iControl Buys Maker of Piper, a DIY Security Device

iControl, a provider of a cloud-based security and interactive home control platform, has acquired BlackSumac, the maker of Piper, a do-it-yourself video surveillance and control system.
Published: April 9, 2014

REDWOOD CITY, Calif. – iControl, provider of a leading cloud-based security and interactive home automation platform, has acquired Blacksumac, maker of the Piper DIY surveillance and control system launched last year via Indiegogo.

Piper packs cloud-enabled security, Z-Wave home automation, a unique panoramic video camera, and multiple sensors into a standalone DIY device, making it “way smarter” than Canary (as I wrote last year on SSI‘s sister site CEPro.com), a similarly hyped product that also launched through crowdfunding last year.

The acquisition puts iControl into the hardware business, a departure from its software-centric focus.

The press release announcing the acquisition suggests Piper will become a “platform” within iControl’s existing SaaS portfolio that includes:

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iControl Converge (OpenHome), used by Xfinity/Comcast, Time Warner Cable, Cox and other cable companies and telcos, featuring a ZigBee-centric ecosystem and a self-contained touchscreen controller; acquired from uControl in 2010.

iControl Connect, used by ADT Pulse and emerging solutions from other security-centric providers.

iControl Touchstone, a DIY platform recently deployed by Xfinity/Comcast

Stay tuned to SSI for more insights into the acquisition.

The press release follows.

Strategy & Planning Series
Strategy & Planning Series
Strategy & Planning Series
Strategy & Planning Series