Is the B2B Market Ready for AI Vision Edge Computing?
In the rapidly evolving landscape of technology, the question arises: Did Azena’s (wholly owned but independent Bosch startup) shutdown imply that the B2B market was not quite ready for an edge computing “big time” style approach? Will it ever be if even Bosch failed?
We’re now just over six months from their announcement, and it’s time to reflect on where we stand. At Noctuai, there’s more to the story, and we want to share our perspective candidly.
Bosch’s Surprising Move
Azena’s vision was straightforward: make CCTV edge computing as user-friendly as smartphones, offering a range of solutions for everyone. Before their shutdown, things seemed promising. Projects were kicking off, and demos were boosting confidence, at least for us. As IPVM reported in Azena’s closure note, our apps were among the top purchases, even though the marketplace statistics didn’t show private apps for special projects (which we also had).
The surprise came because broader industry reports and market analyses are optimistic about edge computing. Edge computing is poised for remarkable growth, with a forecasted CAGR of 38.9% from 2022 2030 to nearly 30 billion connected IoT devices in 2030. One couldn’t help but wonder when the model proposed by Azena, which worked so well in consumer IT domains, would become a norm in the world of surveillance.
Noctuai’s Reflections on Azena’s Closure
We were asked if we knew when news of Azena’s closure reached us from various sources. We didn’t, like everyone else involved. But we were ready. Noctuai’s establishment was strategically backed by EU co-financing, and we’d been working on our server-based analytics platform, designed to handle multiple streams on a single machine – a different approach from Azena’s path (which they were exploring with Viviotek just before the closure – showcasing the prototype on GSX 2022).
Today, we’ve got our environment powered by NVidia technology. Our platform doesn’t discriminate based on camera type or manufacturer and can handle any video data source. Yet, we can’t help but wonder if Azena could’ve been the industry’s growth catalyst. Why Bosch chose to halt such a promising project instead of pivoting to become the pioneer and leader in the open market is a question worth pondering. We’d love to hear your thoughts and opinions on this matter.
Introducing AICam: Exploring New Horizons in Edge and Cloud Computing
While we’ve continued to operate within Azena’s platform (it is still operational), it’s time for something new. We’ve launched a fresh website to introduce our multi-camera handling server – Noctuai AI Cam – which is adaptable to edge and cloud environments. We invite you to explore our demos and candidly discuss the evolving landscape of edge computing, cloud alternatives, and hybrid approaches. As a startup, we’re open to collaboration and eager to shape the future of technology together.
Feel free to leave your comments on LinkedIn. Thank you for being a part of our journey.