Jesus Arias discusses the new strategic partnership between Silicon Catalyst and KNX Association that will boost startups in the home and building technology vertical.
The KNX IoT Startup Incubator, which was launched in 2021, is growing rapidly thanks to strategic global partnerships. The startups that are part of the KNX IoT Startup Incubator portfolio are committed to developing their solutions based on the KNX IoT specifications, thus enabling early adoption of the technology that paves the way to the market.
A remarkable milestone in the history of the incubator was the showcasing of the first KNX IoT device at ISH 2023, along with one KNX IoT device from Siemens, from the startup Passiv Energie. This startup manufactures decentralised heating recovery units, which communicate using KNX IoT over Thread, thanks to the KNX IoT modules developed by the manufacturer Cascoda.
Building on this success story, KNX Association is committed to providing valuable resources to its startups, which are often sourced through the incubator’s partners. Enhanced visibility at flagship events and cooperation with key players in the market can greatly assist small companies in reaching out to their target customers.
Silicon Catalyst
With the strapline ‘We accelerate semiconductor startups from Powerpoint to prototype’, Silicon Catalyst is hailed as the world’s only incubator focused exclusively on accelerating semiconductor solutions, built on a comprehensive coalition of in-kind and strategic partners to dramatically reduce the cost and complexity of development.
Over the past seven plus years, the Silicon Catalyst model has proven to dramatically accelerate a startup’s trajectory whilst at the same time de-risking the equation for investors. Indeed, the company was named the Semiconductor Review’s 2021 Top-10 Solutions Company award winner.
More than 800 startup companies worldwide have engaged with Silicon Catalyst, and 90 companies have been admitted. These new semiconductor companies can take advantage of a world-class network of mentors to advise them and help address the challenges in moving from idea to realisation. The incubator/accelerator supplies startups with access to design tools, silicon devices, networking, and a path to funding, banking and marketing acumen in order to successfully launch and grow their companies’ novel technology solutions.
Forging ahead with new partnerships
Thanks to a new memorandum of understanding (MOU) signed between Silicon Catalyst and KNX Association, both startup ecosystems are set to enjoy major benefits such as cross-promotion at events and powerful networking opportunities.
As Heinz Lux, CEO of the KNX Association, puts it, “Thanks to the partnership with Silicon Catalyst, KNX Association will be able to step up in the dynamics of the startup business by gaining knowledge from one of the most reputable ecosystems in Silicon Valley. We want to gain the status of the best incubator for the home and building technology vertical, and this partnership takes us one step closer.”
The partnership between Silicon Catalyst and KNX Association will be promoted at events where the KNX IoT Startup Incubator is going to be present, starting with the IoT Tech Expo North America 2023 at the Santa Clara Convention Center, California, on 17-18 May 2023.
Jesus Arias is responsible for Membership & Business Development, KNX Association.
