks Utility Products in Novi. 

The effort will place over half of the devices in economically disadvantaged communities, enabling Consumers Energy to better understand EV adoption and customize customer programs to meet those communities' needs.

Consumers Energy also is partnering with General Motors, the University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute, the Electric Power Research Institute and others to deploy AI-enabled grid-edge analytics.

"Utilidata is proud to expand our presence in Michigan by partnering with industry leader Consumers Energy," said Utilidata President and Chief Operating Officer Jess Melanson. "Utilidata's distributed AI technology will equip Consumers Energy with the tools needed to integrate more distributed energy resources and ensure the electric grid is efficient and reliable for their customers."

Consumers Energy is making EV ownership more affordable and convenient wherever people drive their vehicles in Michigan. Electric vehicles will be powered by an electric grid that is moving fast to become carbon neutral.

Consumers Energy is Michigan's largest energy provider, providing natural gas and/or electricity to 6.8 million of the state's 10 million residents in all 68 Lower Peninsula counties. Consumers Energy's Clean Energy Plan calls for eliminating coal as an energy source in 2025, achieving net-zero carbon emissions and meeting 90% of customers' energy needs through clean sources, including wind and solar.

Consumers Energy Selected by U.S. Department of Energy for Nearly $20 Million to Add Real-Time Visibility to Grid

Deloitte today announced a first-of-its-kind collaboration with Utilidata, aimed at transforming the utility industry by leveraging AI and data capabilities for intelligent power grid solutions. By combining Deloitte's deep data science and energy industry experience and incorporating NVIDIA's accelerated computing and AI software platform, as well as the Utilidata Karman platform, the new initiative will support clients as they navigate the modern power grid, enhancing the use of renewable energy sources with real-time, actionable insights powered by AI and low-latency edge computing.


"Optimizing energy systems is imperative for intelligent grid infrastructure — the balancing act is between reliability, resilience and sustainability," said Khalid Behairy, AI practice leader for power, utilities and renewables and managing director, Deloitte Consulting LLP. "Through our new collaboration with Utilidata and NVIDIA, we can bring our industry advantage, redefine energy management and help create a more digitized, decentralized, and sustainable energy ecosystem."


As the U.S. power grid modernizes to adapt to the decentralization of energy generation and the dynamic patterns of consumption driven by electric vehicles (EVs) and renewable energy sources, traditional methods of grid operation no longer provide the dependability required for this critical infrastructure.


Smart grid implementation can create more flexible and efficient energy ecosystems through meter-to-transformer mapping, real-time hosting capacity, and distributed energy resource (DER) management. 

Deloitte's recent distributed energy resources report

 shows residential DER capacity could grow to 1,500 GW over the next decade and surpass a doubled peak demand.

Deloitte's collaboration with Utilidata and NVIDIA will help address this challenge by deploying distributed AI-driven analytics at the grid edge, where power is increasingly generated and stored. This custom module and platform — powered by the NVIDIA Jetson edge AI platform and embedded in electricity meters and backed by Deloitte's technology and engineering domain — transforms each meter into a data collection and control point, capable of handling thousands of data points per second. By providing real-time insights that enhance the resiliency and sustainability of energy systems, utilities companies can reduce energy demand forecasting latency, improve response time and field team efficiency, and increase grid safety and uptime.


"The electricity grid is becoming more complex with distributed energy resources, and scaling requires collaboration between global leaders," said Marc Spieler, senior director, energy, NVIDIA. "Working with Deloitte will enable utilities to use a truly open platform to achieve their decarbonization and electrification goals at scale."


"Our goal is to bring the best tools and outcomes to the market as the energy industry races to decarbonize and electrify," said Jess Melanson, president and chief operating officer, Utilidata. "By teaming with NVIDIA and Deloitte, we continue to break down barriers to make it easier to deploy AI at the grid edge to help solve the industry's biggest challenges."


The deployment of AI-enabled smart meters exemplifies how AI and edge computing capabilities enable grid operators to meet rising energy demand from homes and businesses, all while advancing decarbonization, affordability and resilience goals, and enhancing consumer experience. Utilidata and NVIDIA are also working to embed Utilidata's custom NVIDIA module with the Karman platform in other distribution grid devices, helping utilities leverage distributed AI for a wider range of grid planning and operational challenges.


