Birmingham company launches Genius Hub smart home system

Two young Birmingham businessmen are positioning themselves to become major players in the rapidly developing “Internet of Things” market, despite competition from giants such as British Gas, Honeywell and Google.

They have already launched smart heating control system, Heat Genius, a system that along with competitors devices learns from a user’s habits and detects when someone is at home and where they are. It uses small wireless motion sensors to learn when to turn radiators on and off to keep occupants comfortable, but not waste energy by heating empty rooms.

Less than a year after raising £200,000 in their first funding round, the company has launched a major upgrade to its product. The new “Genius Hub” is more compact, with greater wireless range. It’s controlled by a new, easier to use app that runs on smartphones, tablets and web browsers. Alternatively, room temperatures may be controlled manually from a new wireless thermostat. It also integrates with over 300 other smarthome devices and online services, allowing for example, the heating to switch on when your smartphone reports that you’re in the neighbourhood.

Director Alasdair Woodbridge said: “I think we’re proving that Midlands businesses can compete on the national and international stage. We’re up against some huge competitors, so it’s certainly not easy, but we’re confident we can stay ahead of the game. Our technical team is second to none, and the support we receive from our customers is overwhelming. We’ve always focused on providing a great service to every customer, and that strategy seems to be paying off.”

The company has already attracted a solid customer base, including Accord Housing, which has installed the system locally as part of an energy efficiency programme for their tenants.

This success has been recognised by international business press leader Bloomberg, who named the company “Business Innovator 2016”. They also won the prestigious edie award for Energy Efficiency Product Innovation in May.

Heat Genius has previously participated in the Cognicity Challenge, organised by the Canary Wharf group. They have benefited from the support of Entrepreneurs for the Future (e4f) incubator and Climate KIC, the EU’s climate change innovation programme.