Realizing the Promise of Embedded AI With Two Key Additions

We recently announced an exciting development in our strategy to embed artificial intelligence (AI) across the full AspenTech product line, with the acquisition of two companies — Mnubo and Sabisu — recognized innovators in AIoT and data visualization, respectively. Combining AspenTech’s deep domain expertise with Mnubo’s AI and Sabisu’s visualization technology, we can enable our customers to monetize their existing data, getting deeper insights that provide the basis for safer, greener, longer and faster operations.

At OPTIMIZE 2019, we heard from many of our customers about how environmental concerns, delivering additional points of margin and the needs of a changing workforce are spurring them to explore solutions to create the “smart enterprise.” AI-powered analysis and decision support offers an accelerated path for them to safely drive their operations at the limits of performance, while addressing their most top-of-mind challenges.

To accelerate our own path to embedded AI, AspenTech has acquired Mnubo (noo-bo), a Montreal-based provider of purpose-built AI and analytics infrastructure for the internet of things (IoT). Mnubo was founded in 2012 by co-founders Frederic Bastien, Jean-Christophe Cimino, Aditya Pendyala and Jean-Charles Beaudin. Mnubo’s cutting-edge technology enables companies to quickly develop and deploy AI and machine learning applications at enterprise scale. Over the last seven years, Mnubo’s effectiveness has been proven in multiple industries, enabling their customers to predict energy trends, optimize production yields and increase asset effectiveness.

Combining first-principle models with AI at enterprise scale will create the next generation of solutions, and Mnubo is one of the very few companies with an AI framework that enables these enterprise-wide solutions. AspenTech is committed to the further development of the technology and is building a Montreal-based AI + IoT Center of Excellence that supports and draws on the world-class data science talent in Montreal.

The smart enterprise also requires the ability to visualize vast quantities of analyzed data. To better deliver that capability, AspenTech acquired Sabisu, a UK-based company that provides flexible enterprise-wide visualization and workflow solutions. Sabisu, founded by Tim Sharpe in 2002, offers real-time decision support between engineering, operations, planning and maintenance teams.

The Sabisu platform collects and analyzes diverse datasets from multiple resources, including the Aspen InfoPlus.21^® historian, along with third-party stores such as databases, ERP systems, spreadsheets and other historians. Sabisu generates role-based actionable insights with customized views for use across the enterprise. Some of AspenTech’s largest customers are also customers of Sabisu.

Importantly, both of these companies provide solutions that support the unique scale and operating needs of our industry — from safety and environmental regulations to managing points of margin in highly competitive markets. By leveraging their technology to extend the reach of AI across the enterprise, we will be able to offer our customers some key benefits, such as easier implementation and maintenance.

It’s an exciting time for our industries, as companies around the world continue to explore how today’s advanced technologies can position them for success that is sustainable regardless of market conditions. With these additions to AspenTech, we’re clearing the path for them to achieve that goal.