Headquartered In: Irvine, California
Founded in Year: 2016
Employee Headcount: 11-50
Unleashing a wave of innovation in the agri-food supply chain landscape, SWARM Engineering delivers a trailblazing AI solution, to achieve multi-million-dollar savings on operational processes. At its core lies a cutting-edge Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) product, with three core elements.
The company’s ingenious platform is empowering organizations to discover, define, and solve organizational challenges with unmatched precision. As a trailblazer in the realm of problem-solving, SWARM Engineering is reshaping global perspectives on how to tackle operational complexities within the agrifood supply chain.
Today, the company’s focus is on empowering businesses to revolutionize AI and empower business users to optimize processes and unlock tremendous cost-saving potential. Harnessing the power of next-generation AI, its Software-as-a-Service platform is an unparalleled force for operational efficiencies, waste reduction, carbon reduction and helping decision makers to select better choices to encourage best-practice in environmental and sustainability initiatives.
By tapping into a curated library of algorithms, the company tackles pivotal processes such as network efficiency, labor planning, logistics optimization, demand-supply allocation, pricing optimization, and profitability management. Seamlessly integrating AI technology with agriculture, SWARM Engineering is reshaping the landscape of the agrifood industry for a more sustainable and prosperous future.
The Advance Offerings
The first element in the suite is the SWARM Challenge Modeler, a distinctive tool tailored for business users to let them effortlessly define problems within their organizations. Users can choose from a collection of templates created by subject matter experts, specifically designed to address common food supply chain issues. These templates offer remarkable flexibility, enabling users to either utilize them as-is, modify them to suit their unique requirements, or even create entirely new problem definitions from scratch. Furthermore, the SWARM Challenge Modeler allows users to publish the results into visually appealing challenge definition documents that can be easily shared with collaborators.
The second component is the SWARM Solution Engine, a sophisticated multi-agent system capable of running an array of algorithms to tackle the challenges outlined in the challenge definition produced by the SWARM Challenge Modeler. The SWARM Challenge Modeler boasts full scalability and can combine various optimizations to address end-to-end holistic processes rather than compartmentalizing solutions into silos.
To interact with the SWARM Solution Engine, the end user benefits from the third element, the SWARM Operator Dashboard. This features a modern and user-friendly interface, where individuals can run solutions, adjust parameters, conduct experiments with what-if scenarios, and ultimately publish executable plans to be shared with other users or integrated into other applications.
SWARM highlights the significance of precisely defining problems as a unique aspect of their approach, quoting Einstein who was also a strong believer in defining problems before rushing off to create a solution. The company’s mission is to empower people in the agrifood supply chain to enhance their efficiency utilizing the power of AI, including the latest generative AI technologies. They believe the benefits for individuals, organizations, the industry, and the planet, are significant. “We want to change the way people think about solving big operational problems – so that humans can easily define the challenge, and AI can easily solve it,” said Anthony Howcroft, CEO of SWARM.
With its novel and comprehensive approach to problem-solving in the agrifood supply chain, SWARM has positioned itself as a game-changer in the industry.
Riding the Wave of Transformation; The Founder
After an extensive and diverse career in the tech industry, Anthony Howcroft found himself leading Microsoft’s Big Data team in EMEA for a successful five-year tenure. During this period, he had the opportunity to interact with numerous organizations striving to optimize their data. The goal for many companies was to find actionable insights within their data. However, Anthony noticed that too frequently analytics was great at highlighting problems, but could not offer a solution. The concept of directly solving problems intrigued Anthony, and he envisioned it as the next evolution of Business Intelligence (BI), powered by the potential of AI.
This transformative idea laid the foundation for SWARM, a venture that emerged from his fascination with innovation and technology, and the rapid progression of machine learning. Among the disruptive changes making their way into software development, nocode stands out as particularly noteworthy, as Anthony saw it as an opportunity to offer AI capability to a much broader audience. SWARM takes pride in being at the forefront of this revolutionary trend.
What excites Anthony the most about nocode is its capacity to place sophisticated AI, Machine Learning, and Operational Research algorithms into the hands of individuals with deep business knowledge, but without requiring them to possess a math degree or years of software development expertise. The SWARM platform is built to enable people to articulate problems in familiar terms and then address these challenges effectively, using nocode AI.
