Happy Holidays from all at Greenbird

The Greenbirds have been busy in 2018 – Australia, Asia, the US and Europe - we’ve been on the move. In fact, we been travelling so much Thorsten’s trade-mark green sneakers are almost worn out. 2018 has disappeared in a Green Flash!

Driving Digital Transformation

I recently wrote a blog which started “adaptation to disruption needs to happen at a faster pace.” I believe that big legacy utilities need (and are able) to adopt a lean startup mindset. They need to act fast to keep pace with emerging technologies and challenges from small, agile, fast-moving growth companies.

At Greenbird, we too must be agile and adapt quickly in an environment where the existing energy sector is in disruption.

One of the highlights for us in 2018 has been the launch of our expanded Digital Integration Hub, Utilihive. The expanded Big Data iPaaS (Integration Platform as a Service) will help our utility company customers make the most of emerging technologies and accelerate their digital transformation. Utilihive will enable utilities to become platformed digital utilities, managing an ecosystem that accommodates and leverages the growing number of Energy 4.0 solution providers.

We want Utilihive to be at the center of an ecosystem that enables utilities and their partners to work collaboratively, driving innovation and better outcomes for their customers.

2018 saw Utilihive being rolled-out to more utility customers across Europe, Middle and Far East and Asia. In addition we established new partnerships with GridCure, Mycroft Mind, Adaptricity and Gridwatch. These companies join a growing ecosystem around Utilihive that is working to optimize energy strategies, improve smart grid operations and provide new services for consumers.

It was amazing to have been selected as one of Gartner’s “Cool Vendors” in application, architecture, infrastructure and integration for our Digital Integration Hub – we will still be feeling proud about this in 2019!

Data Integration, breaking down data silos and improving the flow of data around an organization helps innovation. Cross fertilization of areas of expertise within an organization is where innovative ideas happen.

This is one of the reasons we found the Free Electrons Program so stimulating. Greenbird made the final selection of 15 startups, chosen by the nine participating utility companies. The program took the Greenbird team to Australia, Silicon Valley and finally to Berlin. Discussing the future of the sector and exchanging ideas with the participating utilities and the other startups was a rewarding experience.

In fact, we’ve met many, many, interesting people this year from all around the world. We’ve had fascinating discussions with people at conferences in Asia, the Middle East and Europe.

(Some of our clients have adapted their foot-ware to match ours.)

The year has ended with the amazing news that we have been awarded a grant from the Horizon 2020 fund. The award will enable us to continue to develop Utilihive Digital Integration Hub and expand its capabilities to emerging technologies. The award recognizes the significant impact that our technology can bring in changing the way our cities and society work in the future.

Supporting UNICEF this Christmas!

UNICEF is a branch of the United Nations that focuses on helping children around the world. It has established an emergency relief response for Syria, where a sobering 80 percent of children have been affected by the civil war. At Greenbird we are donating 500NOK per employee to the UNICEF Syria mission to go towards supporting children’s basic needs, including proper medical care, clean water and nutritional food.

All of us at Greenbird would like to wish you a very Merry Christmas, a happy new year and may all your data fly in 2019.

Thorsten Heller
CEO and Co-founder Greenbird Integration Technology