SaaS startup Genesis Ray leverages tools like Geographic Information Systems (GIS), Climate Modeling, and Machine Learning to help companies find conducive sites for renewable energy projects. To date, the company has raised 800,000 from a clutch of angel investors.
Founded in 2017 by Abhishek Ranjan and Karthik Sathyamoorthy, Genesis Ray currently focuses on wind and solar energy sectors. Using the above mentioned technologies, the company provides ‘GenRay Explorer’, which is essentially a GIS visualization platform based on ‘ArcGIS Enterprise’, offered by ESRI, an American multinational geographic information system software company.
We spoke to co-founder Ranjan to learn more about the startup. Here are the edited excerpts:
What are the problems your company is solving?
Identifying suitable sites for renewable energy projects involves a multitude of challenges, all of which are critical to the success and long-term sustainability of such initiatives. Developers face a myriad of questions and obstacles, including but not limited to the availability of resources like wind and solar energy. Furthermore, navigating exclusion zones to ensure sites do not encroach upon protected areas such as forests or defense zones is paramount. Mitigating natural risks from flood, cyclone, or earthquake-prone areas is equally crucial. Balancing the necessity of avoiding environmental impact on protected species, human settlements, and the natural ecosystem is a significant consideration.
Additionally, evaluating other existing developments like mining, coastal and marine regulations for offshore sites, and available infrastructure for power evacuation and transportation further contribute to the project’s viability.
What makes Genesis Ray unique?
Firstly, there was a mounting demand for location-based insights, compelling businesses across diverse sectors to recognize the crucial value of geographical information systems (GIS) and geospatial data. The necessity for precise insights into location-based patterns and resource distribution became increasingly apparent.
Simultaneously, the field of Machine Learning underwent a transformative revolution. Advancements in ML algorithms opened up unprecedented opportunities to extract profound insights from vast datasets, showcasing an exceptional capacity to discern intricate patterns and automate decision-making with unparalleled accuracy.
Recognizing this convergence of location-based intelligence and advanced ML, we developed our flagship product, GenRay Explorer.
Please explain your business model.
We operate using a subscription model and also offer tailored solutions to meet the specific needs of our clients. Clients often require custom applications or bespoke analyses when the standard solutions do not align with their requirements. In both cases, GenRay Explorer serves as a centralized repository for the data utilized in our analyses. Our services range from providing data reports to conducting specific-site evaluations for renewable energy projects.
Moreover, some clients opt for our provided datasets, while others request customized reports to evaluate their chosen sites for renewable energy installations. We’ve worked with clients requiring bulk data for states to assist in their site selection studies for identifying suitable zones for wind and solar projects.
