It can be tough to be an innovator in the M2M space these days. There’s a lot of sound and fury, and getting above the din can be challenging. One powerful way to get some attention and prove your solution as one of the best is to go head-to-head with other inventors and developers in a competition.
On March 17, the Z-Wave Alliance announced a new IoT competition designed to reward startups for developing smart home solutions on the Z-wave platform. The Z-Wave Alliance is an open consortium of global companies already using Z-Wave, one of the world's largest wireless control systems. The contest will reward one individual or company each month from May 2015 to may 2016 with a 12-month membership to the Z-Wave Alliance and a new IoT-ready 500 Series Z-Wave Developer Kit from Sigma Designs. Start-up companies and entrepreneurs looking to bring Z-Wave products to market are invited to enter. More details on the Z-Wave Labs Program, the application process, judging criteria and timelines will be announced in April 2015.
“The Z-Wave Alliance recognizes the importance of start-ups and disrupters in the industry to jump start innovation and also to accelerate widespread adoption of smart home and IoT technology,” Mary Miller, Senior Director of Corporate Marketing at Sigma Designs and a principal board member of the Z-Wave Alliance, said. "Winners will have mentors that provide access to an extensive network of companies who know how to manufacture, distribute and market Z-Wave products.”
Meanwhile, the Internet Protocol for Smart Objects (IPSO) Alliance will begin accepting entries on March 18 for its third annual IPSO Challenge for entrepreneurs, makers, students and professionals in the technology sector who can show clever designs for using internet protocol for M2M applications. Monetary prizes add up to $10,000 and contestants can also win development kits from contest sponsors ARM, Atmel, Freescale, Micrium, Sigma Designs, STMicroelectronics, and Texas Instruments. The winners will be announced at an award ceremony in Silicon Valley in December, where prototypes will be showcased in a special IoT Pavilion.
“Google is pleased to be a sponsor of the IPSO Challenge. The Internet of Things is opening new territory in cyberspace and its exploration is a priority for many companies new and old,” Vint Cerf, Chief Internet Evangelist of Google, said.
“Each year the entries have demonstrated the vast potential for IP use in creating low cost, effective and secure products for the IoT. Challenge contestants have shown us ways to improve energy conservation, simplify healthcare management, monitor the quality of drinking water, and much more,” said Geoff Mulligan, Chairman, IPSO. “We look forward to seeing what 2015 will bring.”
First round submissions require a written proposal to be submitted through the online registration site. Development kits are awarded to qualified entrants on a first come, first served basis, so contestants are encouraged to submit their designs early. The final submission window closes July 15. Semi-finalists will be notified by July 31 and must deliver a functional prototype for final judging no later than December 1. Entry forms and more information can be found at www.ipso-alliance.org/challenge.
Edited by
Dominick Sorrentino
