Gradesens
GradeSens is a Fribourg, Switzerland-based AI-driven predictive maintenance company founded in 2018 that combines proprietary wireless sensor hardware (LYRA) with a cloud AI-Analytics platform (MoonStone) to enable digital-twin-based condition monitoring for industrial operators in Energy, Logistics, and Manufacturing.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2018
- HeadquartersFribourg, Switzerland
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingSoftware
What Gradesens does
GradeSens is a Fribourg, Switzerland-based private company founded in 2018 that sells AI-driven predictive maintenance and condition monitoring solutions to industrial operators in Energy (hydro, wind), Logistics (intralogistics), and Industrial Manufacturing (aggregates). The product is a vertically integrated stack: the LYRA wireless data acquisition system (sub-GHz radio mesh with LYRASens sensors, LYRALink interface, and LYRAGate gateway, using a TDMA/FHSS MAC with sub-millisecond time synchronization) feeds the MoonStone cloud AI-Analytics platform (MoonStone Blue for data management, MoonStone Insight for codeless ML-driven KPIs and Digital Twin models, MoonStone Snooper for third-party data API, and MoonStone Dash for visualization). The platform targets failure modes that classical vibration monitoring cannot detect — generator windings, power electronics, mechanical seals, and external hydraulic systems — with a claimed 5x ROI for customers transitioning from preventive to predictive maintenance.
The company monetizes through four streams: Monitoring as a Service subscriptions on multi-year contracts; perpetual software licensing with annual maintenance; hardware sales of LYRA components; and engineering services for data-driven failure analysis, digital twin modeling, and validation. Pricing is not publicly disclosed. The go-to-market combines direct enterprise field sales with a regional distribution partner network in Switzerland, Italy, Spain, Argentina, and Brazil, anchored by a 2021 frame agreement with Andritz Hydro — the world's #1 hydro turbine OEM — and a strategic alliance with sensors manufacturer Contrinex. Named enterprise customers include Andritz Hydro, Swiss Post (61 vertical robots monitored), BKW, Holcim, Ferrero, Stadler, Takeda, Translait, and REN (Portugal's TSO). The corporate identity is founder-led by Yvan Jacquat (CEO, ETHZ engineering background, 25 years in maintenance/predictive analytics) and Didier Nicoulaz (CTO, EPFL PhD microelectronics, 30 years R&D); the firm has 1–10 employees, an ongoing Pre-Series A round in 2024 following seed rounds in 2021 (Capital Risque Fribourg) and 2022 (Mateg AG as strategic investor), and operates in private equity backer mode without disclosed revenue or valuation.
Gradesens firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Gradesens
- Legal name
- GradeSens
- Website
- https://gradesens.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2018
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- GradeSens is a Fribourg, Switzerland-based AI-driven predictive maintenance company founded in 2018 that combines proprietary wireless sensor hardware (LYRA) with a cloud AI-Analytics platform (MoonStone) to enable digital-twin-based condition monitoring for industrial operators in Energy, Logistics, and Manufacturing.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Where Gradesens is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Fribourg
- HQ country
- Switzerland
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Gradesens business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Monitoring as a Service (MaaS): Complete solution including hardware installation, AI-analytics platform, and ongoing support services. Customers pay for continuous monitoring services delivered as a managed service.
- Software Licensing: Full acquisition of the software, technical transfer, support and annual software maintenance. Customers purchase perpetual software licenses with annual maintenance fees.
- Hardware Sales: Sale of LYRA wireless data acquisition system hardware including LYRASens, LYRALink, LYRAGate, and LYRAMesh components.
- Engineering Services: Data engineering services linking failure modes and business value drivers, miscellaneous engineering activities including data driven failure analysis, digital twin modeling, validation, and reporting.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Multi-year contract | Monitoring as a Service (MaaS) - Full solution with hardware, platform, and ongoing support |
| One time/ perpetual license | Annual | Software License - Perpetual license with annual maintenance |
| Hybrid | Multi-year contract | Partnership Models - Tailored business arrangements |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels8 records
Gradesens product offering
Product offeringCore offering
GradeSens provides an end-to-end predictive maintenance solution combining the LYRA wireless data acquisition system (sensors, gateway, sub-GHz mesh networking) with the MoonStone AI-Analytics cloud platform (data acquisition, AI processing, dashboards, API integration). The offering enables industrial operators in Energy, Logistics, and Manufacturing to build digital twins of rotating equipment, detect failures proactively, and shift from preventive to predictive maintenance strategies.
