Cloudworx Wins ABB Startup Challenge India 2025 for AI-Driven Smart Drive Innovations!
By Ashutosh Arora
ABB India, in collaboration with Microsoft and SynerLeap, has announced Bengaluru-based Cloudworx as the winner of the ABB Startup Challenge India 2025. The recognition celebrates Cloudworx’s pioneering work in integrating artificial intelligence (AI) to advance industrial automation and enhance energy efficiency. The partnership will see ABB experts collaborating with Cloudworx to co-develop an AI-enabled smart drive solution, which will be scaled globally across ABB’s customer and partner network.
Cloudworx impressed the judges with its AI-powered 3D visualization platform that creates interactive digital replicas—often referred to as “digital twins”—of industrial processes. This innovative solution enables real-time monitoring, simulation, and optimization, allowing manufacturers to make data-driven decisions to boost operational performance. By simplifying the selection and commissioning of ABB motors and drives, and enhancing maintenance through predictive analytics, Cloudworx’s platform is helping industries transition toward smarter, more efficient automation systems.
As part of its victory, Cloudworx received a $30,000 project grant and will benefit from mentorship provided by industry leaders from ABB, Microsoft, and SynerLeap. The startup also earned a six-month membership at SynerLeap, ABB’s global innovation growth hub, designed to help startups scale and refine their solutions through access to advanced technology and global industry expertise.
The 2025 edition of the ABB Startup Challenge, themed “Advancing Smart Drive Technology with AI Innovation,” invited participants to use artificial intelligence to analyze drive and application data. The goal was to help original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) identify the most efficient ABB motor-drive configurations for their specific operational requirements, thereby improving system efficiency and reliability.
“Startups are pivotal in shaping the next phase of industrial transformation,” said AR Madhusudan, President and Local Division Manager, Drive Products, ABB India. “As Indian industries increasingly prioritize energy efficiency, enabling intelligent drive systems is key to sustainable progress. The creativity and technical excellence showcased in this year’s challenge demonstrate the strength of India’s innovation ecosystem. We look forward to developing transformative solutions in collaboration with Cloudworx.”
This marks the first time the ABB Startup Challenge has been hosted in India, attracting over 100 startup entries nationwide. Seven finalists were shortlisted to present their concepts in Bengaluru before an expert jury. Now in its sixth edition, the challenge has previously been organized in Europe and the United States, fostering global collaboration between ABB and emerging technology innovators.
The 2025 challenge also aligns with two significant milestones for ABB—the 50th anniversary of its global low-voltage (LV) drives and 20 years of drive manufacturing excellence in India. These milestones reflect ABB’s continued dedication to innovation, open collaboration, and sustainable technology development with a focus on local ecosystems creating global impact.
A global leader in electrification and automation, ABB continues to drive the transformation toward smarter, more efficient, and sustainable industries. With over 140 years of innovation and a global presence across more than 100 countries, ABB remains committed to empowering progress under its philosophy—“Engineered to Outrun.”