By providing easy access to high-quality data and analysis in real-time, utilities can better understand and predict grid conditions, identify distributed energy resources and understand their impact, and reduce outages and equipment failure.


In addition to sustainability, intelligent grids can promote equity. Deloitte analysis found that if building sector decarbonization targets were met starting with low- and moderate-income customers, all energy-insecure households in every state could benefit from retrofitted, energy-efficient and cost-saving homes by 2035. Historic federal funding for grid investments alone could create 178,000 jobs in smart grid operations 

This announcement follows Deloitte's recent recognition as the 

2024 NVIDIA Global Consulting Partner of the Year

 for the fourth year in a row. Learn more about 

Deloitte's work with Utilidata and NVIDIA


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Utilidata is an AI-powered technology company providing utilities with robust, real-time insights to operate a connected grid. The company's distributed AI platform, Karman, provides unparalleled processing power to the electric distribution grid to accelerate decarbonization and better serve people.



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Deloitte and Utilidata Establish First-of-Its-Kind Collaboration to Revolutionize the US Power Grid for a Sustainable Future

The University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute (UMTRI) has released 

 that studied the relationship between electric vehicle (EV) driving and charging behaviors to understand how those behaviors impact the electric grid. The study was conducted with Utilidata, an AI-powered technology company. 

"At UMTRI, our data collection and research projects are focused on creating a safer, more efficient, and equitable transportation future through data-driven decisions,” said Jim Sayer, UMTRI Director. “Working with Utilidata’s technology revealed the need to capture and analyze granular data locally to maximize the benefits EVs can provide to the grid while significantly mitigating risks. We hope this study will serve as a foundation for a more comprehensive research project to further explore how distributed AI can enable a more efficient and reliable grid to support electric transportation.”

UMTRI installed Utilidata’s distributed AI platform, Karman, via electric meter adapters at multiple EV charging stations on the University of Michigan campus to measure grid performance. Vehicle monitoring devices were installed on the EVs of drivers who charge their vehicles at one or more of the selected charging stations to uncover driving and charging behavior. Data was collected for 16 weeks and found that while there is considerable uncertainty around charging behavior and significant impacts to power quality, there is opportunity for EVs to add value to the grid.


Findings from this initial study include:

EV charging can cause unexpected rapid swings in current draw which can lead to inefficient energy consumption, resulting in overheated wires, transformer stress and possible outages.


Areas with high volumes of unmanaged EV charging are more likely to experience power outages.


Utilities need the ability to calculate high resolution measurements with local computation at individual locations to understand which locations can accommodate EV charging.


EV charging can cause equipment degradation and possible failure as it lowers power quality by introducing current harmonics generated from the conversion of AC to DC power.


With granular real-time data, utilities can manage EV charging in the presence of faults to mitigate the fault impact and facilitate faster recovery.

“It’s clear utilities need tools at the grid edge to fully understand the impact of EV charging in real time. Fortunately, the Karman platform identifies these issues and allows utilities to leverage AI models right at the source of charging to predict, model, and manage EV charging to prevent outages, lower grid costs, and add value to the grid,” said Utilidata CEO Josh Brumberger. “Working with UMTRI allowed us to combine our expertise in AI and the electric grid with UMTRI's expertise in innovation and transportation to identify opportunities and challenges on the grid as EV charging demand increases.”


Utilidata’s distributed AI platform, Karman, is being deployed with utilities to provide real-time visibility of the grid and leverage AI to predict and model grid conditions. This level of visibility and analysis will improve grid reliability and manage distributed energy resources like solar and EVs. Built on a custom module, based on the

edge AI platform, Karman is designed to be embedded into any grid edge device. Aclara, a division of Hubbell Incorporated, is t

 in a residential smart meter.

In 2022, Utilidata established an advisory board to bring together executives from utility companies, auto manufacturers, and technology providers to explore ways to leverage grid edge data to solve industry challenges like EV charging demand.

"As EV ownership increases, energy providers need real-time data to manage EV charging demand and provide effective customer programs,” said Ryan Jackson, Consumers Energy’s executive director of corporate strategy and a member of Utilidata's advisory board. “This computing platform can help us deeply analyze the impacts of a variety of EVs and EV chargers. These insights can be incredibly invaluable as we see more EVs connect to the grid."




