LoweConex, based in Lisburn, is a software and services business that helps high street brands manage large estates. Conex OS, its centralised data platform, helps clients observe, automate, and control critical building assets such as refrigeration, HVAC, building management systems (BMS) and lighting to reduce energy waste.
The company’s previous technical architecture had limitations in providing scalability to the market and it needed research and support to improve its technology to open up new customers and verticals for the brand.
The research
LoweConex identified a commercial opportunity to enhance its technological offering by revising its approach to architecture and technology creation. In turn, this would improve the overall efficiency of its go-to-market offering and business model.
Invest NI supported LoweConex with an R&D grant to explore how the company could test and reprogram the software to re-architecture its old platform into Conex OS. This turned the technology arm of the business into an easily deployable and scalable solution that was enterprise ready.
With Conex OS developed, LoweConex needed to invest in branding and market research to define the pathway to commercialisation exploitation.
Through Invest NI’s Growth Accelerator Programme, LoweConex repositioned the company offering to target larger customers and to investigate the potential of new markets.
Invest NI supported LoweConex with a business development key worker and the Invest NI Trade team helped the company with market research in the US.
Once the market opportunity was deemed viable, LoweConex needed to recruit more software engineers, finance, and operational staff to develop and tailor the product to the new target markets. Invest NI provided employment support through Selective Finance Assistance.
The result
Armed with enhanced technology, LoweConex continues to support retailers such as Poundland, Midcounties Co-op and L’Occitane with Conex OS and its managed services.
Earlier this year, they also announced a new partnership with Aldi to help the retailer deliver energy savings while maintaining food safety.
When discussing the impact R&D has had on his business, Ian Lowry, CEO of LoweConex, said:
“The benefits of investing in R&D have been huge for us as a business. With the support of Invest NI, our platform Conex OS has evolved, and our brand positioning is clearer, letting us communicate better to the market the benefits that we can offer them.
“The support has been instrumental in our growth, helping us to better support enterprise clients such as Aldi – we’re excited by our progress on this partnership and look forward to building on it moving forward.”
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