In an age of hyper-connectivity, the Internet of Things (IoT) is the basis for a booming sector in which countless innovators provide software and hardware for everything from intelligent homes and cars to medical devices and manufacturing.
By 2025, forecasters predict, the IoT industry will hit between $1 trillion and $3 trillion in revenue due to a shift from mere connectivity to IoT-powered applications, platforms and services.
As tech pioneer Kevin Ashton so succinctly put it, “The IoT integrates the interconnectedness of human culture — our ‘things’ — with the interconnectedness of our digital information system — ‘the Internet.'”
Here are 33 IoT companies you should know.
IOT FOR BROADBAND CONNECTIVITY
Industry: IT, Mobile, Software
Location: Stamford, Connecticut
What it does: From residential homes to commercial businesses, a wide range of customers depend on Spectrum‘s connectivity solutions. The company delivers mobile, internet, phone, and TV services. However, organizations can request more secure connections through fiber technology for Ethernet access and other added perks. Spectrum adapts its selection to meet the unique needs of each customer, providing an unparalleled communications experience.
IoT + Cloud-Based Communication
Industry: Cloud Computing, Communication, Mobile
Location: Belmont, CA
What it does: RingCentral is a distributor of cloud-based communication and collaboration tools for business. The company offers messaging, video and phone platforms that make it easy for teams and whole companies to communicate with one another. The cloud-based technology is used by global brands like the Golden State Warriors, Coursera, BMW and the PGA Tour to enhance communications and remote work.
IoT-Powered Safety Monitoring
Industry: Telecommunications, Healthcare
Location: Austin, Texas
What it does: AlertMedia provides mass-alert communication software. With its fully-integrated cloud-based platform, the company provides two-way communications and monitoring. Its SafeSignal app enables users to quickly alert a monitoring center in case of emergency.
Building the IoT-Enabled Bicycle
Industry: Robotics, Transportation, Hardware
Location: Cambridge, Massachusetts
What it does: Superpedestrian develops human-powered mobility for cities employing design, robotics and mobile technology. Specialists in “human-enhancing technologies,” the company’s widely compatible Copenhagen Wheel senses a bike rider’s motions and greatly boosts pedal power.
Smart Energy IoT
Industry: Cleantech
Location: Culver City, California
What it does: Inspire provides cleaner and more efficient power to consumers. The company offers a “smart energy” subscription that offers customers 100% renewable energy as well as energy management services.
IoT for Sensor Data
Industry: Transportation, Food, Government
Location: San Francisco, California
What it does: Samsara‘s sensor data solutions aim to enhance operational safety and efficiency for an array of industries. The company’s connected sensors allow businesses to more easily manage, track and monitor operations within vehicles and fleets.
MERGING IOT AND RETAIL COOLERS
Industry: Adtech
Location: Chicago, Illinois
What it does: Cooler Screens transforms the typically functionless facades of retail coolers into eye-grabbing IoT-enabled screens that allow brands to offer real-time promotions and harness customer data while providing retailers with out-of-stock alerts, pricing updates and more.
IoT for the Automotive Industry
Industry: Automotive, Insurance, Software
Location: Chicago, Illinois
What it does: CCC provides cloud, mobile, telematics, hyperscale technologies and apps for the automotive, insurance and collision repair industries. Using its CCC ONE™platform, the company connects more than 350 insurance companies, 24,000-plus repair facilities, hundreds of parts suppliers and much more.
Smart Fridge IoT
Industry: Food
Location: Chicago, Illinois
What it does: Farmer’s Fridge has a large network of easily accessible smart fridges that offer handcrafted, “chef-curated” food in jars that are packed with quality ingredients. Bonus: any food that’s unpurchased is donated to charity.
Home Security IoT
Industry: Security
Location: Boston, Massachusetts
What it does: SimpliSafe makes wireless/cellular home security systems that are disaster-ready, protected against power outages, operate on extra-secure networks and employ deep encryption. The company also has six monitoring centers.
Bringing IoT to Telecommunications
Industry: Wireless, Finance, Software
Location: Greenwood Village, Colorado
What it does: CSG provides BSS software and services for companies in the telecommunications industry that include BSS and revenue management, customer experience and digital monetization solutions. All products are built on public and private cloud platforms.
IOT FOR FAMILY SAFETY
Industry: Kids + Family
Location: Chicago, Illinois
What it does: Jiobit is a real-time location tracker that allows parents to keep tabs on their kids’ locations. Equipped with government-level encryption, the device purportedly keeps data safe and also maintains a daily record of routes and location history.
IoT-Powered Waste Management
Industry: Food, Retail, Cleantech
Location: Boston, Massachusetts
What it does: Enevo provides waste and recycling services to retail, restaurant and other industries using IoT-enabled container sensors to reduce the environmental, social and financial impact of waste.
IoT in the Nonprofit Sector
Industry: Government, Industrial, Big Data
Location: Los Angeles, California
What it does: Nexleaf provides data analytics tools and lightweight sensor services to those in the global public health and climate change sectors. A nonprofit company, its team of computer scientists, software engineers, public health experts and many others works extensively in low-and middle-income countries.