Utilidata is an AI-powered technology company providing utilities with robust, real-time insights to operate a connected grid. The company’s distributed AI platform, Karman, provides unparalleled processing power to the electric distribution grid to accelerate decarbonization and better serve people.




UMTRI is a global leader in safe, equitable and efficient transportation research innovation. With partners across academia and sponsors in government and industry, UMTRI remains at the forefront of research innovation to help shape the evolution of a global transportation and mobility system. UMTRI experts focus on large scale data collection, driver behavior, human factors, engineering systems, injury and biomechanics, and are committed to data-driven changes in legislation that will ensure all individuals experience safe, equitable and efficient transportation and mobility options. For more information visit their 

Study from the University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute (UMTRI) Shows New Reliability Concerns Related to Electric Vehicle Charging

Utilidata, an industry leading AI-powered technology company, announced today that 

, a division of leading utility and electrical solutions provider 

, will be the first company to embed Utilidata’s distributed AI platform, Karman, in a smart meter to enable a connected grid that delivers clean and reliable energy. Built on a custom module that leverages the NVIDIA Jetson platform for artificial intelligence, Karman captures and analyzes robust, high-quality data to improve grid operations and manage distributed energy resources (DERs).

“As the grid becomes increasingly more complex and dynamic, utilities need more technology options to operate a clean and reliable grid. By combining Utilidata’s extensive knowledge of distributed AI with Aclara’s decades of experience providing industry-leading hardware, we’re now able to bring new, innovative, interoperable solutions to our customers, starting with smart meters,” said Erik Christian, Division President, Grid Automation of Hubbell.

Aclara, an industry leader with more than 30 million electric meters deployed in North America, will embed Karman into a smart meter to provide utilities with 100 times more processing power than traditional solutions. The Karman embedded meters will provide powerful local computation at the edge of the grid to understand and predict grid conditions and the impacts of DERs. Local AI models will continuously learn to improve grid planning, grid operations, load management, customer service, and a range of other benefits.

“This partnership with Aclara is the starting point of endless opportunities for integrating distributed AI onto the grid,” said Josh Brumberger, CEO of Utilidata. “Utilizing distributed AI, Karman enables better informed, real-time decisions at the grid edge to operate a modern grid. A meter-embedded distributed AI platform is only the beginning - there are more opportunities beyond meters within the electric grid ecosystem that can benefit from having easy to access data and predictive analytics.”

“Utilities are seeking more options for new and innovative technologies, like distributed AI, that give them easily accessible and actionable data,” said Elizabeth Cook, Vice President of Technical Strategy of the Association of Edison Illuminating Companies (AEIC). “Utilidata’s partnership with Aclara makes it easier for utilities to integrate this important technology as the industry continues to build a smart and adaptive grid that is resilient and reliable for customers.”

The partnership follows the trend of market momentum and federal funding driving the utility industry’s need to modernize and report its operational efficiencies, for which distributed AI holds vast potential. In October of 2023, the Department of Energy 

 $3.5 billion in funding for grid modernization projects, including awards to Portland General Electric and Duquesne Light Company to deploy over 100,000 Karman units to increase reliability and accelerate decarbonization and electrification.


“The grid is going to need software-defined solutions, like Karman, that can take on new and different applications over time,” said Marc Spieler, Senior Managing Director - Global Energy at NVIDIA. "NVIDIA’s platform allows companies to develop the software and AI solutions they need. We’re excited to partner with trusted leaders like Utilidata and Aclara to bring our proven platform to a new industry.”


Utilidata’s chief technology officer, Marissa Hummon, and Hubbell’s chief technology officer, Alexis Bernard, will speak together at NVIDIA’s 

, a global AI developer conference, on March 20, 2024 in San Jose, California. Jess Melanson, Utilidata’s president and chief operating officer, will speak at the 

Utilidata is an AI-powered technology company providing utilities with robust, real-time insights to operate a connected grid and better serve their customers. The company’s distributed AI platform, Karman, is powered by the NVIDIA Jetson platform, and provides unparalleled processing power at the grid edge to accelerate decarbonization and better serve people. 


Hubbell Incorporated is a leading manufacturer of utility and electrical solutions enabling customers to operate critical infrastructure safely, reliably and efficiently. With 2023 revenues of $5.4 billion, Hubbell solutions electrify economies and energize communities. The company operates in two segments, Hubbell Utility Solutions (HUS) and Hubbell Electrical Solutions (HES).


