Sense
Sense (Sense Labs, Inc.) is a Cambridge, MA-based climate-tech company that builds Waveform AI grid-edge intelligence software embedded in AMI 2.0 smart meters from global OEMs, delivering real-time device disaggregation, fault detection, and DER analytics to electric utilities and consumers. Founded 2013; $127.6M Series C raised; privately held.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2013
- HeadquartersCambridge, United States
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingSoftware
What Sense does
Sense (Sense Labs, Inc.) is a Cambridge, Massachusetts-based climate-technology company founded in 2013 that builds grid-edge intelligence software for the electric utility industry. Its proprietary Waveform AI platform analyzes high-resolution electrical signals — sampled at up to 1 MHz, roughly 50 million times more data than first-generation 15-minute smart meters — collected either through the Sense Monitor hardware installed at a home's electrical panel or, more importantly, embedded directly into AMI 2.0 smart meters manufactured by global OEMs including Landis+Gyr, Itron, EDMI, Sensus/Xylem, Trilliant, Schneider Electric, and CHK. Machine learning models trained on over 700 million hours of waveform data across 4 million devices and 1 million user labels perform real-time device disaggregation, fault detection (arcing, downed lines, equipment degradation), and behind-the-meter DER analytics for rooftop solar, EV charging, and heat pumps.
Sense operates a two-sided platform. On the consumer side, the free Sense Home iOS/Android app delivers device-level energy visibility, personalized savings recommendations, and demand-response engagement, sold directly through sense.com as the Sense Monitor hardware (originally reaching 100,000+ homes) or delivered to consumers via utility-deployed smart meters. On the utility side, Sense sells enterprise software contracts for the Load Visibility suite (Home, EV, and Solar Analytics), the Edge-Powered Fault Detection solution, and a Consumer Engagement app, typically structured as multi-year, deployment-based agreements priced per meter. Revenue streams include utility SaaS licensing, OEM royalties from meter manufacturers, direct-to-consumer hardware sales, and payments from state energy-efficiency and demand-response programs tied to measured consumer energy savings.
The company's go-to-market is hybrid: direct enterprise/field sales to electric utilities (National Grid, Georgia Power, Alabama Power, Southern California Edison, Alliant Energy, PGE, Rhode Island Energy, Tipmont REMC, Efficiency Vermont, Midwest Co-op), an OEM-embedded channel that ships Sense pre-installed in next-generation meters, and partnerships with demand-response and DER orchestration platforms (OhmConnect, ev.energy, Enode, BayWa r.e.). Sense is privately held, has raised a total of $127.6 million in Series C funding led by Blue Earth Capital (April 2022, with Volery Capital participation in September 2022), and received an undisclosed strategic investment from Analog Devices in January 2026. Founded by Mike Phillips (CEO), Ryan Houlette (now CTO), and Christopher Micali, the company remains founder-led and is operating from 485 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA.
Sense firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Sense
- Legal name
- Sense Labs, Inc.
- Website
- https://sense.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2013
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- Sense (Sense Labs, Inc.) is a Cambridge, MA-based climate-tech company that builds Waveform AI grid-edge intelligence software embedded in AMI 2.0 smart meters from global OEMs, delivering real-time device disaggregation, fault detection, and DER analytics to electric utilities and consumers. Founded 2013; $127.6M Series C raised; privately held.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Sense industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Grid Edge Intelligence Software
- NAICS
- Instrument Manufacturing for Measuring and Testing Electricity and Electrical Signals (334515), Navigational, Measuring, Electromedical, and Control Instruments Manufacturing (33451), Computer Systems Design and Related Services (54151), Computer Systems Design and Related Services (5415)
- SIC
- Instruments For Meas & Testing Of Electricity & Elec Signals (3825), Industrial Instruments For Measurement, Display, And Control (3823), Measuring & Controlling Devices, Nec (3829), Services-Computer Integrated Systems Design (7373)
- akta.pro primary industry
- AI Observability, Monitoring & Evaluation Platforms (Drift, Quality, Safety) (HDAEANAF)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- On-Device Inference Runtimes & SDKs (mobile/embedded) (HDAAAJAB), Real-Time Vision at the Edge (on-device CV/video) (HDAAAJAE), AI Compiler, Runtime & Kernel Optimization Software (CUDA/ROCm/XLA, graph compilers) (HDAAAAAI), Autonomous Driving & ADAS Perception (HDAAAEAI)
Keywords
Where Sense is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Cambridge
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Sense business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Technology or R&D, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Operations
Revenue model
- Utility / B2B Software Licensing & Deployment: Sense monetizes its Waveform AI software through enterprise contracts with electric utilities, who license the embedded intelligence on AMI 2.0 smart meters for load visibility, fault detection, EV analytics, and customer engagement apps. Pricing is not publicly disclosed and is typically tied to deployment scale and meters covered.