Product overview
GradeSens offers an end-to-end AI-Analytics software solution that transforms traditional Operations & Maintenance into proactive predictive maintenance. The unified portfolio consists of the LYRA wireless data acquisition system (including LYRASens sensors, LYRALink interface, LYRAGate gateway, and LYRAMesh networking) for seamless integration of customer data, and the MoonStone cloud software suite (MoonStone Blue for data acquisition/management, MoonStone Insight for AI analytics with codeless algorithms, MoonStone Snooper for third-party data integration, and MoonStone Dash for visualization/reporting). The solution delivers 5x ROI by enabling digital twins for early failure detection across Energy (hydro, wind), Logistics (intralogistics), and Industrial Manufacturing (aggregates) sectors.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- MoonStone: Cloud-based AI-Analytics software platform consisting of MoonStone Blue (data acquisition and management), MoonStone Insight (data processing with machine learning algorithms), MoonStone Snooper (universal API cloud interface for 3rd party data), and MoonStone Dash (cloud-based dashboard).
- LYRA
- MoonStone Insight
- LYRASens
- MoonStone Blue
- MoonStone Snooper
- MoonStone Dash
Products and services
- LYRA Data Acquisition System A wireless industrial data acquisition system consisting of LYRASens (vibration/temperature sensor), LYRALink (IO-Link/analog interface), LYRAGate (Modbus gateway), and LYRAMesh (mesh networking). Designed for non-intrusive installation and remote configuration in harsh industrial environments, targeting enterprise customers in Energy, Logistics, and Manufacturing.
- MoonStone AI-Analytics Platform A cloud-based AI-Analytics software platform that calculates predefined KPIs for each machine type using classic and AI-based algorithms. Includes data acquisition, AI processing, third-party data integration via API, and visualization dashboards. Built for enterprise operators seeking transparent, data-driven Operations & Maintenance decisions.
- Monitoring as a Service (MaaS) Complete managed monitoring solution including hardware installation, AI-analytics platform access, and ongoing support services for continuous industrial equipment health monitoring. Targeted at enterprise customers who prefer a fully managed predictive maintenance engagement over operating the platform themselves.
- Engineering and Data Validation Services Professional services covering data engineering (linking failure modes to business value drivers), digital twin modeling, validation (1-3 days data acquisition, 1-3 months AI-analytics validation), and reporting. Targeted at enterprise clients implementing predictive maintenance programs.
- Condition Monitoring Services Remote data acquisition and continuous monitoring service for industrial equipment health assessment. Targeted at enterprises seeking outsourced condition monitoring without operating the platform internally.
Quantifiable outcome
- 5x ROI delivered by comprehensive solution boosting OEE
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Gradesens
Customer profileNamed customers11 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
Gradesens technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration1 record
AI capability6 records
Feature6 records
Gradesens partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Andritz HydrocoreFrame agreement signed in 2021 with Andritz Hydro, the nr 1 hydro turbines supplier globally. GradeSens provides monitoring solutions for hydro turbines and generators, with Andritz Hydro incorporating GradeSens technology into their offerings. Joint projects include monitoring at the Cerro del Aguila hydropower plant in Peru.
- Harmony SolutionscoreStrategic partnership established for strategy, business development and finance support.
- ContrinexcoreStrategic partnership with Contrinex, a global sensors manufacturer. Contrinex provides sensor expertise and technology integration capabilities for GradeSens solutions.
- EfacecminorPartnership with Efacec on smart monitoring solutions for power transformers. GradeSens provides vibration and temperature sensors while Efacec contributes power transformer expertise.
- Ketag AG (Switzerland)minorRegional distribution partner in Switzerland handling sales and support of GradeSens products in the local market. Located in Kirchberg, Switzerland.
- Contrinex Italia SrlminorRegional distribution partner in Italy handling sales and support of GradeSens products. Located in Avigliana (TO), Italy.
- Global Git S.L. (Spain)minorRegional distribution partner in Spain handling sales and support of GradeSens products. Located in Paterna, Valencia, Spain.