Aclara, a division of Hubbell Utility Solutions, is a world-class supplier of smart infrastructure solutions (SIS) and services to more than 1,000 water, gas, and electric utilities globally. Aclara SIS offerings include smart meters and other field devices, advanced metering infrastructure and software and services that enable utilities to predict and respond to conditions, leverage their distribution networks effectively, and engage with their customers.

Utilidata Partners with Aclara to Bring Distributed AI to the Grid Edge 

Karman anticipates and solves real-time challenges at the edge of the electric grid

, an AI-powered technology company, announced today the formal branding of its distributed AI platform, now known as Karman.

“For the past decade, Utilidata has advanced real-time software solutions to make the electric grid cleaner, more efficient, and more resilient,” said Theresa Gilbert, Chief Experience Officer at Utilidata. “We’re in a period of growth and evolution, making significant strides to bring distributed AI to the grid edge to support utilities and customers in their energy transition. Unveiling Karman reflects the dawn of a new era for both Utilidata and the grid.”

Karman utilizes NVIDIA’s accelerated computing to bring 100 times the processing power of other meter-based solutions to the edge of the grid, making it possible to capture high-resolution data and identify patterns in large volumes of data.

The distributed AI platform connects millions of endpoints — from meters to EV chargers and solar panels — and coordinates them to monitor and react to real-time conditions. By providing access to better quality data in real-time, Karman provides utilities with a last mile view of their system and serves as a foundation to operating the grid.

Today, distribution grid operators commonly forecast and monitor energy loads manually with minimal automation due to a lack of computing power at the grid edge for real-time decision-making. With Karman, utilities will have the ability to command grid assets in real-time and make split second decisions based on changing grid conditions.

The Karman platform provides real-time system visibility, electric vehicle integration, solar integration, demand flexibility and system resiliency. Specifically designed for grid operations with an open, software-defined architecture, Karman will become smarter and more valuable over time as new AI models are developed and more applications are added.

Utilidata is an AI-powered technology company providing utilities with robust, real-time insights to operate a connected grid and better serve their customers. The company’s distributed AI platform, Karman, is powered by the NVIDIA Jetson platform, and provides unparalleled processing power at the grid edge to accelerate decarbonization and better serve people. For more information, visit 

Utilidata Formally Brands its Distributed AI Platform Karman 

, an industry leading grid-edge technology company, today announced a research partnership with the 

University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute (UMTRI)

 to study the relationship between electric vehicle (EV) driving and charging behaviors to better understand how those behaviors impact the electric grid. Utilizing Utilidata’s smart grid chips, a first-of-its-kind distributed artificial intelligence (AI) platform, researchers have installed the technology on several EV charging stations across University of Michigan’s (U-M) campus to collect data on the impact on the grid.

Utilidata’s smart grid chips are collecting real-time voltage, current, and power data at the edge of the grid, allowing researchers to analyze and detect EV charging patterns at each location. This data will be analyzed alongside vehicle data from a group of participants within the research study who have a vehicle monitoring device installed on their EV. Data from the monitoring device includes start and stop time for charging, location of charging, trips taken, and acceleration/deceleration. Closely analyzing driving and charging behavior will lead to a better understanding of how to manage EV demand on the grid and help utilities develop customer smart charging programs. As UMTRI researchers continue to collect and analyze data, they’ll have access to the recently announced 

 for further collaboration. Results from the UMTRI study are anticipated later this year.

“As more people invest in electric vehicles, our electric grid needs to be ready to support the influx in energy demand. We’re thrilled to have partners like UMTRI whose research and studies have made major, lasting impacts on the transportation industry,” said Josh Brumberger, Utilidata’s Chief Executive Officer. “Access to real-time insights of when EVs are charging will help utilities identify charging locations and design better EV programs for customers.”

The study with UMTRI follows the recent 

news on Utilidata’s new innovation lab and its commercial manufacturing partnership

“As we transition to electric transportation, the industry needs cutting edge technologies, like Utilidata’s smart grid chip, to meet the moment and bring us into the future”, said Jim Sayer, UMTRI director. “Partnering with Utilidata allows us to combine their energy and grid expertise with our decades of experience in conducting large scale research projects, data collection, and deployments that lead to a safer, more efficient, and equitable transportation and mobility future.”