IoT Software Stack
Industry: Software
Location: New York, New York
What it does: Temboo’s software enables all types of engineers to build and run Internet-enabled automated systems and lets consumers connect hardware to cloud services. The company’s code has been used in a wide array of applications, including oil and energy, industrial, entertainment and life sciences.
IoT For the Home
Industry: Hardware, Smart Homes
Location: New York, New York
What it does: Wink’s app enables users to control lights, power and security systems in their homes. Users are also able to more precisely monitor energy use.
IoT That Creates Indoor Maps
Industry: Retail, Healthcare
Location: Bellevue, Washington
What it does: Point Inside creates indoor maps and enables data-driven positioning technologies and indoor location-based services across different industries. Since its founding in 2009, the company has worked with clients in retail, airports, travel, hospitals and other sectors.
IoT Security For Businesses
Industry: Security
Location: Palo Alto, California
What it does: Armis eliminates security blind spots for businesses by continuously monitoring every device that’s connected to or in the vicinity of a company’s network. Services include comprehensive device and asset recovery and non-disruptive passive monitoring, among others.
IoT to Help Machines Play Nice
Industry: Energy, Agriculture, Software
Location: Sunnyvale, California
What it does: Atomiton’s industrial software stack enables a disparate variety of machines and devices to securely interconnect and interact. The company works in a variety of disparate sectors, including oil & gas, agriculture, smart cities and manufacturing.
Industrial IoT
Industry: Artificial Intelligence, Industrial, Energy
Location: Houston, Texas
What it does: Flutura employs artificial intelligence to improve asset uptime and operation efficiency. Using its Industrial IoT Cerebram AI platform, the company serves clients OEM and manufacturing, oil & gas and utilities.
Edge-to-Cloud IIoT
Industry: Industrial, Robotics, Software
Location: Mountain View, California
What it does: FogHorn’s software platform provides edge intelligence for industrial and commercial applications. Clients in a range of industries include manufacturing, mining, power and water, healthcare and renewable energy. The company recently announced it was teaming with Google to create edge-to-cloud IIoT.
Trusted IoT Execution Platform
Industry: Finance, Automotive
Location: Sunnyvale, California
What it does: MagicCubes’s software provides a trusted execution environment (TEE) security platform for mobile and IoT devices. The company’s products facilitate mobile payments, connected cars and PIN on glass transactions.
IoT For the Supply Chain
Industry: Software
Location: Cambridge, Massachusetts
What it does: Tive improves supply chain visibility using cloud software and cellular trackers. Services include location tracking for high-value goods, chemicals condition monitoring, handling damage monitoring, port delay avoidance and more.
IoT Blockchain Technology
Industry: Energy, Blockchain, Transportation
Location: Palo Alto, California
What it does: Xage uses blockchain technology to provide a security platform for industrial IoT applications. Services include automated policy enforcement, role-based access control, systemic tamperproofing, edge authentication and device lifestyle management.
IoT Services For a Variety of Sectors
Industry: Insurance, Finance, Healthcare
Location: Los Altos, California
What it does: Avaamo provides intelligence, cybersecurity and IoT services for companies in a variety of sectors, including financial and telecommunications. Solutions include contact center innovation, supply chain management and service desk automation.
IoT Consulting
Industry: Finance, Wireless, Gaming
Location: Fremont, California
What it does: Sigmaways is a consulting and IT services company with expertise in big data, cloud computing, IoT, app development and automation and QA testing. Services include churn analytics and loyalty analysis.
IoT for Better Business Connectivity
Industry: Various
Location: San Jose, California
What it does: Arm simplifies IoT connectivity for businesses in a range of industries — from automotive and retail to logistics and smart buildings. It does that by helping companies and organizations build IoT systems with secure connectivity across industries, applications and markets.
IoT for Edge Computing
Industry: Software
Location: Austin, Texas
What it does: Clearblade‘s IoT platform, which lets businesses build secure enterprise cloud solutions, has been used to create smart buildings, connected job sites and connected assets within supply chains.
IoT for Smart Buildings
Industry: Software
Location: Des Moines, Iowa
What it does: Igor allows for full lighting control and the integration of any IoT device.
IoT for Connectivity
Industry: Mobile
Location: San Francisco, California
What it does: Nodle‘s bluetooth-enabled, low-energy-powered network is used by companies to track and cull data from assets across the United States, including things like home appliances and air sensors. The company uses smartphones as nodes and bases that form a connective network.
IoT Tracking
Industry: Various
Location: Encinitas, California
What it does: SensLynx provides IoT fleet and asset tracking for a variety of industries and services that range from HVAC and construction to waste management and agriculture. It’s all done one one platform that includes software, hardware and connectivity for IoT devices and functions like ATMs, Kiosks, digital signs and wireless backup.
IoT for Sound
Industry: Software
Location: Boston, Massachusetts
What it does: TrillBit uses existing speaker hardware to create data transfer devices by encoding a data layer onto existing sounds. Trillbit’s technology requires no new hardware, isn’t network dependent and can cross platforms.
IoT for Better WiFi
Industry: Consumer Electronics
Location: San Francisco, California
What it does: Eero replaces traditional routers with multiple access points to provide more reliable internet access. Controlled through a mobile app, it provides information on device usage, network stats, issue diagnostics and WiFi sharing.
Images via social media, Shutterstock and screenshots of company web pages.
