This article was published on May 30, 2024

EthonAI uses algorithms to help factories waste less

From semiconductors to chocolate, you’d be surprised how many products are already made with the help of AI .

And it’s precisely on the factory floor where Swiss startup EthonAI is looking to gain a foothold in this emerging market.

“Manufacturing is at a critical juncture, and companies that fail to adapt with AI risk falling behind,” said CEO Julian Senoner, who co-founded EthonAI after completing his PhD in AI systems at ETH Zurich.

The budding company uses AI to spot problems in production lines. The idea is to help factories reduce the number of defective products that end up being thrown away.

EthonAI does this using a so-called Manufacturing Analytics System (MAS). The programme uses AI algorithms to sieve through huge data sets collected by sensors placed at several points along the production line.

The system then displays the most important bits of data on a dashboard, in a format that is easy for factory managers to peruse.

The university spin-out has today secured $16mn to scale up its tech. The funding round was led by European VC Index Ventures which has previously backed the likes of Meta , Slack, and Dropbox.

EhtonAI already counts a number of major manufacturers among its customers, including German energy giant Siemens and drugmaker Roche.

The startup’s software is even running at three factories belonging to one of the world’s most beloved chocolate brands: Lindt & Spruengli. For instance, AI helps production managers fine-tune machine temperatures or product moulds to avoid dips in quality before they occur.

Modern factories are covered in sensors that measure everything from the temperature of a boiler to the vibration of a motor. “But data is only valuable if you can digest it, make sense of it, and use it to drive decisions,” said Katharina Wilhelm, partner at Index Ventures.

Siôn is a freelance science and technology reporter, specialising in climate and energy. From nuclear fusion breakthroughs to electric vehic (show all) Siôn is a freelance science and technology reporter, specialising in climate and energy. From nuclear fusion breakthroughs to electric vehicles, he's happiest sourcing a scoop, investigating the impact of emerging technologies, and even putting them to the test. He has five years of journalism experience and holds a dual degree in media and environmental science from the University of Cape Town, South Africa. When he's not writing, you can probably find Siôn out hiking, surfing, playing the drums or catering to his moderate caffeine addiction. You can contact him at: sion.geschwindt [at] protonmail [dot] com