EVs are projected to make up almost 50 percent of all car sales by 2030, and Michigan’s goal is to build the infrastructure necessary to support 2 million EVs on its roads by that time. As the transition to cleaner technologies continues, specifically in the automotive space, understanding the potential impact of these new technologies on the grid will be crucial. Utilidata’s smart grid chip, powered by the NVIDIA Jetson platform, is a new distributed AI platform installed alongside electric meters to integrate more distributed energy resources (DERs) including solar, battery storage, and EVs and enhance resiliency of the electric grid. Leveraging NVIDIA’s accelerated computing and AI technology, the smart grid chip collects and analyzes large amounts of data at the edge of the grid to provide utilities with real-time visibility of grid conditions.


Utilidata is a technology company bringing distributed artificial intelligence (AI) to the edge of the electric grid to accelerate decarbonization and better serve utility customers. The company’s smart grid chip, powered by NVIDIA, is the utility industry’s first scalable distributed AI solution, and provides an open, scalable and future-proof platform for grid operations. For more information, visit 

Utilidata Partners with the University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute (UMTRI) on Electric Vehicle Charging Behavior Study

Utilidata, an industry leading grid-edge technology company, announced today a manufacturing partnership with Michigan-based Brooks Utility Products, a manufacturer of electric metering related products for over 150 years, to establish domestic manufacturing for its NVIDIA-powered smart grid chips in the heartland of the United States. Utilidata is also opening its innovation lab where research and development for its smart grid chips will take place.

, will bring the product to full commercialization in 2023 with assembly, testing, and use of their meter socket adapter. Commercial-scale production will begin this spring to meet utility customer demand. Current utility customers utilizing Utilidata’s smart grid chips include Portland General Electric and Lake Placid Municipal Power.

“Brooks is excited to work with Utilidata to bring new technology and innovation to the electric utility market,” said Robert Kiessling, Brooks Utility Products national marketing manager. “The grid needs technologies like the smart grid chip to become cleaner, more resilient, and decentralized. Coupling Utilidata’s innovative platform and smart chip technology with Brooks’ focus on safe and reliable products provides the optimal solution for a dynamically changing electrical grid.”

Utilidata’s innovation lab is located in the Northern Brewery building in Ann Arbor, and serves as the company’s center of excellence for rapid prototyping and design. The facility is intended to build upon the company’s work with Ann Arbor-based Endectra, a University of Michigan spinout that prototyped the first several generations of the smart grid chip product. Utilidata will harness the talent from the University of Michigan and other local institutions as it begins to recruit for several immediate high-tech engineering jobs at its lab in Ann Arbor.

“One of the biggest challenges electric utilities face is managing the rapid adoption of electric transportation, so there is no better place to be innovating than in Michigan at the intersection of the electric transportation, manufacturing, and clean energy industries,” said Josh Brumberger, Utilidata CEO. “The State of Michigan’s recent investments in technology innovation and workforce development combined with the research and talent of the University of Michigan and other local institutions made Ann Arbor a clear choice.”

Utilidata’s smart grid chip is a distributed artificial intelligence (AI) platform that enhances resiliency of the electric grid, integrates distributed energy resources (DERs) — including solar, storage, and electric vehicles (EVs) — and accelerates the transition to a decarbonized grid. 

, which is powered by NVIDIA’s accelerated computing and AI technology, collects and analyzes large amounts of granular data at the edge of the grid to provide utility distribution companies with enhanced visibility to seamlessly integrate more clean energy while also reducing power outages and enabling quicker storm recovery.


Utilidata is a technology company bringing distributed artificial intelligence (AI) to the edge of the electric grid to accelerate decarbonization and better serve utility customers. The company’s smart grid chip, powered by NVIDIA, is the utility industry’s first scalable distributed AI solution, and provides an open, scalable and future-proof platform for grid operations. For more information, visit utilidata.com.


Brooks Utility Products innovates, manufactures and supplies complete lines of metering related products for the utility industry. For more information about Brooks Utility Products visit 

Utilidata Announces Michigan-Based Manufacturing Partnership and Opening of Innovation Lab

Utilidata, an industry leading grid-edge technology company, announced today that Portland General Electric (PGE) will pilot Utilidata’s smart grid chip, a first-of-its-kind distributed artificial intelligence (AI) platform, in Oregon.

