The Dutch firm mainly invests in European firms focusing on IoT, cloud technologies, digital health and connected home
KPN Ventures, the investment arm of Dutch telecommunications group KPN, has invested in firm nello, a developer of a smart intercom solution.
Nello’s smart solution enables keyless, remote access to residential buildings by upgrading existing intercom systems. The solution offers the possibility to remotely control the main entrance door with a smartphone.
The investment is in line with KPN Ventures’ strategy to invest in connected home services. KPN joins existing shareholders HBT Holdings and KfW in a financing round of 1.5 million euros ($1.6 million).
“The nello team has developed a very clever proposition, giving family and friends, delivery companies and other service providers remote access to apartment buildings in a simple and safe way,“ said Herman Kienhuis, Managing Director of KPN Ventures. “We look forward to supporting nello in the further development of its smart home proposition and in its international roll-out,” the executive added.
“The financing round allows us to grow the team, support our market entry and create partnerships with leading European delivery companies,” nello’s co-founder and CEO, Christoph Baumeister, said.
KPN Ventures focuses early growth-stage investments in European technology companies in a number of areas including internet of things (IoT), connected home, digital health, cyber security, ,obile/OTT services, cloud computing and data & analytics.
Mobily, Cisco carry out NB-IoT trial in Saudi Arabia
In other IoT news, