Client Spotlight: Salar Enjedani, Founder and CEO of Innorobix Automation

We’re living in a data-driven world. Whether it’s wearing a fitness tracker to collect health data or the terabytes and terabytes of information used to train the latest large language models (LLMs) powering generative AI tools, data is being used to improve how we live, work, and play.

Getting data from a wearable to your smartphone is a relatively simple process. Still, it’s not always as easy when you are trying to collect and analyze data from hundreds or even thousands of sensors. Nowhere is this more evident—or necessary—than in the demands of today’s modern manufacturing facilities.

Kitchener-based Innorobix Automation Inc. is helping manufacturers use their data by developing customized data collection and automation tools. Salar Enjedani, the company's founder and CEO, started the company by providing custom Programmable Logic Controllers (PLC) and Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) solutions.

Delivering solutions for Industry 4.0

Across industries, manufacturers are moving towards a concept known as Industry 4.0. While it varies from industry to industry, the movement aims to revolutionize traditional manufacturing processes using digital technologies to improve efficiency and productivity while reducing costs and time-to-market.

The challenge with Industry 4.0 is that there are no common standards across the various tools and software used to produce goods, from semiconductors and GPUs to cars and laptops. Salar first saw the market gap when a vendor contacted him, saying they couldn’t connect CNC (computer numerical control) machines to a manufacturing control system.

Innorobix stands out in the industrial automation landscape by offering tailored SCADA solutions that defy the norm of standardization. Their unique method involves a deep dive into each facility's operations, pinpointing precise inefficiencies and opportunities for improvement. This level of customization sets Innorobix apart from its peers, providing clients with solutions crafted to meet their specific operational needs. Innorobix's dedication to this personalized approach differentiates them within the market and equips their clients to lead and innovate within their respective industries.

“Our clients needed to connect CNC machines to the SCADA layer in the manufacturing process to collect data and present it on a dashboard. We identified the market gap, and we were able to build a solution to translate the data between the two protocols. We've landed similar clients with no marketing effort. We have clients reaching out to us,” he said.

Knowing when more structure is needed

Globally, manufacturing has a value of almost nine trillion dollars, and Salar said breaking into it as a startup is a challenge. Thankfully for Innorobix, Enjedani was able to leverage some of his existing relationships as the startup got off the ground.

“I was able to leverage my relationships in the industry and leverage those relationships to get in some of the doors. That kept us busy for a few years, and then it was time for us to put a structure to the company, so we decided to join the Accelerator Centre,” Enjedani said.

In 2022, Innorobix joined the AC:Incubate program to help it complete the missing pieces in its business. AC:Incubate guides startups through four stages: discovering a desired product, building a solid business foundation, acquiring its first customers and investors, and scaling for global success.

“The Accelerator Centre’s mentors and advisors provided a tremendous amount of value. Working with them helped us in building a focus on sales, from what that sales process looks like to understanding the complete customer journey,” Enjedani said.

The Accelerator Centre collaboration has propelled Innorobix Automation Inc. to a new level of client engagement. The center's strategic mentorship has honed Innorobix's customer journey, ensuring a seamless and impactful experience from initial contact to ongoing post-sales support. By focusing on each client's unique challenges, Innorobix ensures that its service extends beyond a mere product purchase to a full-service partnership. This commitment to a customer-centric experience, amplified by technical understanding, has led to durable relationships and a reputation for advancing industrial automation through products and enduring service excellence.

The company is hiring its first dedicated salesperson in its six-year history. Enjedani said the Accelerator Centre helped set them up for success. “Consulting with the Accelerator Centre mentors helped us with the interview process and creating a sales playbook they can jump into and start executing,” he added.

Closing a sale doesn’t mean that there aren’t more opportunities to be found with a client. Salar said that working with Accelerator Centre mentor Bob Mathers has helped his team understand how critical customer experience is in building lasting relationships.

"Bob's expertise in customer experience has proven invaluable in navigating the challenges of entering new corporate environments. His strategy of 'land and expand' has been instrumental for us," explained Salar Enjedani. "It's about more than just securing a foothold; it's about nurturing the initial connection into a broader collaboration. With Bob's guidance, we're not only aiming to enhance our presence within each client's operations but also to leverage these relationships as a springboard to additional projects and facilities, systematically expanding our reach and impact in the industry."

From custom solutions to new products

Enjedani started exploring how to convert clients from a perpetual license to a subscription model through the program. The company is also developing a new Computerized Maintenance Management System (CMMS) solution to assist manufacturers with inventory tracking and preventative maintenance.

“Because our CMMS product is under development, we can leverage some of the advisors to help us have a good structure and well-rounded solution that we can hopefully offer our clients,” he said.

While its base is primarily located in Canada and the U.S., Innorobix has earned the trust of customers around the world, including Australia, Italy, France, Australia, Korea, and Mexico. Enjedani knows that breaking into international markets is a dream of many founders, and he doesn’t take their success lightly. He added that continuing that success means focusing on the business as much as the products.

“In the symphony of modern manufacturing, data is the rhythm, and at Innorobix, we’re the conductors – orchestrating seamless integration, tuning system performance, and composing the future of industrial automation where every note is precision, every rest is efficiency, and every crescendo is innovation."