Utilidata’s smart grid chip, powered by the NVIDIA Jetson platform, is a new distributed AI platform installed alongside electric meters that integrates distributed energy resources (DERs) including solar, battery storage, and electric vehicles (EVs) and enhances resiliency of the electric grid. Leveraging NVIDIA accelerated computing and AI technology, the smart grid chip collects and analyzes large amounts of granular data at the edge of the grid in real-time. With this open, software-defined platform electric utilities expect to be able to seamlessly add more clean energy, reduce power outages, enable quicker storm recovery, and ultimately lower the cost of grid operations. The smart grid chip’s open software design also allows PGE and their partners to develop custom applications and solutions.

Smart grid chips are anticipated to be installed within PGE’s Smart Grid Test Bed, which incentivizes customers to use smart-home technologies. This first phase of the deployment will provide initial real-time visibility at the edge of the grid and support PGE’s decarbonization transition. Ultimately, this positions PGE to scale the next generation of distributed intelligence across a modern grid.

“In Oregon, we are experiencing the impacts of climate change first-hand and recognize the urgent need for innovation at the grid edge as we transition to a clean energy future,” said Ananth Sundaram, Senior Manager of Integrated Grid at Portland General Electric. “Investing in new technologies for the grid is a key strategy for PGE to achieve its climate goals and provide customers with clean, affordable, and resilient energy.”

PGE serves over 900,000 customers and has ambitious greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction targets, including an 80 percent reduction in baseline GHG emissions from power served to retail customers. To meet these targets, PGE aims to source 25 percent of its peak load, which is when energy demand and costs are highest, from clean energy resources at the edge of the grid such as residential rooftop solar and batteries. The smart grid chip will enable PGE to better leverage these DERs to meet its goals.

“Modernizing grid infrastructure in time to meet essential decarbonization goals requires transformational leadership,” said Jess Melanson, Utilidata President and Chief Operating Officer. “Utilidata is proud to work with Portland General Electric, an innovative partner who understands the value of making investments to not only solve today’s challenges, but to prepare for the dramatic changes the grid will face in the coming years. We are inspired by PGE’s commitment to innovation and look forward to working together to transform grid operations and better serve PGE customers.”

“No industry stands to gain as much from the forces of AI and machine learning as in energy,” said Marc Spieler, Head of Global Energy Business Development at NVIDIA. “With AI, we now have the technology to deploy an intelligent energy grid that is more reliable, secure, and efficient – and in collaboration with Utilidata and PGE, NVIDIA is working to create an intelligent energy infrastructure for a sustainable future, expanding our work in Oregon.”

PGE’s Smart Grid Test Bed is a community-driven approach to managing energy use and demand to accelerate the clean energy transition. The test bed spans three neighborhoods with over 20,000 participating customers who are incentivized to use smart-home technologies, such as thermostats, water heaters, EV chargers, and batteries, to gain better control over their energy use and carbon footprint while helping PGE operate the grid more efficiently.


Utilidata is a technology company bringing distributed artificial intelligence (AI) to the edge of the electric grid to accelerate decarbonization and better serve utility customers. The company’s smart grid chip, powered by NVIDIA, is the utility industry’s first scalable distributed AI solution, and provides an open, future-proof platform for grid operations. For more information, visit utilidata.com.

Utilidata’s Distributed AI To Be Deployed With Portland General Electric

(PROVIDENCE, RI – March 15, 2023) Utilidata announced today that the company is working with NVIDIA to develop and deploy a lower-cost, lower-power module to deliver real-time AI at the edge of the grid. The purpose-built module will leverage the NVIDIA Jetson platform and power Utilidata’s smart grid chip, a distributed AI platform installed alongside electric meters to enhance grid resiliency, lower grid operations costs, and integrate distributed energy resources (DERs) — including solar, energy storage, and electric vehicles (EVs) — accelerating the transition to a decarbonized grid. The module will be deployed with Utilidata’s smart grid chips beginning in 2024.

“With edge AI, electric grids can be made more intelligent, reliable, secure, sustainable, and efficient,” said Deepu Talla, vice president of embedded and edge computing at NVIDIA. “Over 1 million developers and 6,000 partners and customers have adopted NVIDIA Jetson to benefit many of the world’s largest industries, and this initiative with Utilidata will bring transformative technology to accelerate the clean energy transition.”

