Burlingame, California, March 22, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Butlr Announces Investment from Qualcomm Ventures as Shifting Commercial Real Estate Market Drives Demand for Body Heat Occupancy Sensing Technology
Launch of new sensors, data and analytics shape the future of work and senior care
Burlingame, Calif. – March 22, 2023 – Butlr Technologies, Inc., the world’s first and only anonymous people sensing platform today announced an additional funding round from Qualcomm Ventures. The company is also launching the next generation of its patented Heatic™ wireless sensors, data and analytics to shape the future of work and agetech.
While Butlr’s technology is incapable of collecting personal information, its API offers real time and historical data on a building’s indoor foot traffic, occupancy levels and activity. These insights are used for asset management, real estate investment planning and policy making in workplaces globally as well as senior care.
“There's a growing demand for intelligent solutions that provide accurate and real-time occupancy utilization data to better support the hybrid work environment,” says Carlos Kokron, Vice President, Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. and Managing Director, Qualcomm Ventures Americas. "Butlr's next-generation wireless occupancy-sensing platform provides customers with spatial insights to drive better space utilization and improve operational efficiencies, while preserving privacy. We're excited to invest in Butlr as they leverage wireless technology and AI to enable the future of work and smart buildings.”
Sensors Shape The Future of Work
Available today, Butlr’s new Heatic 2 sensors are wirelessly and magnetically mounted, installed in a fraction of the time of wired solutions, and cover twice the area of the original sensors.
The new Zones feature monitors desk utilization, soft seating and activity while the Space Visualizer shows usage trends based on heatmaps and people detections over time. The related data allows customers to conduct A/B testing to determine the best office layout that reflects the culture of the workforce and needs of the organization. Butlr’s API allows customers and partners to integrate occupancy data with other databases and develop customized tools that meet their unique business requirements.
Employers use Butlr technology to create supportive and collaborative work environments. Commercial real estate professionals use Butlr technology for private and accurate insights on office usage to offer flexible leasing options while executing a smart building strategy featuring more energy efficient properties with a lower carbon footprint.
“Butlr technology is designed to reflect the significant cultural changes currently underway by providing the insights that allow everyone to make the most of their time at work, in senior care or aging at home,” said Honghao Deng, co-founder and CEO of Butlr. “Our newest investor, Qualcomm Ventures, along with our latest technology allows us to meet this growing demand on a global level while playing a critical role in the future of work.”
Sensors Shape the Future of Senior Care
The World Health Organization estimates the population of people aged 60 years or older will double by 2050, representing 2.1 billion people. For senior care at assisted living facilities and to help people age in place, Butlr technology understands movement in a space and flags unusual activity such as falls. Along with supporting seniors in a dignified manner, without the need for intrusive cameras or wristbands, Butlr also helps facilities close staffing gaps and adhere to compliance requirements.
About Qualcomm Ventures
Qualcomm Ventures, acting through Qualcomm Ventures LLC or its affiliated entities, has been making strategic investments in technology companies that have the potential to dramatically transform our world since 2000. As a global investor, we look to help entrepreneurs build revolutionary businesses that reshape the world around us. For more information please visit: www.qualcommventures.com.
About Butlr
Spun out of the MIT Media Lab in 2019 with offices in Silicon Valley and Boston, Butlr was founded by Forbes 30 Under 30 entrepreneurs Honghao Deng and Jiani Zeng with a mission to make the built environment people-aware. The company’s award-winning people sensing platform uses body heat and machine learning to detect occupancy, headcount and activity, and generate accurate, real-time and historical spatial insights while being incapable of collecting personally identifiable information. Butlr’s patented technology architecture makes for easy deployment in minutes with a low total cost of ownership. Commercial real estate and assisted living facilities rely on Butlr to drive better space utilization, optimize pricing, streamline operations, and improve the user experience. For more information, www.butlr.com
Contact:
Kathy Keating
ProsInComms for Butlr
Kkeating@prosincomms.com
617-460-2702
