Tech company founded at Uppsala University newcomer on Swedish 33-list

(Image removed) Ola Spjuth, Professor of Pharmaceutical bioinformatics

What’s up at Scaleout Systems?
“We are six researchers at Uppsala University who have developed a technology for federated machine learning. This means that we can train a common AI-model for several different partners without having to collect their data in one place. Our offer is relevant for all companies that have interesting data and face similar challenges, but can’t share their material with each other because of the content being sensitive or containing company secrets.”

Who are your clients?
“We are currently collaborating with companies in, among other areas, the automotive and aerospace industries. Still, Scaleout Systems is a young company and we continue to test our way forward in a number of different pilot projects. What we can state is that our technology arouses great interest, both in and outside Sweden, as well as that we continue to discover several relevant markets for our services.”

What do you personally regard as the right direction for Scaleout Systems?
“Considering my background, I obviously identify great potential in Life Science. Swedish health care has register data of a high international quality, if we can combine and co-analyse them, the result ought to be an extremely important source of knowledge for drug development and several related industries. But as long as the horizon is open, we will not make any hasty choices.”

(Image removed) What separates your model from other alternatives?
“Above all, we were very early in creating a solution for federated machine learning. This has provided us the space to develop the flexibility and scalability needed to make our technology available to a wide range of organisations, even enabling competing companies to collaborate. Now we see how solutions similar to ours appear on the market, but our head start definitely speaks in our favor.”

How important is your entrance on the Swedish 33-list?
“Above all, it verifies that we have an innovative solution that is worth investing in. In addition, the list itself is an important showcase to the technology, IT and trade sectors, which means that many of our potential customers will pay notice to our product. Scaleout Systems being on the list has also attracted attention in several other media, so we hope for continued spreading of the word.”

And what awaits in the future?
“Within Scaleout Systems, we are in talks about future cooperation with players in the insurance and finance industries among others. Personally, I am at the moment preparing a lecture on my research in AI and federated science for 150 Data Scientists at one of the country's commercial banks before it is time to head to the Ny Teknik award ceremony at the Fotografiska Museum.”

Facts

• Scaleout Systems was founded in 2018 by six people, three of whom are active researchers at Uppsala University.
• Scaleout Systems has offices in Uppsala and Stockholm with approximately ten employees.
• Every year, Ny Teknik presents the 33-list of Sweden's most innovative and promising young technology startups.
• The companies on the 33-list are a maximum of seven years old, not listed on any stock exchange and have a self-developed technical innovation with great business potential.

More information

• 33-list 2021 (Ny Teknik, in Swedish)
• Scaleout Systems online
• Research in pharmaceutical bioinformatics at Uppsala University
• Research group Ola Spjuth online

Also read

• Robotised laboratory new resource in Swedish pharmaceutical research
• Self-learning machines take the step into drug discovery

Contact

(Image removed) Ola Spjuth, Professor of Pharmaceutical bioinformatics
Department of pharmaceutical biosciences
ola.spjuth@farmbio.uu.se, 070-425 0628

text: Magnus Alsne, photo: Mikael Wallerstedt, Lab Spjuth