Sense Secures Strategic Backing from Analog Devices to Advance Grid Edge Intelligence
Sense, a Boston-based grid edge software company, has received a strategic investment from Analog Devices, Inc. (ADI), a semiconductor firm with a growing presence in energy and industrial systems. The investment signals rising interest in using smart meters as platforms for distributed sensing and computation to support the energy transition.
The two companies plan to work with meter makers and utility partners to expand processing capabilities at the grid edge—particularly inside next-generation AMI platforms. Executives from both firms argue that smart meters, which sit at the interface between customers and the distribution system, could play a larger role in load visibility, fault detection, and distributed resource coordination.
“Smart meters are at the intersection of homes and buildings and the grid,” said Sense CEO Mike Phillips. “With the right data and computational capabilities, meters can provide the distributed intelligence needed to better manage our energy resources.”
Sense develops software that processes high-resolution waveform data from meters to generate real-time insights. Utilities are using similar techniques to identify behind-the-meter loads, detect power quality issues, and support restoration and planning. Sense also offers consumer-facing applications that provide real-time usage information and device-level insights.
From ADI’s perspective, the investment aligns with its strategy to move beyond component supply and toward system-level solutions. “For intelligence at the edge, the industry needs scalable and affordable solutions that can extract actionable real-time insights for consumers and enable meaningful visibility and controls for grid operators,” said Vitaly Goltsberg, General Manager for Energy at ADI.
AMI vendors are also watching the space closely. Landis+Gyr, which has previously integrated Sense technology into its meters, said software-based intelligence will likely become a core feature of future AMI deployments. “Software like this will be essential to the future of AMI by enabling utilities to see more of the grid in real time, respond faster to emerging risks, and operate a system that is more adaptive to changing demands,” said Amith Kota, Chief Product & Technology Officer at Landis+Gyr.
Sense has been working with meter manufacturers and utilities for nearly a decade. The company expects its software to run on tens of millions of meters in the U.S. over the next several years as utilities seek additional visibility into rapidly evolving distribution systems shaped by DER adoption, electrification, and customer engagement tools.
ADI joins a group of existing investors supporting the company’s focus on grid edge intelligence and utility operational needs.