Gridware

Gridware is a grid-technology company focused on improving safety and reliability on electrical transmission and distribution systems. Its core product, Gridscope, is a pole-mounted multi-sensor device that monitors the physical, mechanical, electrical, structural and environmental conditions of each span of line. The company frames the problem it addresses as "Hazard Awareness Delay"—the gap between when a hazard such as a fallen limb or damaged conductor occurs and when the utility learns of it—and markets its approach as a new category it calls Active Grid Response (AGR), defined by immediate detection, precise localization, detailed identification, and continued monitoring during outages.

The platform is intended to let line crews arrive at the correct location with the appropriate equipment and knowledge of the fault type and severity, shortening restoration times, reducing outages, extending asset life, and reducing the risk of wildfire ignition. Gridware states its devices have accumulated more than 90 million field hours, that Gridscopes have been installed on tens of thousands of poles in the United States, and that its utility partners collectively serve roughly 40 percent of U.S. electricity customers. The company is headquartered in San Francisco, California, and operates an applied research complex (ARC) in Richmond, California.

Founding story

Gridware was co-founded by Tim Barat, a former lineman, electrician and engineer who turned to entrepreneurship to address California's wildfire problem, alongside co-founders Omar B and Hall Chen (Co-Founder & CTO). The company frames its product as "built by a lineman for linemen," citing firsthand knowledge of field work as the origin of its design approach. Tim Barat is identified as Co-Founder and CEO.

Business model

Gridware sells and deploys hardware sensors (Gridscope) combined with an analytics platform to electric utilities, typically beginning with pilot deployments that expand into larger roll-outs, as with Duquesne Light Company's pilot followed by 1,700 additional devices. Sources do not specify pricing or contract structure.

Traction

More than 90 million cumulative field hours across deployed devices; Gridscopes installed on tens of thousands of U.S. poles; utility partners collectively serving approximately 40 percent of U.S. electricity customers. Duquesne Light Company deployed 1,700 additional Gridscope devices after a pilot and received the 2025 Charles Steinmetz Top Innovator in Network or Grid Operations Award from Public Utilities Fortnightly following the roll-out. Team size listed as 125 with multiple open senior engineering roles in San Francisco.

Latest developments

On November 17, 2025 Gridware announced a $55 million Series B strategic growth round led by Tiger Global and Generation Investment Management, with continued participation from Sequoia Capital, Convective Capital, Fifty Years, True Ventures, Lowercarbon and Y Combinator. The proceeds are earmarked for expanding manufacturing capacity, scaling deployment operations, aligning the operating model with utilities' multi-year programs and regulatory processes, and hiring across hardware, firmware, software, data science, machine learning and applied research. The company also said it would hold working sessions with utilities and regulators in the UK and continental Europe.