Data turned into savings. How Cumulocity helped UtiliOS create value for their customers more quickly

For UtiliOS, the challenge was never simply connecting water meters—it was helping organisations understand and act on water consumption before small issues became major losses.

Traditional mechanical meters provide little operational visibility, allowing leaks and abnormal consumption to continue unnoticed for months or even years. While collecting more data is important, UtiliOS recognised that data alone does not reduce water waste. Lasting value comes from converting information into action. That philosophy led to the development of AWARE, a closed-loop water management service that not only identifies anomalies but also ensures they are investigated, corrective action is taken and outcomes are verified. The objective is not more alerts, but measurable and sustained water savings.

Achieving that vision required more than water expertise—it required a scalable IoT foundation.

UtiliOS initially operated within a closed hardware ecosystem, but as customer requirements evolved it became clear that a single-vendor approach would limit flexibility, scalability and innovation. Customers wanted different devices, different communications networks and deployment models that could evolve with their operational needs. At the same time, relying on larger technology providers risked limiting UtiliOS’ ability to develop proprietary intellectual property and shape its own future.

Rather than becoming another IoT platform company, UtiliOS made a deliberate strategic decision to focus exclusively on what differentiates the business: deep expertise in water management, analytics and customer outcomes. As Guenter Hauber-Davidson describes it, the goal was to stand on the shoulders of giants—leveraging proven enterprise technology while concentrating investment on solving complex water challenges.

Cumulocity provided exactly that foundation.

Introduced through Telstra, the platform delivered an open, enterprise-grade IoT environment capable of supporting multiple devices, communication technologies and deployment models. Instead of investing years building generic IoT capabilities such as secure connectivity, device management, firmware updates, telemetry collection, alarm handling and platform security, UtiliOS could immediately focus on creating customer value through specialist water intelligence.

This approach dramatically accelerated development. UtiliOS rapidly produced a proof of concept, launched a robust minimum viable product and began generating customer value far sooner than would have been possible by building an IoT platform from scratch. Early deployments provided valuable customer feedback, enabling continuous product improvement while supporting sustainable, self-funded growth.

Cumulocity’s REST APIs have also become central to the platform’s scalability. Automated device onboarding, efficient telemetry processing and rapid access to historical measurement data allow UtiliOS to support large, geographically distributed deployments without increasing operational complexity. Rather than spending engineering effort maintaining core IoT infrastructure, the company continues investing in advanced analytics, asset management, GIS visualisation, intelligent alarm management, reporting, customer-specific workflows and seamless enterprise integrations.

The partnership has delivered benefits well beyond technology.

For customers, Cumulocity’s enterprise reputation provides confidence that the underlying platform is secure, reliable and built for long-term operation, reducing perceived implementation risk. For UtiliOS, that credibility strengthens its own market position, accelerates customer adoption and allows the business to focus on delivering specialist expertise instead of proving the foundations of its IoT platform.

Together, UtiliOS and Cumulocity have helped customers save more than 2.3 billion litres of water and over AU$7.7 million in avoided water costs. Sydney Water business programmes have delivered more than 500 million litres in savings, while Woolworths has saved more than 256 million litres across 450 stores. Every original participant in the Sydney Water programme has renewed their subscription, demonstrating the sustained operational and commercial value delivered by the solution.

Looking ahead, UtiliOS sees artificial intelligence as the next step in making sophisticated water management more accessible. Future capabilities will allow customers to interact with the platform using natural language, receive proactive recommendations, identify anomalies earlier and take corrective action with greater speed and confidence. By combining AI-driven insights with Cumulocity’s secure IoT platform and UtiliOS’ deep water expertise, the company aims to make intelligent water management even more intuitive, scalable and effective.

The strategy remains unchanged: Cumulocity manages the complexity of enterprise IoT, while UtiliOS focuses on delivering industry-leading water intelligence. That clear division of responsibility allows UtiliOS to continue developing proprietary innovation, maintain control of its own destiny and help organisations around the world achieve measurable, verifiable and sustained water savings.