Raise a glass to control brewing! Not just the art of getting a perfect pint, but the science of keeping production in control — and a little smarter, too. Thanks to a new collaboration between Telenor IoT and Norwegian startup PLAATO, the fermentation industry is getting an AI-powered upgrade that blends the world of sensor data, automation, and cloud connectivity with the age-old practice of brewing.
At first glance, it may seem like a curious mix: a telco giant and a craft-focused data startup. But scratch the surface, and you’ll find a shared goal — turning fragmented industrial control data into actionable insights that boost efficiency, maintain product quality, and unlock smarter resource use.
PLAATO, whose tech is already used by over 300 breweries and distilleries in 35 countries, has spent the last few years building sensor-integrated industrial software that speaks the language of fermentation. From beer to spirits to any process driven by microbial magic, their platform helps producers capture and interpret every stage of production — without the stress or spreadsheet chaos traditionally associated with process control.
So where does Telenor IoT come in? With connectivity. PLAATO’s users often have a jungle of PLCs (Programmable Logic Controllers) across their facilities, using different protocols and speaking in many ‘tongues’. Telenor IoT’s IoT Complete service acts as the translator, harmonising all those devices into a single, usable stream of data — and doing it securely, at scale, and without needing to reinvent existing infrastructure.
“For us, it was a question of speed and focus,” says Magnus Valmot, CEO of PLAATO. “We’re in the business of insights, not cables. Telenor IoT had already solved the hardest part — flexible and reliable connectivity — so we could double down on building the best analytics and monitoring platform for our customers.”
The result of this collaboration is PLAATO Edge, a smart industrial solution designed to serve as the fermentation industry’s digital backbone. By integrating real-time data acquisition, edge computing, and advanced AI-powered analytics into one platform, it allows producers to stay connected to every vat, tank, and trend — whether on site or remote.
Niklas Agerhem, Head of IoT Complete at Telenor IoT, sees this partnership as a blueprint for how industrial players can modernise without heavy CAPEX. “We’ve been working with PLAATO since late 2024, and it’s remarkable how quickly we’ve been able to move. The system is genuinely plug-and-play — helping producers extract value from the control systems they already have in place.”
The lessons here stretch well beyond fermentation. In fact, this model of sensor-fed, AI-enhanced insight could serve as a case study for the broader security and smart building sectors — where legacy systems, proprietary protocols and data siloes are still commonplace. As industrial IoT matures, the ability to plug in, translate, and analyse without overhauling infrastructure is quickly becoming a competitive edge.