viboo

High-Level Overview

viboo AG is a Swiss deep-tech startup developing a cloud-based AI platform that connects to IoT devices in light commercial and multi-family buildings to boost operational efficiency, particularly by reducing heating energy consumption by 20-40% through self-learning predictive control.[1][3][6] It serves building operators, manufacturers of heating equipment, and property owners by offering Predictive Control as a Service (PCaaS), including a lightweight Building Management System (BMS) cockpit for energy insights, system health analysis, and seamless operations in older buildings.[1][3] The platform solves the problem of high energy use and suboptimal comfort in buildings using physics-informed machine learning and optimization, with early pilots lined up and a planned launch around winter following its Venture Kick funding.[3]

The team blends building automation experts, serial entrepreneurs, software engineers, and real estate sales professionals, positioning viboo for scalable growth in the smart building sector amid rising demands for energy efficiency.[1][3]

Origin Story

viboo AG emerged as a spinoff from the Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology (Empa) and ETH Zurich, where its core algorithm was developed over five years of research.[1][3] Co-founded by Felix Bünning (CEO), Benjamin Huber (CTO), and Matthias Sulzer (CFO), the idea stemmed from advancing predictive control for smart thermostats to cut building energy use while enhancing comfort.[3] A pivotal moment came in securing CHF 150,000 from Venture Kick, which refined their pitch from a tech-centric focus to a sharper value proposition and funded software development for features like demand-side management (DSM).[3] Early traction includes pilot projects with leading heating manufacturers and large building owners, marking its transition from research to market-ready PCaaS.[3]

Core Differentiators

• AI-Powered Predictive Control: Unique self-learning algorithms combining physics-informed machine learning and mathematical optimization, delivering 20-40% energy savings over standard solutions while improving occupant comfort—scalable as PCaaS for easy integration into existing IoT thermostats.[1][3][6]
• Flexibility and Scalability: Works with legacy buildings via a light BMS cockpit for real-time insights, data-driven health checks, and operations; first-mover in PCaaS for building energy components, including DSM support.[1][3]
• Research Pedigree and Team: Backed by Empa/ETHZ origins and a multidisciplinary team of automation experts, entrepreneurs, engineers, and sales pros from real estate.[1][3]
• Proven Early Validation: Venture Kick award and pilots with market leaders underscore its edge in deep-tech commercialization.[3]

(Note: Distinct from unrelated Chinese firms like DongGuan Viboo Electronic Technology Co., Ltd., which focus on security scanners and vacuum lifters.[2][4][5])

Role in the Broader Tech Landscape

viboo rides the wave of AI-driven sustainability in smart buildings, addressing global pressure to decarbonize heating—responsible for ~40% of building energy use—amid EU and Swiss net-zero mandates.[1][3] Timing aligns with IoT proliferation and post-pandemic retrofits for multi-family housing, where older structures demand non-invasive upgrades.[1] Market tailwinds include rising energy costs, regulatory pushes for efficiency, and demand-response grids favoring DSM integration.[3] By enabling manufacturers to embed AI controls, viboo influences the ecosystem, accelerating adoption of intelligent thermostats and partnering with platforms like Siemens Xcelerator.[6]

Quick Take & Future Outlook

viboo is primed to scale its PCaaS post-launch, expanding DSM features and partnerships to capture the $100B+ building energy management market.[3] Trends like edge AI, stricter emissions rules, and grid modernization will propel growth, potentially evolving viboo into a key enabler for district heating optimization. Its Empa roots and pilot momentum suggest outsized influence in Europe's green tech shift, transforming inefficient buildings into energy-efficient assets.[1][3][6]