Start-up of the Month: SenseING

The Karlsruhe-based start-up SenseING has set itself the task of reducing errors in the supply chain and is developing IoT solutions for this purpose, which can be used across all industries. In this interview, Sven Kruse, who founded the company in 2021 together with Kiryl Deschuk and Ivo Frank, talks about the origins and goals of SenseING.

How did you come up with the idea of founding a start-up in the field of IoT solutions?

Our idea came about during a hackathon at the WBK Institute for Production Technology at KIT. At that time, we, Kiryl Deschuk and I, were looking at errors in the supply chain and hypothesized that many errors happen during transport. Where exactly, however, is usually unclear in the end. We started thinking about how to design error analysis and quickly came to the approach of tracking. We then equipped a pallet with sensors and telematics modules that collect data, transmit it live, and trigger an alarm when predefined limits are exceeded. We were able to convince the jury with this concept. The tinkering we did back then has now evolved into series products, which were developed in close cooperation with our customers.

How do you explain what your start-up does to someone who has no idea about the subject?

First of all, we have to take a look at the Internet of Things (IoT). IoT refers to the networking of objects, such as tools, transport boxes, vehicles and so on. Put simply, this means that a device is given the ability to provide information about, for example, its location, what the current temperature of its surroundings is, or whether it is moving.

In order to network an object, it always requires several layers in the digital and physical world - i.e., hardware and software. In terms of hardware, sensors, telematics and power supply are essential. So "what is measured", "how is the data forwarded" and "how can the system be operated without power cables". In software, data must be received, stored and analyzed to derive valuable information from the data.

Due to many different technologies and many specific vendors, it is very difficult to merge the mentioned levels. And this is exactly where our solutions come into play, because compared to our competitors, we offer IoT solutions as a complete service: from hardware to software and maintenance to commissioning.

Can you explain the procedure using a specific project?

The LoRa tracker for monitoring devices and goods in connection with the IoT platform "SenseCloud" from SenseING.

Our core innovation, the "träck - LoRa Tracker", is primarily used in the construction industry, for example. Our project partner Peter Gross Bau defined the initial requirements for a new tracking system for small devices in the construction industry. This is because there, especially with the simultaneous handling of many projects, it happens from time to time that the location of small devices is unknown and a lot of time is spent searching for and accounting for devices. Our solution is quite simple: all small devices are given a transmitter, the so-called "träck". All construction sites and building yards are equipped with receivers - so-called gateways.

The gateway thus registers devices that are located on a construction site and assigns them to the corresponding coordinates. In addition, we collect data on the use of the equipment; in the long term, this will help us to adjust the size of the equipment fleet in line with demand.

Our solution has a long range; the trackers transmit within a radius of up to 1,500 meters. This is particularly important in the construction industry where construction sites are spread out over a wide area.

What is your business model?

We offer our solutions in an everything-as-a-service model. We provide the hardware components free of charge and charge a monthly fee for maintaining the devices and providing the data.

Are the tracking solutions suitable for any industry?

Basically, the solutions are designed for the logistics and construction industries. However, there is no restriction to the industries. Our solutions can therefore be used in almost any industry.

At what point is such a project worthwhile for a customer?

Application of the LoRa tracker.

This depends on many factors and which goal is pursued with the solution. For many of our customers it is about increasing efficiency, for others it is about pure documentation processes, which are required for approvals, such as in food logistics.

In food logistics it is always worth automating the process of documentation, in construction companies we recommend an inventory size of about 200 devices and at least 10 parallel projects.

Serial production of the tracking solution is already underway, can you tell us more about it?

In September, we started production of 20,000 "träck-LoRa Trackers". We are producing as far as possible in Germany. The first tracking solutions have already been successfully put into operation.

Where do you see SenseING GmbH in three years?

In three years, we see ourselves as the German market leader for IoT solutions in managed service. In addition to the construction industry and food logistics, we are leading the way in laboratory and pharmaceutical technology for monitoring and documenting transport conditions and MAK values (maximum workplace concentration).

What has been your greatest success so far?

Our biggest success so far is that we expanded our team to eleven employees in 2022, financed by ourselves, and at the same time started series production, also financed by ourselves.

Thank you very much for the interview!


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