HighByte
MTI is one of the friendliest investors that a Maine company can hope to work with.
–Tony Paine, Co-Founder & Chief Executive Officer, HighByte
Inside HighByte: Helping Manufacturers Make Sense of Their Data
In many manufacturing environments, important data is spread across machines, systems, and software that don’t easily work together. When teams can’t see what’s happening in real time, it becomes harder to prevent problems, keep operations running smoothly, and make confident decisions.
Founded in 2018, HighByte set out to help solve that problem. “We established HighByte to solve the persistent data operations, architecture, and integration problems faced by many of today’s industrial and manufacturing organizations,” said Co-Founder and CEO Tony Paine.
At its core, HighByte helps industrial teams organize their data so it’s accessible and usable. Its flagship product, HighByte Intelligence Hub, supports practical, everyday needs like predicting equipment issues before they cause downtime, monitoring energy use, ensuring product quality, and meeting regulatory requirements.
Navigating Early Business Challenges
HighByte began with a strong idea but limited resources. While the founders deferred their own salaries early on, finding money to support research and development was more difficult.
“It’s very difficult to put a specific value on an idea in its early stages,” Paine explained. Early access to funding allowed the team to test the concept, validate its usefulness, and begin building a product that addressed real-world needs.
$100,000+
in grants
$250,000
Development loan
$150,000
Sinnaanta
0 to 90+
customer growth
1,656%
company growth from 2021 to 2024
4
workplace recognition awards
ISO 27001 certified
Building Momentum and Scale
Since its first product launch, HighByte has grown steadily. “We have grown our customer base from zero to more than 90 organizations, spanning over 24 countries and 20 segments within the industrial space,” Paine said.
Today, most of HighByte’s customers are large multinational companies operating complex industrial environments. The company has expanded its team to 42 full-time employees and earned national recognition for its rapid growth, workplace culture, and leadership in industrial technology.
How MTI Helped Move the Company Forward
Maine Technology Institute played a key role in HighByte’s development and continued progress. “MTI provided early grants during the ideation stage of the business, shared a friendly development loan to enable the recruitment of R&D resources, and later participated in an early equity round,” Paine said.
Beyond funding, the relationship became a long-term partnership. “MTI has an observer presence on our board and has been a great partner to brainstorm with and help unlock other sources of capital within the state of Maine.”
Supporting the People Behind Industrial Operations
While HighByte’s work is deeply technical, the people running facilities day-to-day feel its impact the most. “This helps reduce the complicated planning and installation processes often associated with updating data infrastructure and makes the responsibilities of facility operators less daunting,” Paine said.
Once implemented, HighByte’s software gives teams faster access to relevant information, helping them respond more effectively and keep operations on track.
What’s Next
HighByte’s long-term vision centers on making data easier to use across the industrial world. “Our ultimate long-term goal is to make Industrial DataOps not just accessible but standard across the industrial and manufacturing industries,” Paine said.
As the company looks ahead, it continues to refine its technology, respond to customer needs, and explore how data systems and emerging tools can work together to support more efficient, sustainable industrial operations.
