[Actor of the Week] AI expert Aether puts its technology at the service of French photovoltaic installers

Incubated across the Atlantic for solar system design and 3D property modeling, the Aether digital platform is now based in Paris and is gradually being rolled out in France to digitize the operations of photovoltaic installers using artificial intelligence.

Founded just two years ago, Aether was born from the shared vision of Shelby Bons and Zayne Sagar, both graduates of the prestigious American university UC Berkeley. Having worked at renowned solar companies, these two passionate advocates for climate action had a clear idea from the start of what they wanted to do: make the work of photovoltaic installers easier, using artificial intelligence for precise and automated solar designs.

Incubated by Y Combinator in San Francisco, the startup—primarily composed of engineers—worked for over a year and a half developing its digital platform. Already available in several European countries and the United States, it is now available on the French market.

Funded through an initial round of funding from US and European investors, the AI-powered platform is reshaping the solar panel system sales process for installers of all sizes, from regional independent contractors to EPCs. “The tool is designed to speed up quote generation, and ultimately improve conversion rates without requiring companies to hire additional staff,” Thomas Salomé, Chief of Staff at Aether, told pv magazine France .

“Apart from the imagery, everything is homemade.” 

Unlike traditional tools that rely on multiple subscriptions and spreadsheets, Aether combines all workflow steps into one intelligent platform: lead management and evaluation, 3D design and modeling, certified production estimates, and proposal and financing tools. Customizable to the client's wishes, the platform also includes a transaction management CRM tailored to the solar sector.

By simply entering a property address, installers can instantly receive a comprehensive plan of the best possible rooftop PV system (based on exposure, obstructions, roof pitch, etc.), with certified production estimates, allowing them to include reliable data in customer quotes and associated financing.

“Apart from the imagery, which comes from several sources such as Google, Mapbox, and Bing, everything is done in-house thanks to our own models developed by our tech team. This is what allows us to generate 3D models of any building in just one click; it’s a big differentiator,” explains Thomas Salomé. Before adding: “Even though we were born as a solar panel design and installation tool, our technology has naturally adapted to other use cases, such as the roofing industry and field measurements.”

Other highlights of the Aether platform include the recent introduction of the Workflow Builder, a no-code workflow generator that allows users to create custom automations. For installers, this means less back-office work, fewer delays, and a sales flow that works 24/7, even when they're offline.

Already adopted by French installers

Access to the Aether platform is paid, in the form of a subscription starting at €25 per user. The final price then depends on consumption, i.e., the number of projects completed by the installers. A complete residential project costs less than €10. Aether has also made a simulator available on its website.

"Our clients look at the costs associated with the different platforms they use, such as a CRM, a 2D design tool, another for online signatures, or even for invoicing. Compared to Aether, which combines all these features, the choice is quickly made," says Thomas Salomé, who adds: "On vertical roofing, an accurate measurement report generated in a few seconds costs between 20 and 30 euros. This is three times cheaper than our American competitors, who generate these reports in several days."

With contracts exceeding several hundred thousand euros and awaiting an upcoming Series A fundraising round, the platform has already been adopted by several French installers and is continuing its rollout. Other new features are already planned for the end of the year, such as access to a map representing, in a given area, all the homes most likely to convert to solar energy. A luxury for installers...

For more information about Aether, please visit aethergtm.com