Leipziger Wasserwerke (LWW) supplies drinking water to more than 660,000 people in the Leipzig region and operates five waterworks and 25 wastewater treatment plants. With increasing connectivity in industrial control systems, cybersecurity in operational technology (OT) becomes a core requirement for reliable operations.To strengthen its security architecture, LWW had already separated office IT from process control networks and introduced defined security zones. The next step was to validate this setup, create full transparency across the network, and identify potential vulnerabilities. This is where venture clienting became relevant: instead of building internal solutions, LWW worked with a specialized technology provider to address a defined challenge. Through a structured collaboration, SpinLab alumni Rhebo from class 2 supported LWW in reviewing and improving its OT network security.
Rhebo is a cybersecurity company focused on securing Operational Technology (OT) and industrial communication networks. Their mission is to ensure both cybersecurity and operational stability for industrial, energy, and water sector infrastructure by providing solutions for continuous OT monitoring, anomaly detection and threat identification.
The objective of the collaboration was to establish a complete asset inventory, analyze communication flows within the OT network and between OT and office IT, and derive concrete risk mitigation measures. Rhebo conducted a structured Industrial Security Assessment based on passive network monitoring. Sensors were deployed at relevant points in the control network to record communication over a two-week period without interfering with running systems.
The assessment identified all active assets within the OT environment, including firmware versions, manufacturers and device identifiers. Network topology and communication structures were visualized, enabling detailed analysis of protocols, traffic volumes, and data flows. The monitoring also detected anomalies and insecure processes such as scans or failed login attempts. In addition, potential vulnerabilities were reviewed based on known Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures (CVEs).
Based on the findings, Rhebo evaluated risks and defined concrete hardening measures. The results were documented in a structured report and discussed in a joint workshop. This process translated technical insights into prioritized implementation steps. LWW achieved complete transparency across its OT assets and communication structures. Connections between process control systems and office IT were identified and evaluated. Network segmentation was validated, and identified gaps were addressed.
In January 2021, the Swiss technology group Landis+Gyr acquired Rhebo, making it a wholly-owned subsidiary within its global portfolio of energy and grid solutions. The acquisition strengthened Landis+Gyr’s cybersecurity capabilities by integrating Rhebo’s industrial OT and IoT monitoring technology into its broader product range . Today, Rhebo continues to operate with its headquarters next to SpinLab in Leipzig, Germany and remains focused on securing operational technology networks for utility, industrial, and infrastructure customers. Read the full case study here.
The collaboration between Rhebo and Leipziger Wasserwerke shows how venture clienting enables corporates to adopt startup solutions in a structured and low-risk way. SpinLab supports corporates throughout the entire venture clienting process: from challenge definition and startup scouting to structured validation and implementation in real business environments. If you are looking to solve operational challenges with innovative technologies and want to integrate startup solutions into your organization efficiently, explore SpinLab’s Venture Clienting service.