A daily newsletter summarizing recent activity & interesting start-ups globally
RECENT NOTABLE ACTIVITY – SMART HOMES
- Ring Labs, developer of connected video doorbells and connected cameras raised $109M in Series D round of funding. Link
- Vivint, developer of home automation systems raised $72M in late stage venture funding from Goldman Sachs. Vivint was acquired by Blackstone in 2012 for $2B. Link
- Viva Labs, developer of a range of home automation & security solutions raised $1.3M in Series A investment from Danish Solar. Link
- Switchee, developer of connected thermostats for home has raised £480k in seed funding. Link
- Samsung acquired Perch Technologies, developer of an app to convert old phones into a surveillance camera. Link
- Electrolux acquired Anova Culinary, developer of sous vide cooker for $250M. Link
- Deutsche Telekom has released its white label product portfolio for smart homes. Link
SOME INTERESTING STARTUPS FOUND
Noria (2016, Philadelphia) – Connected ACs that fit at the bottom of the window, has managed to raise $1.3M in crowdfunding on Kickstarter.
LEADER BOARD – SMART HOMES
SMART HOME SUITE
Alarm (2000, Vienna, IPO) – Home and business security by leveraging wireless, web and mobile technologies, all built on Alarm.com’s hosted services platform. Went public in June 2015.
Nest Labs (2010, Palo Alto, $80M, Acq.) – Hardware and software for monitoring home energy consumption. Acquired by Google for $3.2B in 2014. Backed by Google Ventures, LSVP, KPCB, Shasta Ventures, Generation Investment Management.
HOME AUTOMATION
Device Management
Control4 (2003, Saltlake City, IPO) – Wired and wireless home automation products. Went public in August 2013 thus becoming first home automation company to do so.
Savant (2005, Barnstable, $90M) – App and hub for connected device management. Backed by PE firm KKR.
Monitoring Systems
Leeo (2013, Palo Alto, $38M) – Plugin devices that alert user when their smoke alarm sound. Recently laid off 30% of its employees. Backed by Formation 8, Visionnaire Ventures, EON.
Hello (2012, SF, $32M) – Sleep behavior tracking by providing data on environmental conditions of room. Backed by Temasek Holdings.
Bidgely (2010, Sunnyvale, $25M) – Enables consumers to monitor and manage their household energy use. Backed by Khosla Ventures, Constellation Technology Ventures, E.ON, RWE Group.
HVAC Control
Tado (2011, Munich, $57M) – Smart AC management device for homes and businesses. Backed by Target Partners, Shortcut Ventures, BayBG, Siemens.
Ecobee (2007, Toronto, $51M) – Apple homekit compatible digital programmable thermostat. Backed by Tech Capital Partners, Relay Ventures, Investco Capital, Ontario Emerging Technologies Fund & Amazon Alexa Fund.
Wireless Switches & Plugs
Broadlink (2013, Hangzhou, $21M) – Developer of connected power strips. Backed by Qualcomm, Sequoia Capital, Innovation Works, Qihoo 360 & China Merchants Group.
Deako (2015, Seattle, $9M) – Developer of connected switches for homes. Backed by Y Combinator & other undisclosed investors.
ThinkEco (2008, NYC, $7M) – Modern outlet that monitors and regulates power consumed by appliances.
Home Lighting
Lifx (2012, Melbourne, $13M) – Wifi enabled LED lights. Backed by Sequoia Capital, Qualcomm Ventures.
MyQubic (2014, Beijing, $11M) – Connected lighting solution for homes. Backed by Plum Ventures & Hwazing Capital.
Smart Kitchen
Juicero (2013, SF, $90M) – Developer of internet connected juicers. Backed by KPCB, Thrive Capital, GV, Interplay Ventures, Vast Ventures, Two Sigma Ventures, Double Bottom Line Investors, Mindfull Investors, ARTIS Ventures, Campbell Soup Co, First Beverage Group, DBL Partners, and ICH Group.
Innit (2013, SF, $43M) – Development phase sensors to manage and connect food information. Backed by group of strategic investors.
June (2013, SF, $29.5M) – Smart counter top oven. Backed by Foundry Group, Founders Fund, First Round Capital, Lerer Hippeau, Upside Partnership.
Gardening
Hydropoint (2002, Petaluma, $6
Rachio (2012, Denver, $10M) – Platform for remote sprinkler management. Backed by FG Angels.
HOME SECURITY
Locks
August (2013, SF, $48M) – Smart lock and access systems. Backed by Qualcomm Ventures, Bessemer Venture Partners, Comcast Ventures, Maveron, Cowboy Ventures, Industry Ventures, Rho Ventures, Softtech VC.
Latch (2014, NYC, $17M) – Smart locks for homes, offices and apartment buildings. Backed by Primary Venture Partners, Corigin Venture Partners, Expansion Ventures, PCH, Camber Creek, Third Prime Capital, R/GA, Techstars and a number real estate developers.
Video Monitoring & Alerts
Ring Labs (2012, Santa Monica, $204M) – Developer of connected doorbell. Backed by KPCB, American Family Insurance, J.F. Shea, True Ventures, Upfront Ventures, First Round, Queens Bridge Ventures, Charles River VC,Sky Daton.
Canary (2012, NYC, $41M) – Device with video camera and safety sensors for home. Backed by Khosla Ventures, Western Technology Investment, Two Sigma Ventures, New York Angels, Flextronics, Brooklyn Bridge Ventures, Cota Capital, MetaProp NYC, Walden Riverwood Ventures.
Home Network Security
Luma (2014, Atlanta, $23M) – Developer of device for creating smart and secure wifi network at home. Backed by Accel Partners, Amazon, Andreessen Horowitz, 500 Startups, Felicis Ventures, GV, Webb Investment Network, Relay Ventures, Base Ventures & BIP Capital.
Leaderboard includes all the top funded, IPO and successfully running bootstrapped companies along with their location, founding year and funding amount.
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