#217 How BrainBox AI has Mastered the Use of AI in Building Decarbonization | Jean-Simon Venne (BrainBox AI)

Jean-Simon Venne is the co-founder and CTO of BrainBox AI, a pioneering company using artificial intelligence to optimize energy use in buildings. With a background in telecom and deep expertise in building mechanics and computer engineering, Jean-Simon has led BrainBox’s efforts to bring scalable, autonomous HVAC systems to the market. In this episode, Jean-Simon discusses his entrepreneurial journey, the challenges of scaling AI in the built environment, and how BrainBox AI leverages deep learning to decarbonize buildings and support grid efficiency. BrainBox AI is a Montreal-based company that uses artificial intelligence to optimize HVAC systems in commercial buildings, reducing energy consumption and carbon emissions. Having raised $30 million in Series A funding, backed by investors like ABB Technology Ventures and Desjardins Capital, BrainBox is expanding globally with over 700 installations across 20 countries. Its AI-driven solutions address the growing demand for sustainable building management in the real estate sector. In this episode, Jean-Simon shares insights on: Using deep learning to optimize building energy consumption Predicting room temperatures hours ahead to save energy Drawing inspiration from autonomous vehicles for scalable building efficiency Enjoy! Topics 00:00 Harnessing AI for Building Efficiency 03:13 The Journey of an Entrepreneur 06:03 Innovating in Climate Tech 08:54 The Vision Behind Brainbox AI 12:10 Building a Scalable Solution' 15:00 Navigating Team Dynamics as a CTO 17:50 Balancing Innovation and Core Development 21:10 Creating an Ecosystem of Innovation 25:27 The Acceleration of AI Innovation 29:17 Navigating the Unknown in Technology Development 31:59 Understanding AI and Its Value 37:31 Challenges in Selling to Property Owners 41:49 The Future of Buildings and AI Integration 46:03 The Challenges and Excitement of AI Evolution Links BrainBox AI | Jean-Simon Venne Connect with Somil on LinkedIn | Connect with Silas on LinkedIn Follow CleanTechies on LinkedIn @Silas & @Somil_Agg on X This podcast is NOT investment advice. Do your homework and due diligence before investing in anything discussed on this podcast. Support the show If you're gonna change the world, you're gonna need a world-class team. Partner with ErthTech Talent to help you do that, for less. 70+ Placements 5+ Years (exclusively in CleanTech) The Lowest Fees in the Market (12-15% of first-year salary) 90-day placement guarantee It's really hard to say no to that. Wait?! -- The best service is also the cheapest? Seems too good to be true, but it's the entire reason we started this company. We believe that Climate entrepreneurs are doing important work, and there should be a firm to help them find the best talent, without it breaking the bank. Reach out today for a free assessment of your hiring process. [email protected]