Richard Skrinde

GridPathway Founder Richard Skrinde began his Silicon Valley career assisting AT&T to commercialize UNIX as an entrepreneurial architect and open systems expert. The new hardware independence introduced by UNIX open-system microprocessor platforms disrupted the minicomputer industry by breaking the proprietary architecture chokeholds that had locked-in customers.

UNIX computing enabled the rise of software independence that began with architectural assistance rendered to the relational database industry. First, a new data independence disrupted proprietary data store vendors, enabling a new channel independence where additional strategic marketing assistance accelerated an indirect channel that allowed 3rd parties to drive new multi-billion-dollar revenue streams. Next, assistance was provided in the formation of an open integration council where the middleware industry was incubated to deliver process independence. A more targeted assistance helped HP invent low-code business process automation technology that has now matured into the robotic process automation industry.

Skrinde then applied techniques proven in the IT revolution to help drive an Operating Technology (OT) revolution by introducing industrial process control independence architecture. ROSS-I, the open industrial robotic movement, broke robotic arm proprietary architecture chokeholds, disrupting the industrial robotic industry.

Skrinde is now focused on building GridPathway to accelerate the OT revolution by delivering open edge integration independence. His first target is the last great proprietary architecture chokehold, the regulated electric power grid supply chain. Intellectual property development efforts resulted in the prosecution of several patents. Stakeholder cross cutting efforts have attracted a coalition of grid modernization stakeholders committed to driving the GridPathway mission forward.