Although there have been previous instances of nocode promises, Anthony believes that with the current state of AI, this wave of technology is destined to remain and continuously improve – and at a very fast pace, too. He and the SWARM team are thrilled to ride this wave, actively contributing to the industry’s transformative journey.
Agile Approach and Quantum Computing Aspirations
A defining feature of SWARM’s architecture is its absence of fixed algorithms coded into the platform. Instead, the company relies on a carefully curated library of solutions and actively seeks out superior alternatives. By keeping the problem and solution separate, SWARM’s customers enjoy the flexibility of seamlessly transitioning from one solution to another without any changes to the user interface. This approach has proven remarkably effective, as evidenced by a recent switch that resulted in a nearly $500,000 increase in annual savings for one customer. The enhanced outcome was made possible by an innovative algorithmic approach identified through a collaboration with an academic partner, Virginia Tech.
Looking ahead, the SWARM team is optimistic about the future of quantum computing solutions. Although quantum computing technology is still in its early stages, it holds the potential to tackle challenges that are currently considered almost insurmountable. SWARM is perfectly positioned to leverage this emerging technology. Their SWARM Challenge Modeler excels at defining the problems to be solved, making it an ideal fit for harnessing quantum computing power.
The company’s forward-thinking approach ensures that their customers won’t be stuck with outdated legacy algorithms when new approaches such as quantum computing or improved generative AI engines arrive. By staying at the forefront of advancements, SWARM continues to provide cutting-edge solutions that push the boundaries of what is possible in problem-solving and optimization, while insulating customers against the rapid pace of change in AI and machine learning.
Path to Innovation and Growth
According to Anthony, the SWARM team thrives on Challenge Engineering™ which is at the core of the company’s approach, and their platform is specifically designed to assist people in this area, which he believes will become a new industry category. “It seems crazy that most people today rush to build solutions, when they don’t understand what the problem is that they are trying to solve. Once people try the Challenge Engineering™ approach, the old way of solving problems feels antiquated,” he told us.
Throughout his personal and professional journey, Anthony has encountered numerous challenges, making it difficult to highlight any one in particular. However, what he emphasizes is that each challenge in his career and life presented a valuable opportunity for learning and growth. Failure, in his view, is not something to be feared but rather an inevitable part of pushing boundaries and striving for excellence. The “fail fast” philosophy, often associated with the lean startup approach, advocates for testing assumptions early on to enable quick adaptation and improvement – and ultimately to achieve long-term success.
Leading the Revolution in Agrifood and Beyond
Since its establishment in 2016, SWARM Engineering has experienced remarkable growth, although Anthony admits it took a few years for the firm to truly find its feet. The company has flourished into a robust team of 24 individuals, all driven by a shared passion for solving challenges and helping customers deliver massive operational efficiencies. Garnering more than $10 million in seed investments so far, SWARM will soon be embarking on a more significant round of growth funding to expand its offerings and bring the value to more customers. In the medium-term they will continue to focus on agrifood supply chain organizations, but the opportunity is clearly there to improve Challenge Engineering™ as a whole, across multiple industries.
SWARM have a list of global agrifood customers, and their success is not limited to operational savings for these organizations; they have also cultivated strong partnerships with prestigious institutions like Virginia Tech and industry giants like Microsoft. Furthermore, their latest collaboration with OpenAI promises to take the SWARM Challenge Modeler to new heights. Through this integration, users will have the unique opportunity to define their challenges through a simple conversation with a chatbot agent, moving away from traditional use of software tools and templates to streamline the process.
The company’s forward-thinking approach has opened doors to exciting opportunities, leading SWARM to expand into new territories in South America and Europe. Additionally, they have launched their own podcast, called The Buzz @ SWARM, establishing themselves as thought leaders in the domain of Challenge Engineering™. Moreover, SWARM’s Partner Referral Program which launched earlier in 2023 has further enhanced their outreach and influence in the market.
