ThinkLabs AI, a startup focused on developing technology to help enhance grid planning through a combination of intelligent automation and AI, announced its launch from GE Vernova and a $5 million seed investment co-led by Powerhouse Ventures and Active Impact Investments, with participation from Blackhorn Ventures, Amplify Capital, Mercuria Energy, and a national US energy company.
The electrical grid is under a lot of pressure as the energy transition accelerates. And network congestion from electric vehicle charging and data center growth, aging infrastructure, long interconnection queues for renewable developments, adverse weather events, and workforce constraints are salient pain points for utilities around the world. The pain points create real risks to reliable grid operation.
Headed by industry veteran and proven energy entrepreneur Josh Wong, ThinkLabs is developing its flagship product ThinkLabs Copilot to help enable control room operators to more effectively operate complex modern grids in increasingly challenging contexts. And this digital assistant is being designed to ensure reliability in territories with high penetration of distributed energy resources (DERs) and renewables. For example, EV charging and data centers are also causing unpredictable congestions on the grid and causing grid reliability concerns. By utilizing an AI copilot, grid conditions can be continuously monitored, violations detected, and solutions automatically recommended before problems occur.
The ThinkLabs Copilot was designed to support natural language interactions and augments centralized operational systems such as Advanced Distribution Management Systems (ADMS) and Distributed Energy Resource Management Systems (DERMS), while enhancing edge intelligence.
KEY QUOTES:
“As AI is becoming more pervasive in generating texts, images and videos, we see the need for specialized AI for utility grids that are rapidly decarbonizing. Our unique capability is in modeling real world phenomena governed by physics and engineering into its equivalent physics-informed AI digital twin, and providing a grid copilot for critical grid planning and operations.”
– Josh Wong, founder and CEO of ThinkLabs
“We are excited by the unique skills and experiences that Josh and the ThinkLabs’ team bring to building autonomous orchestration capabilities, which are critical for modern grids to operate reliably as the world electrifies and decarbonizes.”
– Emily Kirsh, Managing Partner, Powerhouse Ventures
“Maintaining grid stability is getting more complex, and more pivotal as we transition to cleaner, more abundant and variable sources of energy. Josh and his team at ThinkLabs are trusted experts in this industry and have proven their ability to solve complex challenges for utilities and ensure our grid stays reliable.”
– Mike Winterfield, Founder and Managing Partner, Active Impact Investments
