Cloudalize: computing power from the cloud
Horizons Ventures is no minor player: it was one of Facebook's first financiers.
Ghent-based Cloudalize offers graphic workstations in the cloud, allowing architects, designers, engineers and even property vendors to run graphics-heavy programmes from on ordinary devices. With its technology, the start-up is a world leader in its niche: the province of Limburg, the Oslo School of Engineering and Architecture, Around Media as well as Ghent-based Robovision all work with the firm, which raised external capital from the renowned Hong Kong-based Horizons Ventures.
Cloudalize is first and foremost a virtual platform. Anyone logging on to it gets a virtual computer on their screen from the cloud that can run heavy graphics applications and requires little or nothing from the device the user is handling. Such a graphics computer is useful for designers, draftsmen and designers who use very high GPU (Graphics Processing Unit) processing power for their 3D designs or drawings. Thanks to Cloudalize’s offering, they can still use heavy graphics programmes with simple devices. Moreover, they can collaborate more efficiently and comfortably with colleagues or partners in different countries on the same datasets and models, without the need for well-appointed workstations and complex back-end infrastructure. This allows working from home or on site as efficiently as in the office. Adjustments by one party can thus be followed up more easily by other parties, or vice versa. Besides a powerful virtual workplace, the Cloudalize platform is also suitable for performing tasks such as deep learning or machine learning. For instance, RVAI, the visual deep learning platform of partner Robovision, runs on top of the Cloudalize cloud.
Property vendors
Cloudalize’s user-friendly software solution is aimed at small and medium-sized enterprises that pay by the hour for the use of the application: architects’ studios, engineering firms, construction companies, etc. Via ordinary mobile devices, their employees can access a working environment with graphic computing power with a single click, without having to make heavy investments in hardware or software themselves. Lighter models are available for less demanding users (administrative profiles, for example). The platform is also useful for salespeople of real estate agencies: they can guide their customers through a virtual model of the building yet to be constructed.
Deep tech
Cloudalize owns a unique technology with its platform and has no real competition. And that already caught the attention of investors. But initially founders Benny Willen and Jeffrey Meesemaecker knocked on the door of friends and family, who provided funding via Winwin loans. Later, PVM supported Cloudalize with Cofinancing (350,000 euros) and business angels stepped in, followed by international players with deeper pockets. Horizons Ventures, a Chinese venture capital fund run by telecoms billionaire Li Ka-Shing, invested EUR 6 million so far and committed an additional EUR 2 million in the upcoming next round. Horizons Ventures is not one of the least: it was one of the first funders of Siri, Deepmind, Zoom, Waze, Spotify ánd Facebook.
Visit the website of Cloudalize