- Sense Home Energy Monitor Hardware Sales: Direct-to-consumer one-time sale of the Sense Monitor hardware through sense.com (with a 120-day return policy). Includes the free Sense Home app. Hardware limited warranty of one year from delivery.
- Energy Efficiency / Demand Response Program Payments: Sense is paid by state energy efficiency programs and utility demand-response programs when customers reduce energy use or shift consumption to off-peak times. Revenue scales with measured consumer energy savings and DR participation.
- OEM Software Licensing to Meter Manufacturers: Sense licenses its AI/software to leading smart meter OEMs (Landis+Gyr, Itron, EDMI, Sensus/Xylem, Trilliant, CHK) for embedding into next-generation meters deployed at scale by utilities globally.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Freemium | Annual | Sense Home App — free for consumers via Sense-enabled smart meters or Sense Monitor |
| One time/ perpetual license | Multi-year contract | Sense Home Energy Monitor — one-time hardware purchase |
| Other | Multi-year contract | Utility / Enterprise software licensing — quote-based |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels8 records
Sense product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Sense develops Waveform AI, an on-meter software platform that analyzes high-resolution electrical signals (sampled up to 1 MHz) from next-generation smart meters to deliver real-time, device-level energy insights for consumers and grid-edge intelligence for electric utilities. The company sells the Sense Monitor hardware direct-to-consumer, licenses its Waveform AI software to leading smart meter OEMs (Landis+Gyr, Itron, EDMI, Xylem/Sensus, Trilliant, CHK, Schneider Electric), and offers enterprise utility solutions including Load Visibility (covering solar, EV, and home analytics) and Edge-Powered Fault Detection for distribution grid reliability.
Product overview
Sense operates a platform-plus-modules architecture anchored on its proprietary Waveform AI signal-intelligence technology. At the foundation, Waveform AI analyzes high-resolution electrical signals (sampled up to 1MHz) collected by AMI 2.0 smart meters or the Sense Monitor hardware to deliver real-time intelligence. For consumers, the Sense Home App (also deployed as the Sense Consumer App through utility partnerships) sits on top of the Sense Monitor hardware or Sense-enabled smart meters, providing real-time, device-level energy visibility and personalized savings insights. For utilities, Sense offers two primary solution suites—Load Visibility (comprising the EV Analytics, Home Analytics, and Solar Analytics sub-modules) and Fault Detection—both of which run on the same Waveform AI platform embedded in partner-manufactured Sense-enabled Smart Meters (from Landis+Gyr, Itron, EDMI, Sensus/Xylem, Trilliant, Schneider Electric, and others). Together, these products form an integrated grid-edge intelligence stack spanning consumer apps, utility analytics, and meter-embedded software.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Sense EV Analytics: Detects and analyzes home EV charging regardless of vehicle make or charger type, powered by WaveformAI™.
- Sense Home Analytics
- Sense Solar Analytics
- Waveform AI
Products and services
- Sense Home App Consumer-facing iOS and Android mobile app that provides real-time, device-level visibility into home energy use. Disaggregates individual appliance consumption using machine learning on high-resolution electrical signals, displays dashboards, usage comparisons, device insights, custom notifications, and personalized savings recommendations. Free through Sense-enabled smart meters or with the Sense Monitor hardware.
- Sense Home Energy Monitor Sense Labs-branded hardware device installed in the home electrical panel that monitors electrical signals and powers the Sense Home app. Originally launched as a direct-to-consumer home energy monitor reaching over 100K homes in the US. Designed for 60Hz 120V/240V split-phase systems in the US and Canada, sold as a one-time purchase on sense.com with a 120-day return policy and 1-year limited warranty.
- Waveform AI Sense's proprietary signal intelligence technology (trademarked WaveformAI™) that transforms high-resolution electrical signals (sampled up to 1 MHz) from advanced meters into real-time intelligence for utilities and households. Sold as a standalone licensing platform to smart meter OEMs (Landis+Gyr, Itron, EDMI, Xylem/Sensus, Trilliant, CHK, Schneider Electric) and to electric utilities.
- Load Visibility Solution Suite Utility solution suite that eliminates distribution grid blind spots by detecting and measuring rooftop solar, EV charging (L1/L2), heat pumps, and other major household loads. Enables transformer- and feeder-level mapping, demand forecasting, situational awareness, and proactive grid management. The suite includes EV Analytics, Home Analytics, and Solar Analytics sub-modules powered by Waveform AI.
