The year 2025 brought great news for Gridspertise Group: we received a patent grant in Italy for the Quantum Edge® device. This achievement guarantees protection for our innovative technology and the right to economically exploit the invention for nearly two decades.
We interviewed two of its inventors, Simone Berti, Head of Design to Cost, and Giorgio Scrosati, Head of Grid Lab, TCA & Certification, and two colleagues from Intellectual Property Management, Javier Aleuanlli Sánchez, Head of IPR, and Emilio Menichini, IPR Specialist. They shared the background of this invention and elaborated on why this milestone is so important for our Group.
The Idea and Development of QEd
The idea of QEd was born in 2019, with the goal of introducing a new all-in-one technology in electrical substations that could replace several pieces of equipment with a single device, optimizing operating and maintenance costs as well as ensuring maximum flexibility for customization and implementation of future use cases. “A single solution for the different use cases of energy distributors (remote management, remote control and automation, telecommunications, and many others),” says Giorgio Scrosati. “We leveraged virtualization technologies, which were emerging in those years, and combined them with the real-time computing capabilities needed in secondary substations. In other words, achieving for the energy market what the smartphone represented for the telecommunications market.”
The first technical meetings to develop the QEd took place in Brazil, but it was a solution that had long been envisioned by Gridspertise Group CEO Robert Denda and a team of engineers, then still part of Enel, who would later become the core of Gridspertise Group. “That idea was developed together with Qualcomm” adds Simone Berti, “a telecommunications giant, the company that helped create the cell phone as we know it today. After working with the automotive world, Qualcomm was the perfect partner for Gridspertise Group to develop the idea, as they recognized us as a leader in innovation.”
The partner was brought into contact with Gridspertise Group thanks to Jose Palazzi, now Head of Sales Latam, who was then working for Qualcomm. After the technical meetings in Brazil, where the idea took shape, it was taken to Qualcomm Headquarter in San Diego (USA) for the first kick-off. It was like a four-handed piano piece, with both companies working harmoniously together to create the project.
From these meetings, the ambitious vision of the Gridspertise Group that led to the birth of QEd developed. As Simone Berti recounts, “The goal was to create a platform that can virtualize objects controlled by a single advanced microprocessor, capable of making the most of the data generated in real time for the management and digitalization of networks.”
This intuition also inspired the name Quantum Edge: “The intelligence we are used to having in the cloud is now on the edge and can be harnessed directly on site,” Berti explains. This approach makes networks “smart” and allows them to process data and make decisions more quickly, without waiting for information to be transferred to central servers. This reduces reaction time and consequently improves network management.
Giorgio Scrosati clarifies that the choice is not related to quantum physics: “It has nothing to do with quantum computing, but it has a figurative meaning, like a ‘quantum leap,’ representing a significant evolution in secondary cabin technology.”
Since its launch, the QEd has proven to be a highly effective and innovative solution. Over the years, Gridspertise Group has successfully developed three generations of the device, in order to constantly improve its relevance and response capabilities in a constantly evolving market. Driven by a strong commitment to innovation and quality, Gridspertise Group has ensured that the QEd consistently meets customer needs while staying ahead of technological trends. As a result, Gridspertise Group has become a leading player in grid digitalization with a solution that is not only trusted but also at the forefront of the industry.
The Patenting Process
When Javier Aleuanlli Sánchez joined the group in 2022, the QEd was already Gridspertise Group's flagship project. “We immediately created a team with Emilio Menichini and some external consultants. Every step of the process involved collaboration between inventors and patent advisors; this was a key point. After a long series of interactions, we filed the draft patent at the end of 2022. It is important to note that the process is long and still ongoing. In 2025, the application was granted. This is a great achievement for the Gridspertise Group and the Intellectual Property Management team. We have filed other patents, but this is the first one granted; we are very proud of this achievement!”
The process officially began on December 28, 2022, and concluded this year, with the granting of the patent in Italy. As Emilio Menichini explains: “We provided technical responses to the examiner's requests, ensuring the success of the application. The patent grants our company the right to economically exploit the invention in Italy. This means that we can use it, license it to third parties, or prohibit others from using it with the features defined by the patent.” The protection lasts up to 20 years, potentially until 2042, when the QEd will become, as they say in the jargon, “a known technique.”
The Challenges Overcome
The path was not easy: our colleagues had to overcome several challenges. As Simone Berti recounts, “After the technical meetings in Sao Paolo, the first kick-off was in the US in late 2019; we went to Qualcomm in October-November. The second one was in February 2020, and then Covid started. So, we did all the work remotely, which is also why this result is something that we can be particularly proud of.”
The Achievement of a Milestone
This achievement is a testament to the dedication and innovative spirit of our colleagues. Simone Berti highlights the significance of this success: “It is a great satisfaction, seeing another first step in innovation confirms that we are on the right path. The idea of a platform for substation virtualization and edge processing was already in the air, but we got there first by outpacing the competition. Competitors are only now launching similar prototypes. Being a pioneer means setting the standard for others to follow.”
The QEd combines functions that typically require multiple devices into a single unit. In terms of money allocation, this feature represents for Distribution System Operators the possibility to pay once and benefit from multiple use cases.
“Even from a patent point of view, it is essential to be first,” adds Emilio Menichini, “because arriving later means losing protection. It was a long, structured, and highly efficient process where everyone gave their best, and the outcome has been outstanding.”