The Overlooked Role of Hardware in Cleantech Innovation

In the cleantech world, software solutions often steal the spotlight. However, as Brendan Wallace, a leading investor in sustainability and proptech, recently pointed out, hardware innovation is foundational to achieving meaningful progress. Without cutting-edge hardware, even the most advanced software struggles to deliver the precise data required for measurable impact.

Read Brendan’s full post here.

One of Wallace’s key observations is that the cleantech industry sometimes underestimates the importance of hardware, focusing instead on software-driven solutions. Yet hardware is what captures the real-world data that software relies on to optimise energy systems, track carbon emissions, and provide insights for ESG reporting. Inaccurate or infrequent data collection can undermine an entire operation’s ability to act effectively.

Traditional Building Management Systems (BMS), for example, typically sample energy data at 15-minute intervals. While this level of data was once sufficient, today’s demands for energy efficiency, predictive maintenance, and detailed ESG compliance require far greater precision. High-frequency hardware, like Verv’s, samples data at thousands of times per second, capturing the nuances that traditional systems miss.

This capability is transformative. With real-time insights from high-speed hardware, organisations can:

• Detect inefficiencies or faults before they escalate into costly failures.

• Accurately measure carbon emissions for ESG compliance and reporting.

• Optimise energy use to lower costs and reduce emissions.

Wallace also highlights the systemic challenges facing the industry. Hardware often requires significant upfront investment and faces longer development timelines compared to software. However, the benefits of hardware innovation far outweigh these challenges. By enabling software to deliver actionable insights with confidence, hardware serves as the foundation for the energy transition and broader sustainability goals.

For cleantech to scale effectively and achieve meaningful impact, it’s time to recognise the indispensable role of hardware. It’s not just a supporting act—it’s the engine that drives innovation, ensures compliance, and accelerates progress.

Learn more about Verv’s hardware solutions and how they’re enabling this future.