- Edge-Powered Fault Detection Utility software solution that pinpoints faults across the distribution grid — from wider distribution faults to individual service lines. Embedded in AMI 2.0 smart meters to detect arcing, downed lines, and equipment degradation in real time, improving utility response, lowering costs and risks, and enhancing safety for crews and communities. Supports wildfire prevention through sub-second detection.
- Sense Consumer App (utility-deployed) The Sense Home mobile app experience deployed to utility customers through utility partnerships. Provides real-time, appliance-level energy data to engage customers, lower bills, and increase participation in utility demand-response and time-of-use programs. Drives average 8% customer bill savings, with meter eligibility determined by the partnering utility.
Quantifiable outcome
- 4-8% average annual energy savings for Sense consumers
- +8 more outcomes
Companies that use Sense
Customer profileNamed customers6 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Sense technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- Yes
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration10 records
AI capability6 records
Feature6 records
Sense partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered strategic ev smart charging partner, strategic ev energy insights partner, strategic oem partner for japan, strategic ami integration partner, major oem partner, major oem partner for apac/emea, strategic demand-response partner, strategic solar channel partner, flagship / core strategic oem partner and strategic ecosystem partner.
- ev.energystrategic ev smart charging partnerev.energy and Sense have partnered to enhance EV smart charging in the US by integrating real-time grid-edge intelligence with distributed energy resource orchestration. Aims to improve demand response participation and reduce system costs. Initial deployment focuses on the US Northeast and West Coast regions.
- Enodestrategic ev energy insights partnerSense and Enode announced a partnership to scale and streamline consumer EV energy insights and controls, integrating Sense's grid-edge intelligence with Enode's smart energy app platform.
- CHK (Chugoku Electric)strategic oem partner for japanSense Partners with CHK to Bring Grid-Edge Intelligence to Japanese Utilities — launching a high-resolution smart metering platform in Japan in partnership with Chugoku Electric. Logo appears on the Sense Partners page.
- Trilliantstrategic ami integration partnerTrilliant and Sense have formed a partnership to embed Sense's grid edge technologies into Trilliant's AMI metering solutions, enabling high-resolution data processing up to 1 MHz sampling — approximately one billion times more data than traditional 15-minute interval smart meters. The integration delivers anomaly detection and localization plus consumer device-level identification. Effective immediately as of December 2025.
- Sensus (Xylem)major oem partnerAnnounced July 2024, Sense and Sensus are collaborating on Sensus' next-generation meter, expected to be the first meter capable of capturing and processing 1 MHz in North America, unlocking more benefits for utilities through their AMI meter investments.
- EDMImajor oem partner for apac/emeaSense's first partner focused on APAC and EMEA. In 2023, Sense and EDMI agreed to work together to bring the first Sense-enabled meters capable of collecting and processing at 1 MHz to accelerate the energy transition across APAC and EMEA.
- Itronmajor oem partnerAnnounced in early 2023, Sense and Itron are working to embed Sense intelligence into the Itron Riva 5.0 meter. Sense will be available to utilities as part of Itron's Distributed Intelligence platform.
- OhmConnectstrategic demand-response partnerSense and OhmConnect partnered to increase participant savings by 160% via integration between Sense's device-level energy data and OhmConnect's residential demand-response platform. Customers achieved 18% reduction in peak energy use and were 4x more likely to delay high-energy tasks.
- BayWa r.e.strategic solar channel partnerSense Partners with BayWa r.e. to Bring Real-Time Energy Insights to Solar Providers and their Customers — channel/GTM partnership to distribute Sense insights to BayWa r.e.'s solar customers.
- Landis+Gyrflagship / core strategic oem partnerSense's first and largest meter partner; collaboration began in 2019 on the Landis+Gyr Revelo platform with 1 MHz processing capability. Currently deploying 1.7M Sense-enabled meters in National Grid's upstate New York service area, with an additional 1.3M meters planned for National Grid-Massachusetts and Rhode Island Energy starting 2025. In 2025 the partnership expanded into the Asia Pacific region (Australia and New Zealand) for AMI 2.0 grid-edge solutions.
- Schneider Electricstrategic ecosystem partnerSchneider Electric is listed as a partner on the Sense Partners page. (Specific agreement scope not detailed in the source materials provided.)
