Internet of Things platform Arrayent raises $11M round

Arrayent offers a cloud platform that allows brands to comment their products to the Internet

(Updated with comment from Cyril Brignone)

I find the Internet of Things to be a fascinating space. It seems like a space that is so futuristic. Of course there are plenty of problems that might come with having all of our devices connected to each other, but there always are with new technologies. What's more important is that the possibilities for this space seem endless because it can include anything from airplanes, to cars, to thermostats, refrigerators, even soda cans and forks.

Arrayent is a company on forefront of the IoT space. It offers a platform that is hosted in the Cloud, enabling consumer brands to connect their products and systems to the Internet. It allows devices to work together with the ecosystem that the consumer decides to select, rather than them needing a different app for each one. 

The company announced on Tuesday that it has just raised a new $11 million round of funding. The round included participation from DCM Ventures, Intel Capital, Opus Capital, Comerica Bank, and several leading angel investors.

The Redwood City, California-based Arrayent offers a platform that includes an operating system, called Connect Cloud, which hosts the virtualized device, the digital copy of the physical device to which the mobile apps connect. The platform also comes with firmware that manages the endpoint product’s communication session with the Arrayent Connect Cloud, called Connect Agent; and a data analytics feature.

Some of Arrayents current partners include Whirlpool, Maytag, Pentair, Chamberlain, LiftMaster, Salus, Schumacher, Braeburn, and OSRAM.

For example, Arrayent’s Connect Platform powered Mattel’s IM-Me toy and communication network. It worked with a home Internet connection, and offered a “walled garden” system, which only allowed the girls who used to chat with other IM-Me friends, and not strangers.

It also powers Chamberlain's garage door openers with Wi-Fi built-in.  It works with a home Internet connection, and the Chamberlain mobile app offers a convenient alternative to the U-turn most of us experience when we cannot remember if we closed our garage door on our way to work.

The company will be using the funding to give itself "a lot more runway for use cases," Cyril Brignone, CEO of Arrayent, told me.

"We are going to be expandng the use cases we want to target, and we will make our platform easier to integrate with other services to create successful IoT solution for consumers."

Since consumer don't want 25 mobile apps for 25 products, the products of all brands need to be compatible with each other, he said. Arrayent's goal going forward is to make that connection even better.

"We believe the consumer doesn't want IoT as a feature. It's about making life of consumer easier and more secure, so all the products they have in their home need to work together somehow," said Brignone.

"If I choose an alarm system, there are many systems out there that are connected, and then I buy a connected fridge, I want the alarm to go off if someone opens my fridge. Maybe the fridge is made by one brand, and the alarm is made by another solution provider, but those different brands need to work together."

The funding will also go toward expanding its 58 person tea, specifically by hiring more salespeople, and more representatives, who will be on the ground, working with manufacturers in Europe, the U.S. and, eventually, Asia.

Arrayent had previously raised $18.6 million in funding, including an $11.9 million round back in 2013. Previous investors include China Rock Capital, Intel Capital, and Opus Capital.

(Image source: arrayent.com)