Kimbal, a rapidly growing energy technology company from India, has joined forces with MicroEJ, a leader in embedded software solutions, to enhance the next generation of smart meters. Announced on November 14, 2025, this partnership will utilize MicroEJ’s VEE Energy™ platform to power Kimbal’s innovative software framework, known as Kimbal EI (Edge Intelligence). This new platform aims to create an app ecosystem that will significantly advance the development of smart meters, facilitating distributed intelligence and enabling rapid customization and deployment globally.
Kimbal, which currently ships nearly 10 million smart meters annually, plays a critical role in India’s ambitious plan to deploy 250 million endpoints under its Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) strategy by 2028. The introduction of Kimbal EI marks a strategic shift towards a modular and software-defined approach, transforming traditional meters into intelligent, app-ready devices. This evolution will support utilities and consumers alike by delivering new AI-driven services.
Driving Innovation in Smart Metering
As utilities worldwide seek smarter solutions to meet evolving regulatory and customer demands, Kimbal recognized the necessity to revamp its software strategy. By selecting MicroEJ’s platform, Kimbal is decoupling software from hardware. This approach allows for increased agility and accelerates feature development, maintenance, and application reuse across its product lines.
Kimbal EI is compatible with a diverse range of meter hardware, from economical 16-bit microcontrollers to advanced 32-bit and 64-bit processors. This unified platform simplifies operational complexities, reduces total ownership costs, and accelerates the rollout of innovative features and services. With MicroEJ’s service-oriented architecture, Kimbal’s engineering teams can efficiently adapt meters for various utility requirements, enabling over-the-air updates and future-proofing their offerings.
The result of this collaboration is a more intelligent and responsive AMI ecosystem. Kimbal aims to lead the charge in transforming utility markets globally, providing the tools necessary for enhanced energy management.
Expanding Global Reach with Edge Intelligence
Kimbal’s strategic roadmap includes expanding its presence in advanced energy markets such as Australia and the United States. In these regions, utilities increasingly favor programmable meters capable of executing third-party applications, conducting advanced diagnostics, and facilitating real-time decision-making at the grid edge. Kimbal EI serves as the digital backbone of this expansion, supporting a variety of applications including predictive maintenance, energy demand forecasting, and power quality analytics.
By harnessing Edge AI capabilities, Kimbal EI integrates intelligence directly into devices, enabling features such as Non-Intrusive Load Monitoring (NILM), Distributed Energy Resource (DER) integration, and behind-the-meter energy management.
Dave Lee, Chief Technology Officer of Kimbal, noted, “MicroEJ VEE will deliver agility to bring edge intelligence to our customers, particularly for behind-the-meter services and to accelerate investments in new energy applications.”
The company’s Chief Executive Officer, Ayush Sinhal, emphasized the importance of this partnership, stating, “By choosing MicroEJ for our Kimbal EI platform, we are taking a decisive step toward building programmable meters that are intelligent, adaptable, and scalable across a wide range of markets.”
Dr. Fred Rivard, CEO of MicroEJ, praised Kimbal’s innovative approach, stating, “Kimbal is part of a new generation of energy innovators building smarter, more flexible infrastructure. By adopting a modular architecture, they can develop products faster, reduce costs, and address a wide range of utility needs.”
As the energy sector continues to evolve rapidly, Kimbal’s partnership with MicroEJ positions both companies at the forefront of a transformation that promises to reshape energy distribution and management on a global scale.