- MAC Consultora (Argentina)minorRegional distribution partner in Argentina handling sales and support of GradeSens products. Located in Rada Tilly, Chubut, Patagonia, Argentina.
- 3-Geo Tecnologia Ltda (Brazil)minorRegional distribution partner in Brazil handling sales and support of GradeSens products. Located in Niterói, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
- Sasso Srl (Italy)minorRegional distribution partner in Italy handling sales and support of GradeSens products. Located in Cuneo, Italy.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Gradesens competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Augury: Augury is a direct peer — AI-driven machine health and predictive maintenance combining vibration/temperature sensors with a SaaS analytics platform, sold to industrial enterprises (manufacturing, facilities, food & beverage). Closest like-for-like to GradeSens' hardware-plus-AI MaaS model.
- Petasense: Petasense is a direct peer offering wireless vibration sensors and analytics for industrial predictive maintenance, targeting rotating equipment customers. Closely comparable to GradeSens' LYRASens + MoonStone stack in both technology and go-to-market.
- Uptake: Uptake is a direct peer providing industrial AI and asset performance management for sectors like energy, manufacturing and logistics. Comparable on AI analytics for industrial assets, though software-centric vs GradeSens' full hardware-plus-software stack.
Broad incumbents
- SKF (condition monitoring): SKF is a broad incumbent in industrial condition monitoring, offering wireless sensors (e.g., SKF Axios, Multilog), bearings and services. Overlaps with GradeSens in rotating-equipment monitoring but is a much larger, established player with a different delivery model.
- ABB Ability Condition Monitoring: ABB is a broad incumbent offering condition monitoring and asset health solutions across power, process industries and intralogistics. Comparable as a competing industrial CMS stack, but as part of a much broader automation portfolio.
- Siemens MindSphere / Senseye: Siemens is a broad incumbent in industrial IoT and predictive maintenance (MindSphere, Senseye Predictive Maintenance). Competes with GradeSens in plant asset analytics, particularly for hydro, manufacturing and intralogistics customers, but at much larger scale.
- Honeywell Connected Plant: Honeywell Connected Plant offers wireless condition monitoring and asset health software across process industries. Comparable industrial CMS competitor, but as part of a much larger process automation portfolio.
- Emerson AMS Machine Health: Emerson's AMS portfolio (including AMS Machine Health) provides wireless vibration monitoring and predictive analytics for process and discrete manufacturers. Comparable broad-incumbent competitor to GradeSens in industrial asset health.
- Fluke Reliability (Fortive): Fluke Reliability (part of Fortive) provides portable and online vibration analyzers, condition monitoring sensors and software for industrial maintenance. Comparable in the wireless vibration / CMS space but as part of a much larger test & measurement portfolio.
Emerging players
- SparkCognition: SparkCognition is an emerging player in industrial AI, applying machine learning to asset performance and operations across energy and manufacturing. Comparable AI-first competitor, overlapping more on analytics than on GradeSens' proprietary wireless hardware layer.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Gradesens social profiles
Digital presenceGradesens financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Gradesens leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles9 records
Gradesens funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds1 record
Investors1 record
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Gradesens 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 Gradesens
What does Gradesens do?
GradeSens provides an end-to-end predictive maintenance solution combining the LYRA wireless data acquisition system (sensors, gateway, sub-GHz mesh networking) with the MoonStone AI-Analytics cloud platform (data acquisition, AI processing, dashboards, API integration). The offering enables industrial operators in Energy, Logistics, and Manufacturing to build digital twins of rotating equipment, detect failures proactively, and shift from preventive to predictive maintenance strategies.
Is Gradesens a public or private company?
Gradesens is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.
When was Gradesens founded?
Gradesens was founded in 2018. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Gradesens based?
Gradesens is headquartered in Fribourg, Switzerland, in the Europe region.
How does Gradesens make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Monitoring as a Service (MaaS) is the primary driver. The others are software Licensing, hardware Sales and engineering Services.
Who are Gradesens's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Augury, Petasense and Uptake. Broad incumbents are SKF (condition monitoring), ABB Ability Condition Monitoring, Siemens MindSphere / Senseye, Honeywell Connected Plant, Emerson AMS Machine Health and Fluke Reliability (Fortive). SparkCognition is listed as an emerging player.
Does Gradesens have an API?
No public API is recorded for Gradesens.