SmartHelio vs Ankr

About

SmartHelio is a Swiss AI company providing predictive analytics and remote monitoring software for utility-scale and commercial solar plants — using machine learning to detect anomalies, predict faults before they cause downtime, and optimize solar plant operations to maximize energy yield and revenue for plant operators and owners. Founded and backed by Y Combinator, Collaborative Fund, and Pegasus Tech Ventures with $5.98 million raised, SmartHelio's Autopilot product delivers measurable outcomes: 10% revenue increases, 80% reduction in manual interventions, and approximately 700 fault preventions per year per plant.\n\nSmartHelio's platform connects to solar plant monitoring systems (SCADA, inverter data, meteorological stations) and uses AI to analyze performance data patterns — detecting inverter degradation before complete failure, identifying soiling or shading issues affecting specific strings, and predicting maintenance needs from performance trends. The financial impact quantification is compelling for plant owners: preventing 700 faults per year while adding $200,000 in incremental revenue per $10,000 invested in the software provides a strong business case. The 80% reduction in manual interventions reduces O&M (operations and maintenance) labor costs.\n\nIn 2025, SmartHelio competes in the solar asset management and analytics platform market with Aurora Solar (design and O&M), AlsoEnergy (monitoring and analytics), Greenbyte (Vestas subsidiary for wind and solar analytics), and SolarEdge's monitoring tools for solar O&M optimization platforms. The global installed solar capacity has grown dramatically, creating a large installed base of operating plants that need optimization — the emphasis has shifted from new plant development (where Aurora Solar excels) to operating plant performance management. SmartHelio's predictive fault prevention approach (rather than reactive maintenance) aligns with the growing discipline of solar asset management as institutional investors (pension funds, infrastructure funds) acquire solar portfolios and expect data-driven performance management.