- Sterblue implements a central data platform for energy infrastructure inspections like power lines, wind turbines, and cooling towers.
Partnership Interview with Sterblue
Samir Belasri - Senior Account Executive at Sterblue (YC S18)
What does Sterblue do?
What gap in Sterblue's offer does Spacept fill?
- Spacept provides an additional data source (satellite imagery) for asset integrity assessments specifically for vegetation encroachment risks.
- The vegetation encroachment risks detected by Spacept allow us to quickly offer our clients (utilities) a more comprehensive risk assessment of their assets. By integrating satellite vegetation encroachment analysis with visual/IR imagery collected by drone/helicopter/ground inspections, we can provide an end-to-end solution that is more comprehensive and secure for the client.
- Partnering with Spacept was a significant step in creating our central platform in that we were able to gather all types of data regarding our clients’ assets to optimize asset management and maintenance.
What is the process of buying from Spacept like?
- The process is simple. Once our client orders an inspection from our platform, we then order an analysis of the clients infrastructure from Spacept. The results of Spacept’s assessment is then simply integrated into our platform to provide results to the end-users (like utilities).
- Due to the value of Spacept’s solution, we are currently discussing a wider partnership with multi-year contract since the inspecting volumes on the clients’ end are growing quickly.
How important is sustainability to Sterblue and its customers?
- Sustainability is a major decision factor for our clients and our company since it competes with cost optimization and risk reduction.
Have you noticed increasingly extreme weather to be affecting your clients infrastructure?
- Several extreme weather events have affected Enedis’ grid in France. In addition, the fires in USA and Australia have subsequently generated increasing interest for vegetation management and we can see it through our prospect inbound and discussions with the clients.
Are Spacept's services best for proactive or reactive inspection?
- Our clients use our joint solution to implement proactive inspections and build long-term tree trimming plans.
Roughly how much time is saved when inspecting 1.000 km of power lines with Spacept compared with aerial?
- By using Spacept’s solution, we experience ~80% cost savings!
What role does AI play in predictive maintenance?
- Sterblue hasn’t implemented predictive maintenance so far due to the lack of historical data but we are planning on implementing it in the future.
How does a partnership with Spacept work?
Spacept offers AI-automated infrastructure security analysis to a wide variety of partners like UAV and helicopter inspection companies as a complement or an upgrade to their services to improve profit margins.
