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Z-Wave Alliance Launches IoT Competition to Reward Start-Ups for Their Innovation in the Smart Home

Milpitas, CA – March 17, 2015  – The Z-Wave Alliance, an open consortium of leading global companies deploying Z-Wave, the world’s largest ecosystem of wireless control products and services, is announcing a brand new competition to support and incentivize innovation on the Z-Wave platform. The yearlong Z-Wave Labs Program will accept applications from start-up companies and entrepreneurs looking to bring Z-Wave products to market.

In order to accelerate innovation on the Z-Wave platform and lower the barrier of entry for new companies to develop IoT products, the program will reward one selected individual/company each month starting in May 2015 with a 12-month membership to the Z-Wave Alliance as well as one of the newly available IoT-ready 500 Series Z-Wave Developer Kits from Sigma Designs.

“The Z-Wave Alliance recognizes the importance of start-ups and disrupters in the industry both to jump start innovation but also to accelerate widespread adoption of smart home and IoT technology,” said Mary Miller, Senior Director of Corporate Marketing at Sigma Designs and a Principal Board member of the Z-Wave Alliance, “With over 1200 Z-Wave-certified devices currently on the market and 300 companies working together to create more solutions every single day, this program is a unique opportunity for young start-ups and entrepreneurs to engineer exciting new products for the Z-Wave ecosystem.”

Winners can choose from the new 500 Series Developer Kits for support in building either controller or embedded Z-Wave products. The Z-Wave Controller Development Kit is designed to meet IoT for Smart Home market needs for both in-home and cloud based services, as well as development for gateways, portals, televisions, set-top boxes, and additional consumer electronics products and services. Feature-rich, IoT-enabled development is greatly expedited through the inclusion of serial API, Z/IP Gateway, Z-Ware C-API, and access to full source code.

The Z-Wave Controller Development Kit includes:

  • Faster time to market – A Z-Wave gateway/router prototype can be built within one week.
  • Reduced development cost to enter the IoT Smart Home market
  • Source code stacks as a resource on which to build OEM applications
  • A single kit for product development serves all regions in the world

Sigma Designs’ Z-Wave Embedded Development Kit consists of the hardware and software tools required to develop Z-Wave embedded IoT for Smart Home end-devices such as door locks, lights, sensors and thermostats.

The Z-Wave Embedded Development Kit includes:

  • Embedded sample applications for quick prototyping
  • Framework for building new software applications
  • Z-Wave protocol sniffer tools for analyzing and resolving issues
  • Z-Wave RF modules for building prototypes
  • Versatile development module for easy hardware prototyping

Featured at a lower price point than previous editions, both are available today and include streamlined hardware and software tools for Z-Wave product development including controllers and end devices.

“Winners will have mentors that provide access to an extensive network of companies who know how to manufacture, distribute and market Z-Wave products. Winners will have an opportunity to leverage the diverse go-to market channels that Z-Wave Alliance membership will afford them,” said Miller.

More details on the Z-Wave Labs Program, including the application process, judging criteria and timelines will be announced in April 2015.

For more information on the Z-Wave Alliance, please visit http://z-wavealliance.org. Follow the Z-Wave Alliance on Facebook, Twitter and on LinkedIn.

About Z-Wave

Z-Wave technology and is an open internationally recognized ITU standard (G.9959). It is the leading wireless home control technology in the market today, with over 1200 certified interoperable products worldwide. Represented by the Z-Wave Alliance, and supported by more than 300 companies around the world, the standard is a key enabler of smart living solutions for home safety and security, energy, hospitality, office and light commercial applications.

Z-Wave® is a registered trademark of Sigma Designs and its subsidiaries in the United States and other countries.

About the Z-Wave Alliance

Formed in January 2005, the Z-Wave Alliance is a consortium of leading companies in the home technology space dedicated to solidifying Z-Wave as the standard for wireless home control products. The principal members include; ADT, Evolve Guest Controls, FAKRO, Ingersoll-Rand, Jasco Products, LG Uplus, Nortek Security & Control, SmartThings and Sigma Designs. Alliance members lead the home controls market, providing leading edge products and systems that deliver increased comfort, convenience, energy conservation, safety and security.

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