A plate, a watch, a flowerpot, a lightbulb… These objects we encounter in our everyday lives are already connected to the Internet. They are all grouped beneath the term consumer IoT—connected devices aiming to improve our quality of life. There’s also the industrial Internet of Things, a term targeting plants, manufacturing and logistics departments, agriculture companies and businesses in other industries.
IoT technology continues to evolve. Hundreds of incredible Internet of Things inventions have recently hit the market, and many more are on the horizon. We have researched multiple products that are already available to create this list of top IoT startups you should watch in 2019. Their innovative ideas will inspire you to create, invent and innovate!
7 best Internet of Things startups
As you probably already know, IoT is extremely diverse. This technology can be integrated into everything from stylish jewelry to massive manufacturing machinery. The hottest internet of things startups have adopted completely different approaches and targeted various market segments. But we admire these innovative ideas and courageous implementation. Check out this internet of things startups list!
SAM Labs - constructions kits to learn science
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Founded in 2014 by Joachim Horn,
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Raised over $160,000 via Kickstarter, total funding over $11M,
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Rewarded by Design Week, Maker Faire, UK Business awards.
Do you remember your science lessons back in school? Most likely, you were bored and didn’t really understand what your teacher was trying to explain with old books and devices. It probably took you years to grasp complicated concepts. A lot of companies have recognized the challenges of education and are actively looking for a solution.
SAM Labs has sought to contribute by making school science and technology lessons as interactive and fascinating for kids as possible.
In 2014 they presented their revolutionary construction kits, which are based on IoT technology, on Kickstarter. These kits support science teachers during lessons by enabling students to design and carry out their own experiments and program various sensors on their own.
Get Started with SAM Labs from SAM Labs on Vimeo.
SAM Labs’ invention has already been adopted by a number of schools across the USA. Parents can also buy individual kits to encourage their kids to experiment at home. The company is confidently moving towards their main goal—to make education engaging for students around the world. That definitely earns them a spot on this list of the best Internet of Things startups of recent years!
Valerann - a smart road system
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Founded in 2016 by Daniel Yakovich, Gabriel Jacobson, Michael Dan Vardi, and Shahar Bahiri,
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Funding: Not disclosed,
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Awards: Finalist in 2017 MassChallenge Accelerator, winner of EY Journey prize, winner of “The Pitch” 2017.
Roads are a crucial infrastructure asset. But there is one problem—an incredible volume of road-connected data is wasted everyday. This data goes uncollected, unanalyzed, and unconsidered. Past companies have concluded solutions for roads digitization are simply too expensive and too complicated. But then, Valerann entered the game.
The Israeli startup recognized the need for a complex solution to make the roads smarter. Since 2016 they have worked hard, and their results are more than impressive. Valerann has developed smart IoT devices that, when installed every 10 meters, can transform any road into a smart road. These sensors collect data about traffic, road conditions, weather, and more. The data is then sent to Valerann’s cloud, where it is processed using machine learning and made available to users, operators, and vehicles.
Valerann’s IoT invention will prove extremely important to autonomous vehicles, since they require accurate road condition data that is often out of reach of their sensors.
Valerann Intro Video from Valerann on Vimeo.
You should keep an eye on this industrial startup in 2019, because these guys are doing something important—making the roads a safer place for everyone.
Amiko - digitalizing medicine
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Founded in 2015 by Alexander Marinov, Duilio Macchi, Martijn Grinovero,
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Awards: 1st prize winner of IBM Watson AI XPRIZE 2017.
Many IoT startups are trying to innovate in the healthcare space, but only a few have achieved as much as Amico. The British-Italian startup develops connected inhalers for both individual users and enterprise customers.
Respiro is the company’s primary project. The technology consists of three parts:
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A smart sensor, which can transform any inhaler into a smart connected device,
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A mobile application,
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And a provider portal.
The sensor gathers medication data, analyzes the lung health of a patient, and then sends this information to the cloud. The user application provides coaching based on the patient’s individual data to help improve inhaler technique. The provider portal displays population trends and helps doctors better understand and treat breathing diseases.
Amiko hasn’t defeated asthma yet. But they have taken huge steps in improving patients’ quality of life. The right solution is just around the corner!