The new purpose-built module will bring the necessary computational power via a graphics processing unit (GPU) to the edge of the grid at a power consumption, price point, and security standard that lowers the overall cost of decarbonization while accelerating the clean energy transition and improving reliability and resiliency of the grid.

“Utilidata’s smart grid chip, with the first-ever purpose-built AI module for the grid, will transform how utilities operate the grid edge to better serve their customers,” said Josh Brumberger, Utilidata’s CEO. “By working with NVIDIA on a custom module, we are able to make edge AI accessible to all utilities and significantly drive down the cost of electrifying transportation, add more solar and energy storage to customers’ homes and businesses, and greatly increase the reliability of the grid.”

Utilidata began collaborating with NVIDIA 

 to develop the smart grid chip using the NVIDIA® Jetson Nano™ system-on-module. These first-generation devices were installed in 2022 for a 

demonstration project in Lake Placid, New York

, at customer locations along the circuit that serves the Olympic Bobsled Complex. Smart grid chips deployed in 2023 with multiple utility partners will be powered by the 

The new purpose-built module contains a specific-sized memory block for grid edge data, optimized clock speeds of the central processing unit (CPU) and GPU to maximize energy efficiency, and a customized number of cores to optimize the cost of the module. It is specifically designed to rapidly process measurements like waveform data from the grid and continuously generate AI models for uses such as granular demand forecasting, identifying pre-outage conditions, and interconnecting new DERs to the grid. This smaller-sized module will be easier to add directly into grid edge devices like EV chargers, solar inverters, and meters. The open hardware and software architecture empowers third-party developers to integrate proprietary software and build new grid-edge applications, using standard metrology, data processing, and DER interaction tools.

The edge of the electric grid, where customers’ homes and businesses connect to the utility system, is becoming exponentially more complex. As more people shift to producing and storing their own energy with solar, batteries, and EVs, powerful computation is needed to process massive amounts of data within seconds and provide grid operators with visibility, information, and tools to enhance reliability, enable demand flexibility, and adapt to a new way of operating the grid. Edge AI accelerates complex computation and decisions where data is being generated by energy consumers, rather than sending large amounts of complex data to a central cloud computing data center, which increases costs and latency, and delays real-time decision making.

Utilidata’s smart grid chip collects and analyzes grid edge data to provide utility companies with real-time visibility into grid performance and capacity. This enables utilities to seamlessly add more clean energy and reduce the cost of existing grid operations or upgrading existing grid infrastructure. The smart grid chip processes waveform data with continuous monitoring and pattern recognition to inform real-time decisions on the grid in split seconds, instead of minutes or hours, which increases reliability and resolves issues with power distribution before outages occur.

NVIDIA Jetson is a leading AI-at-the-edge computing platform with over a million developers using it for edge AI and robotics. With pre-trained AI models, developer SDKs and support for cloud-native technologies across the full Jetson lineup, manufacturers of intelligent machines and AI developers can build and deploy high-quality, software-defined features on embedded and edge devices targeting robotics, AIoT, energy, smart cities, healthcare, industrial applications, and more.

About Utilidata
Utilidata is a technology company bringing distributed artificial intelligence (AI) to the edge of the electric grid to accelerate decarbonization and better serve utility customers. The company’s smart grid chip, powered by NVIDIA, is the utility industry’s first scalable distributed AI solution, and provides an open, scalable and future-proof platform for grid operations. For more information, visit 

Utilidata Announces Development of a Custom Module for AI at the Edge of the Grid

(PROVIDENCE, RI – April 5, 2022) Utilidata, an industry leading grid edge software company, announced today that it is launching an advisory board with NVIDIA to guide the development and deployment of grid edge software solutions, including its recently announced smart grid chip. The advisory board will bring together executives from utility companies and leaders in clean energy and electric transportation. Founding members include American Electric Power (AEP), Duquesne Light Company, Holy Cross Energy, PPL, Silicon Valley Clean Energy, and Sunrun, and conversations are underway with other interested organizations.

“The electric grid is the backbone of our economy and we are placing increasing demands upon it as we work to electrify everything and combat climate change,” said Josh Brumberger, Utilidata CEO. “The grid needs and deserves the world’s best technologies, and the adoption of business models and regulatory processes that accelerate the pace of change. Members of this advisory group are already tackling these challenges in different ways, and we look forward to working together to explore how our technologies can cost-effectively decarbonize the grid, deliver exponential value, and give customers more choice.”