As the head of this thriving organization, Anthony is pleased with the achievements and progress of SWARM Engineering to date, but is always pushing for more. With a strong team, unique products, and an ever-expanding presence, the company is poised for an exciting future.
The SWARM Way
Anthony strongly advocates for diversity and inclusion within the SWARM team, which is evident in the true mix of individuals from various backgrounds that make up the organization. Recognizing the importance of being heard, SWARM maintains a relatively flat management structure and encourages direct conversations between team members at all levels. This open communication fosters a collaborative and inclusive environment.
Attention to detail is another hallmark of SWARM, stemming from Anthony’s own detail-oriented approach and permeating throughout the organization. This emphasis on precision is also reflected in the hiring process, as they seek individuals who share their core values.
While Anthony has always worked within technology, he studied Creative Writing at the University of Oxford, and with a background in both writing as well as technology, Anthony understands the power of narrative and its impact on shaping perceptions and understanding. He encourages everyone at SWARM to create documents, presentations, and content that effectively tells the story of the company and aligns with its brand. He believes the ability to convey business narratives consistently and in an engaging manner across the company is crucial.
Recognizing the power of storytelling, Anthony ensures that the company’s narratives are not only consistent but also captivating. He believes that a story should be entertaining, making it more memorable to resonant with the audience.
A strong work ethic pervades throughout the company, fostered by the leadership’s example. Despite the dedication to hard work, SWARM also emphasizes fun, as they believe in striking a healthy work/life balance and not taking themselves too seriously.
Harmonizing Sustainability
According to Anthony, one of the most fulfilling aspects of working in the agrifood industry is the positive impact it can have on society. SWARM’s primary expertise lies in optimizing processes within the agrifood supply chain, and this capability allows them to contribute to various societal benefits. Whether it’s supporting the expansion and supply of new healthier foods, reducing carbon outputs or food waste, and enhancing the freshness of traditional staples, working in a field that benefits everyone is deeply rewarding.
The approach of merging sustainability and regenerative-ag values into everyday decisions is a key focus for SWARM, and it has been met with enthusiasm and support from all stakeholders involved in each process. Rather than seeing sustainability as a separate project with vanity metrics, SWARM can incorporate sustainability factors into everyday decisions such as purchasing raw materials or choosing which carrier or shipping route to use.
Expanding Horizons
SWARM has remained steadfast in its commitment to the agrifood market but has also noticed a growing demand for their support in adjacent industries such as water, timber, shipping, and bio-fuels. Since SWARM’s platform is agnostic, it allows for seamless expansion into these new sectors, providing the same exceptional benefits they offer to their existing customers. As a startup, SWARM approaches this expansion with caution, ensuring that they can maintain the high level of service they currently provide to all their clients.
Recently, SWARM launched an exciting new product called AVA, the world’s first Agrifood Virtual Advisor. This AI-powered digital assistant is built on the foundation of OpenAI, Microsoft Azure, and SWARM technology. AVA’s primary purpose is to help agrifood businesses overcome operational challenges and save substantial amounts of money. Users can interact with AVA by typing or speaking, and receive responses in various formats, including text, audio, and video.
AVA is designed to offer personalized insights and recommendations based on a deep understanding of agrifood challenges and each client’s unique organizational context. Unlike generic digital assistants, AVA possesses a comprehensive grasp of agrifood-specific terminology and processes, enabling it to generate fully tailored SaaS solutions that address individual business needs effectively.
One of AVA’s remarkable capabilities is its ability to be trained on SWARM’s engine and templates, enabling it to accurately identify and describe various operational challenges within the agrifood industry. From allocation and product blending to animal flow, labor planning, and optimizing inbound and outbound logistics, AVA is well-equipped to handle a multitude of supply chain issues.
Users can collaborate with AVA to identify critical challenges within their businesses and benchmark their current performance. Additionally, AVA can conduct interviews with operational team members and managers, capturing valuable tribal knowledge, constraints, and key interdependencies.
The launch of AVA marks a significant step forward for SWARM, and the team is excited to witness its growth and impact in the future. With AVA’s support, SWARM is confident that they will continue to assist their customers in efficiently resolving organizational challenges, further solidifying their position as a leading force in the agrifood and related industries.