Scale indicators8 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Sense competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Bidgely: Bidgely applies AI-driven energy disaggregation to household load curves for utilities and consumers, directly competing with Sense's device-level waveform analytics. Both monetize device signatures through utility software deals and partner with energy retailers to drive DR and customer engagement.
- Uplight: Uplight provides a customer engagement and energy management platform for utilities, including device-level insights, DR orchestration, and electrification programs. It overlaps with Sense on the consumer/utility software layer, particularly for behavioral DR and rate-program enrollment.
- EnergyHub: EnergyHub runs a DER management platform that utilities use for demand response, load shifting, and behind-the-meter device orchestration. It competes with Sense in the utility DR and home analytics layer, integrating with smart meters and thermostats.
- AutoGrid (Uplight): AutoGrid provides AI-based DER forecasting and orchestration for utilities, including managed EV charging and VPP enablement. It overlaps with Sense on EV analytics, load forecasting, and DR program optimization, though without the on-meter waveform disaggregation moat.
Emerging players
- Span.IO: Span builds smart electrical panels with per-circuit monitoring and control for homes with solar, storage, and EVs. It competes at the consumer/edge layer with the Sense Monitor, though Span emphasizes hardware control rather than software-only disaggregation.
- GridPoint: GridPoint provides energy management software for commercial and multi-site customers, with submeter-level monitoring and DR. It is an adjacent peer, targeting C&I load visibility where Sense focuses on residential, but it overlaps on utility-driven energy efficiency programs.
Broad incumbents
- Itron: Itron is one of the world's largest smart-meter manufacturers and a Sense OEM partner. Its own Distributed Intelligence platform and Riva 5.0 meters increasingly bundle edge AI, making it both a channel and a competitor to Sense.
- Landis+Gyr: Landis+Gyr is Sense's flagship OEM partner and a global smart-meter leader. Its Revelo platform carries Sense AI into large utility deployments (notably National Grid), but Landis+Gyr also has internal grid analytics capabilities that could compete with Sense over time.
- Schneider Electric: Schneider Electric is a Sense OEM partner and an investor, but also operates a broad energy management and grid software portfolio (including EcoStruxure) that overlaps with Sense's utility load-visibility and consumer energy offerings.
- Xylem (Sensus): Sensus, a Xylem brand, is a leading North American smart-meter manufacturer collaborating with Sense on a next-generation 1 MHz meter. Xylem's broader water/grid software stack and metering competitors give it both partnership overlap and potential competitive tension.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Sense social profiles
Digital presenceSense compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance3 records
Sense financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Sense leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles15 records
Sense funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds7 records
Investors22 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Sense M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Sense
What does Sense do?
Sense develops Waveform AI, an on-meter software platform that analyzes high-resolution electrical signals (sampled up to 1 MHz) from next-generation smart meters to deliver real-time, device-level energy insights for consumers and grid-edge intelligence for electric utilities. The company sells the Sense Monitor hardware direct-to-consumer, licenses its Waveform AI software to leading smart meter OEMs (Landis+Gyr, Itron, EDMI, Xylem/Sensus, Trilliant, CHK, Schneider Electric), and offers enterprise utility solutions including Load Visibility (covering solar, EV, and home analytics) and Edge-Powered Fault Detection for distribution grid reliability.
Is Sense a public or private company?
Sense is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.
When was Sense founded?
Sense was founded in 2013. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is Sense based?
Sense is headquartered in Cambridge, United States, in the North America region.
How does Sense make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Utility / B2B Software Licensing & Deployment is the primary driver. The others are sense Home Energy Monitor Hardware Sales, energy Efficiency / Demand Response Program Payments and OEM Software Licensing to Meter Manufacturers.
Who are Sense's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Bidgely, Uplight, EnergyHub and AutoGrid (Uplight). Emerging players are Span.IO and GridPoint. Broad incumbents are Itron, Landis+Gyr, Schneider Electric and Xylem (Sensus).
Does Sense have an API?
Yes. Sense offers a set of APIs through its EV Analytics product that deliver EV charging detection data (when, where, and how much EVs are charging) to utility customers. The API is referenced as a "powerful set of APIs" delivering Waveform AI insights from Sense-enabled smart meters to utilities. No public documentation URL, no SDK information, no auth or rate-limit details were specified in the source material.
What industry is Sense in?
Sense's product category is Grid Edge Intelligence Software. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HDAEANAF, AI Observability, Monitoring & Evaluation Platforms (Drift, Quality, Safety), with a secondary code of HDAAAJAB, On-Device Inference Runtimes & SDKs (mobile/embedded). Its NAICS code is 334515 and its SIC code is 3825.