The Berlin-based hardware and software startup Senic just closed a $4 million seed funding round with Birchmere Ventures, Target Partners and Gira, a leading supplier for building control systems. Senic, which was founded in 2013, has raised the fresh capital to continue the expansion with its “beautifully designed” smart home systems.
Senic is tackling the gap between two big markets: 1. Traditional building automation systems, such as Crestron in the USA or KNX in Europe, wich typically require a professional integrator, as they are more complex to install. 2. There is a more recent development for less expensive DIY systems that are marketed towards technically versed consumers.
The gap between the traditional automation systems and DIY systems has yet to be bridged – a space Senic will fill with its product portfolio, starting with the Red Dot Award-winning NUIMO smart home controller and the COVI lamp. The vision is to bring a high-quality, deeply integrated smart home solution to residential and office spaces. The fresh capital will be used to expand the product portfolio.
In 2015, Senic launched their first product NUIMO on Kickstarter. NUIMO is a Red Dot and German Design award-winning smart home controller compatible with smart speakers, lights and other smart devices, such as Sonos and Philips Hue. In 2016, Senic sold out of their first 3 batches of NUIMO. In July 2017, Senic launched their second product COVI, an intelligent designer light with built-in speech interface, along with an updated version of NUIMO that ships with a Hub to extend the integrations and compatibility of NUIMO. NUIMO and COVI are both manufactured locally in Germany.
Senic CEO Tobias Eichenwald stated: “We believe that the way most people interact with technology is broken, we should be demanding better designed interfaces and more seamless interactions. With this new capital, we’re able to expand our team and product line, continuing to deliver our users products that are beautifully crafted and make the smart home more human.”
