GE Vernova Launches Grid Software Startup, ThinkLabs AI

GE Vernova announced the launch of its first startup, ThinkLabs AI, which is focused on developing technology to enhance grid planning. The unveiling of ThinkLabs AI was led by GE Vernova’s Electrification Software business and Josh Wong, former General Manager of Grid Orchestration. During his tenure at GE Vernova, Wong worked on the application of disruptive technologies to assist electric utilities in managing, balancing, optimizing, and coordinating the grid, and now serves as CEO for ThinkLabs AI.

ThinkLabs AI is developing a software application utilizing intelligent automation and AI to improve grid planning operations. The software is in its early stage and will complement GE Vernova’s GridOS software portfolio—a platform of AI and Power Systems-based applications designed for reliable, secure, and flexible grid orchestration for utilities.

“Our customers and the vital energy challenges we’re solving for demand relentless innovation,” said Limor Spector, President of Ventures and Incubation for GE Vernova. “This initial early-stage investment highlights one of the many ways we are committed to developing an innovative ecosystem in support of changing the trajectory of climate change.”

GE Vernova pre-seeded the startup with an early-stage investment, with an additional $5 million seed-stage investment from Powerhouse Ventures and Active Impact Investments. Other investors in the startup include Blackhorn Ventures, Amplify Capital, Mercuria Energy, and a national U.S. energy company. ThinkLabs AI will be privately owned by GE Vernova and the additional investors.

In Feburary 2024, GE Vernova also announced the launch of its GridOS Data Fabric software designed for grid orchestration. Data Fabric can help utilities operate a smarter, more resilient grid as renewable energy increases and extreme weather events become more frequent. The software uses federation to access decentralized data from multiple sources and virtualization to generate a centralized view across the grid ecosystem, including transmission, distribution, information technology (IT), and operational technology (OT) applications.

“This launch includes GridOS Connect, our energy data integration engine, a key component for the federated grid data fabric that feeds continuously updated data sets into the system. This is information that has been difficult for utilities to compile and analyze holistically in the past," said Thorsten Heller, Chief Innovation Officer at GE Vernova’s Grid Software business. “With GE Vernova's acquisition of Greenbird Integration Technology AS last year, we are ready to help utilities unlock data for a smarter, resilient grid that is fit for future generations.”

A unified data perspective helps operators discover, govern, and utilize large volumes of highly distributed data to make informed decisions faster while managing the grid in real-time. GridOS Data Fabric can integrate energy data from across OT and IT applications, as well as external data sources such as weather, wildfire, traffic, and emergency services information, to enable coordinated decision-making.

Itron, a partner in the release of this software, will leverage GE Vernova’s GridOS Data Fabric to connect grid operations and grid edge data from sources such as residential solar, electric vehicles, and more. The GridOS strategy is focused around a modular, composable, data-driven software portfolio designed to orchestrate a sustainable energy grid and support the energy transition. The software release builds on GE Vernova’s Greenbird Integration Technology AS acquisition and the official launch of GridOS in 2023.