Software Defined Automation

About Software Defined Automation

Software Defined Automation (SDA) is a technology firm operating at the intersection of industrial automation and modern IT practices, founded in 2021 by veterans from the manufacturing, industrial software, and cloud computing sectors, including CEO Josef Waltl. Waltl's extensive background includes roles at Siemens, Amazon Web Services (AWS) where he focused on industrial software, and Microsoft's Azure Industrial IoT division, providing him with a trifecta of experience in industrial controls, software, and cloud infrastructure that directly informs the company's mission.

The company targets the industrial automation market, specifically serving manufacturing companies in sectors like automotive, consumer goods, and pharmaceuticals that rely on Programmable Logic Controllers (PLCs) to operate factory machinery. SDA's business model is centered on an Industrial-Control-as-a-Service (ICaaS) offering, which applies established IT principles like DevOps and cloud management to the operational technology (OT) space. This is delivered through a subscription-based platform.

SDA's core product suite, marketed as Industrial DevOps, aims to decouple industrial control software from proprietary hardware, a significant constraint in traditional factory automation. The platform provides a vendor-agnostic solution for managing heterogeneous PLC environments. Key features include automated backup and version control for PLC code using Git-like workflows, secure remote access for engineers, and browser-based access to Integrated Development Environments (IDEs), which reduces the need for specialized hardware and licenses. A notable component is their Factory Agent, which uses AI to generate documentation for legacy PLC code, accelerating comprehension and maintenance. Furthermore, SDA offers a virtual PLC (vPLC) solution, allowing control logic to run on standard off-the-shelf servers at the edge, which are managed and monitored from the cloud.

Financially, the company has secured significant early-stage funding. After an initial grant in late 2021, SDA raised $10 million in a seed round in 2022 led by Insight Partners, with participation from Baukunst VC, Fly Ventures, and First Momentum. This capital is being used to expand its customer base and further develop its product offerings.