WINT - Water Intelligence
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Founded in 2011 by a team of Israeli enthusiasts.
The earth is heading toward a natural resources crisis. Air, soil and water pollution are already recognized problems, but some optimistic enterprises still give this planet a chance. Among them is the startup WINT. These guys have developed water intelligence—a conscious approach to water consumption that can be applied to both individual households and huge facilities.
One of the key features of WINT is a data-driven water management system. Smart sensors allow users to track and regulate water consumption, minimizing water waste and damage. The company’s tech also empowers individuals and facilities to compare their actual water consumption with the numbers in their bills.
In general, WINT cultivates a conscious approach to water consumption. The startup aims to improve the planet’s ecological situation, and helping users to reduce their expenses is a nice bonus.
WINT Water Intelligence from Roni Azgad on Vimeo.
Ooma Butterfleye - intelligent security camera
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Founded in 2014 by Ben Nader and Brandon Nader,
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Total funding amount: $3,9M,
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Rewards: TechHive Editor's Choice 2018.
Many companies offer home surveillance systems, but most depend on constant electricity and internet connection. If one of these connections fails, the cameras turn off.
Butterfleye, recently acquired by Ooma, has a solution. Its cameras are equipped with a battery that can last two weeks and built-in storage. That way, recording continues even when internet connection or power are lost.
Even more impressive, these cameras are empowered by artificial intelligence. The system can recognize your family, friends—even pets—and notify you if a stranger breaks in. Their predictive algorithm can even capture activity 5 seconds before a triggered event takes place. As a result, you always know what has happened at your home.
Butterfleye is a perfect office solution as well. Along with all the benefits mentioned above, their business facing solution enables a 24/7 livestream.
Ooma Butterfleye is definitely one of the most interesting home security startups to follow in 2019.
Playbrush - smart toothbrush for children
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Founded in 2014 by Matthäus Ittner, Paul Varga, Tolulope Ogunsina,
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Total funding amount: $2,5M,
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Awards: TNW Europe Top 3 Startup - 2015, Health Media Award 2016, Forbes Austria Start-up Academy 2016.
Have you ever met a child who brushes her teeth properly and with pleasure? We haven’t. At least not until we discovered Playbrush—a startup that makes proper teeth brushing a healthy habit for children via gamification.
The company has developed a smart device that turns any manual toothbrush into a controller for a mobile game. The games are also developed by the Playbrush team and designed to entertain a kid without distracting her from brushing (like many similar solutions do). A child chooses her own game character, and all game actions are associated with certain toothbrush movements. To complete levels, the player has to properly brush her teeth in the predefined time.
Children enjoy the game, and at the same time, their teeth are cleaned and protected from disease. This is what a perfect IoT-based startup for young people should look like!
SecuriThings - IoT security
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Founded in 2015 by Raanan Lidji, Roy Dagan,
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Total funding amount: $8,3M,
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Award: Shengjing Global Innovation Awards 2015 Finalist.
Connected devices are now everywhere. They are tiny computers that collect and process tons of data and make our lives easier. But these devices are also vulnerable to cyber attacks. This security deficit is made even worse since an attack cannot be detected instantly and malware can exact intense harm by stealing or forging data.
SecuriThings has recognized this problem and offers a solution available to all IoT service providers. Their algorithm, which is based on behavioral analytics and machine learning, can constantly monitor all devices and users on an IoT platform. It detects anomalies in behavior, which can point to a cyber attack. As a result, an attack can be blocked, preventing data leakage or other serious threats.
SecuriThings is a startup for startups—a solution every IoT company should consider to protect the system and users from attacks.
Conclusion
There’s no doubt that most of the objects we use every day will soon be connected to the Internet. And that means there’s so much opportunity for creativity. Innovative ideas empowered by Internet of Things software development can result into world-changing products.
Our editorial team is fascinated by these IoT products. Follow them with us to watch their tremendous growth in 2019. Let these cases inspire you to create!
By the way, our blog is also a great source of inspiration and information. We write about startups, recent developments, efficient business techniques, and many more interesting topics. Subscribe so you never miss an update!
