Zonoff was founded in April 2011 after acquiring BuLogic’s field-proven consumer technology portfolio, which had been under commercial development since 2004. BuLogics is a designer of wireless automation solutions for commercial markets.

Zonoff is commercializing the Zonoff Connected Home Platform, a software platform that connects the Internet of Things to everyone and enables partners such as electronic device makers, service providers and retailers to deliver new products and services to the consumer mass market.

In April 2013, Zonoff raised $3.8 million in Series A funding led by Valhalla Partners and Grotech Ventures. In addition, Zonoff had previously raised a small seed round of under $1 million from angel investors. Zonoff is not currently looking to raise additional money. The company has 18 employees.

The Zonoff Platform includes software for the home (standalone or embeddable in other devices), software in the Cloud, and software for a variety of Apps that bring seamless home control via scalable user interfaces on a wide variety of consumer devices. The Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS) enables Channel Partners to leverage the “Internet of Things” using Zonoff as their white-box technology supplier.

The core offering, Zonoff Home software, turns virtually any “always-on” device (HDTV, Blu-ray player, router, set top box, etc.) into a home controller. Zonoff has abstracted all of the relevant standards and protocols across hundreds of disparate devices in the home automation eco-system, including Z-Wave, ZigBee, WiFi, as well as proprietary protocols.

The Zonoff Cloud Software and Services enable remote access and device management, deliver advanced analytics, and ultimately, increase revenues per user for Zonoff’s Channel Partners. With Zonoff’s embedded Home software, consumers can control their home if their broadband connection is unavailable. The Zonoff Cloud also give consumers access to their home when they are away. Zonoff’s Cloud Software and Services also makes recommendations for further intelligence and/or new or enhanced products that will add to the consumer’s experience.

Zonoff also provides software Apps that run on smartphones, tablets or other devices, and a user interface framework that enables customized UIs to be rapidly deployed across numerous devices inside or out of the home.

Zonoff does not sell hardware, but does provide hardware reference designs built upon a scalable and “future-proof” strategy referred to as the Zonoff Distributed Radio Architecture (ZDRA), which bridges multiple control and communications networks. Separating radios from the core controller provides myriad installation options, lowers initial start-up costs, and provides consumers with maximum flexibility for ongoing upgrades.

For high-end home automation, the Embassy reference design includes on-board WiFi, Z-Wave and a cellular modem along with two industry standard U-Snap modules that enable two more radio/protocol options. For low cost “point” solutions, the Consulate reference design includes on-board WiFi and one other radio protocol. The Sentry reference design separates the control software from the radios entirely, enabling the radios to be placed wherever they may be needed in the home, without the need for a wired Ethernet connection.

Zonoff’s channel partners can use any or all of Zonoff’s core components to create products and services that transform any house into an Intuitive Home. Target applications include home automation, remote control, energy management, and safety monitoring.

Zonoff is targeting the mass market, mainstream consumer by partnering with big name consumer brands who already have deep and long-lasting consumer relationships. These companies include electronic device makers, service providers, retailers and others.

Zonoff built and powers Somfy’s TaHomA home automation experience. Marvell recently introduced its Smart Bulb Residential Wireless Platform, which provides an open, end-to-end solution for manufacturers developing smart lighting systems. The Platform features the Marvell 88EM8511 AC/DC controller and wireless microcontroller embedded inside a smart LED bulb. The first products based on this platform are Smart bulbs from Leedarson connected to home gateways and lighting control software from Zonoff. Additional partnerships will be announced in the coming months, including one with a large retailer.

The primary competitors are brand-name companies who often attempt to build this technology in-house, in order to enter the connected home market. However, Zonoff argues that once they perform a build vs. buy analysis, they realize that Zonoff can help reduce capital outlay, time to market and risk.

Mike Harris, CEO (previously led AnySource Media, which was acquired by DivX, founder and CTO of Ravisent Technologies, which was acquired by STMicro, whereupon he became Group VP, Global Software Strategy, and President of Digital 5 and OpenPeak)

Michael Balog, Ph.D., co-founder & CTO (previously CTO and co-founder of BuLogics,)

Bob Cooper, Chief Marketing Officer (previously founded Frontier Media Group, which sold to Icon CMT, which was later acquired by Qwest Communications, whereupon he served as SVP of Strategic Consulting. He also was also a founding member of Mike Harris’ team at AnySource Media)