The smart grid chip that Utilidata is developing with NVIDIA combines Utilidata’s patented and proven machine learning software for grid operations with the NVIDIA Jetson™ edge AI platform and NVIDIA AI Enterprise software suite. The chip will leverage real-time data from smart meters and other distribution grid devices to detect anomalies that are precursors to system failures and outages, optimize grid operations, and integrate exponentially more distributed energy resources (DERs) onto the utility system. It will also serve as a platform for other technology companies to deploy their own grid edge applications.

“Edge computing and AI will accelerate the ability for the traditional electric grid to handle distributed and modern renewable energy resources, such as electric cars, solar panels, and battery storage,” said Manuvir Das, Vice President of Enterprise Computing at NVIDIA. “We’re working to create an AI-powered platform that utilities, solar providers, and electric vehicle companies can use to make the energy grid more resilient, reliable, and secure.”

Members will continue to be added to the advisory board and the group will meet throughout the year to explore how best to leverage data and advanced grid edge processing across a variety of use cases, including DER integration, climate resiliency, and open data. Participating utilities have committed to pilot the smart grid chip and incorporate the technology into advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) and grid edge hardware business cases if it proves value-creating.

Founding advisory board members offered the following comments:

Lisa Barton, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer at AEP

 “For the past decade, AEP has leveraged Utilidata’s real-time software to deliver value to our customers. In that time, they’ve proven to be an innovative partner that understands the grid. We look forward to working with members of the advisory board to advance technology and usher in the next era of energy innovation.”

Kevin Walker, President & CEO of Duquesne Light Company:

 “To deliver a clean energy future for all, we need to ensure that our system meets current electrical demand while preparing for future demand that will come from increased electrification. We’re already working with Utilidata on data-driven grid visualization to enhance our grid planning efforts, and we look forward to collaborating with members of the advisory board to explore additional data-driven edge solutions for a modern grid.” 

Bryan Hannegan, CEO of Holy Cross Energy:

 “The one device that every utility relies on is the meter, but the current functionality is limited. By bringing advanced computing to the meter, Utilidata and NVIDIA are unlocking the ability for utilities to better manage and control distributed energy resources like solar PV systems and electric vehicle chargers for the benefit of the grid as well as for the benefit of the consumer. This will allow us to improve and expand the ways we provide affordable, clean and resilient energy services to the people and communities we serve.”

Matthew Green, Chief Information & Digital Officer at PPL:

 “The grid edge is the most valuable real estate on the system, as it’s where our infrastructure meets customers’ investments in everything from EVs to smart homes. We need innovators like Utilidata and NVIDIA who are going to bring new capabilities to the edge so that we can deliver even greater value from investments like smart meters.” 

Girish Balachandran, CEO of Silicon Valley Clean Energy:

 “Technology that promotes open access to meter-level data is essential to leverage the clean electric grid transition with rapid decarbonization of the transportation and building sectors. Customers and innovators require open access to meter data to ensure innovation plays a major role in decarbonization.”

 “Now is the time for all players in the energy world to embrace radical collaboration. It is the fastest, most effective way to address climate change and to build a more resilient and cost-effective grid of the future. We need to leverage innovation, distributed energy technologies and scale as fast as humanly possible. This advisory board is a key component for how we can drive the kind of collaboration and scaling of solutions needed. Sunrun is proud to have Chris Rauscher serving for us in this capacity.”

Utilidata is a leading energy technology company that is digitizing the grid edge to unleash the full potential of clean energy. The company’s patented real-time machine learning software leverages data from every point on the distribution grid to enhance visibility, optimize operations, detect anomalies, and integrate distributed energy resources. For more information, visit 

Utilidata Launches Grid Edge Advisory Board With NVIDIA

(PROVIDENCE, RI – February 8, 2022) Utilidata, an industry leading grid-edge software company, announced today that it has secured $26.75 million in new capital. The round was led by Louis Bacon’s Moore Strategic Ventures (MSV), with participation from the Microsoft Climate Innovation Fund and NVIDIA, as well as existing investors Keyframe Capital, Braemar Energy Ventures, and MUUS Asset Management.

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