Z-Wave Alliance Launches IoT Competition

  • Mar 19, 2015

The Z-Wave Alliance, an open consortium of global companies deploying Z-Wave, is announcing a brand new competition to support and incentivize innovation on the Z-Wave platform. The yearlong Z-Wave Labs Program will accept applications from start-up companies and entrepreneurs looking to bring Z-Wave products to market.

In order to accelerate innovation on the Z-Wave platform and lower the barrier of entry for new companies to develop IoT products, the program will reward one selected individual/company each month starting in May 2015 with a 12-month membership to the Z-Wave Alliance as well as one of the newly available IoT-ready 500 Series Z-Wave Developer Kits from Sigma Designs.

"The Z-Wave Alliance recognizes the importance of start-ups and disrupters in the industry both to jump start innovation but also to accelerate widespread adoption of smart home and IoT technology," said Mary Miller, senior director of corporate marketing at Sigma Designs and a principal board member of the Z-Wave Alliance, "With over 1200 Z-Wave-certified devices currently on the market and 300 companies working together to create more solutions every single day, this program is a unique opportunity for young start-ups and entrepreneurs to engineer exciting new products for the Z-Wave ecosystem."

Winners can choose from the new 500 Series Developer Kits for support in building either controller or embedded Z-Wave products. The Z-Wave Controller Development Kit is designed to meet IoT for Smart Home market needs for both in-home and cloud based services, as well as development for gateways, portals, televisions, set-top boxes, and additional consumer electronics products and services. Feature-rich, IoT-enabled development is greatly expedited through the inclusion of serial API, Z/IP Gateway, Z-Ware C-API, and access to full source code.

The Z-Wave Controller Development Kit includes:

  • Faster time to market - A Z-Wave gateway/router prototype can be built within one week.
  • Reduced development cost to enter the IoT Smart Home market
  • Source code stacks as a resource on which to build OEM applications
  • A single kit for product development serves all regions in the world

Sigma Designs' Z-Wave Embedded Development Kit consists of the hardware and software tools required to develop Z-Wave embedded IoT for Smart Home end-devices such as door locks, lights, sensors and thermostats.

The Z-Wave Embedded Development Kit includes:

  • Embedded sample applications for quick prototyping
  • Framework for building new software applications
  • Z-Wave protocol sniffer tools for analyzing and resolving issues
  • Z-Wave RF modules for building prototypes
  • Versatile development module for easy hardware prototyping

"Winners will have mentors that provide access to an extensive network of companies who know how to manufacture, distribute and market Z-Wave products,” said Miller. “Winners will have an opportunity to leverage the diverse go-to-market channels that Z-Wave Alliance membership will afford them.”

More details on the Z-Wave Labs Program, including the application process, judging criteria and timelines will be announced in April 2015.

Featured

  • 2025 Gun Violence Statistics Show Signs of Progress

    Omnilert, a national leader in AI-powered safety and emergency communications, has released its 2025 Gun Violence Statistics, along with a new interactive infographic examining national and school-related gun violence trends. In 2025, the U.S. recorded 38,762 gun-violence deaths, highlighting the continued importance of prevention, early detection, and coordinated response. Read Now

  • Big Brand Tire & Service Rolls Out Interface Virtual Perimeter Guard

    Interface Systems, a managed service provider delivering remote video monitoring, commercial security systems, business intelligence, and network services for multi-location enterprises, today announced that Big Brand Tire & Service, one of the nation’s fastest-growing independent tire and automotive service providers, has eliminated costly overnight break-ins and significantly reduced trespassing and vandalism at a high-risk location. The company achieved these results by deploying Interface Virtual Perimeter Guard, an AI-powered perimeter security solution designed to deter incidents before they occur. Read Now

  • The Evolution of ID Card Printing: Customer Challenges and Solutions

    The landscape of ID card printing is evolving to meet changing customer needs, transitioning from slow, manual processes to smart, on-demand printing solutions that address increasingly complex enrollment workflows. Read Now

  • TSA Awards Rohde & Schwarz Contract for Advanced Airport Screening Ahead of Soccer World Cup 2026

    Rohde & Schwarz, a provider of AI-based millimeter wave screening technology, announced today it has won a multi-million dollar award from TSA to supply its QPS201 AIT security scanners to passenger security screening checkpoints at selected Soccer World Cup 2026 host city airports. Read Now

  • Brivo, Eagle Eye Networks Merge

    Dean Drako, Chairman of Brivo, the leading global provider of cloud-native access control and smart space technologies, and Founder of Eagle Eye Networks, the global leader in cloud AI video surveillance, today announced the two companies will merge, creating the world’s largest AI cloud-native physical security company. The merged company will operate under the Brivo name and deliver a truly unified cloud-native security platform. Read Now

Most   Popular

New Products

  • EasyGate SPT and SPD

    EasyGate SPT SPD

    Security solutions do not have to be ordinary, let alone unattractive. Having renewed their best-selling speed gates, Cominfo has once again demonstrated their Art of Security philosophy in practice — and confirmed their position as an industry-leading manufacturers of premium speed gates and turnstiles.

  • A8V MIND

    A8V MIND

    Hexagon’s Geosystems presents a portable version of its Accur8vision detection system. A rugged all-in-one solution, the A8V MIND (Mobile Intrusion Detection) is designed to provide flexible protection of critical outdoor infrastructure and objects. Hexagon’s Accur8vision is a volumetric detection system that employs LiDAR technology to safeguard entire areas. Whenever it detects movement in a specified zone, it automatically differentiates a threat from a nonthreat, and immediately notifies security staff if necessary. Person detection is carried out within a radius of 80 meters from this device. Connected remotely via a portable computer device, it enables remote surveillance and does not depend on security staff patrolling the area.

  • HD2055 Modular Barricade

    Delta Scientific’s electric HD2055 modular shallow foundation barricade is tested to ASTM M50/P1 with negative penetration from the vehicle upon impact. With a shallow foundation of only 24 inches, the HD2055 can be installed without worrying about buried power lines and other below grade obstructions. The modular make-up of the barrier also allows you to cover wider roadways by adding additional modules to the system. The HD2055 boasts an Emergency Fast Operation of 1.5 seconds giving the guard ample time to deploy under a high threat situation.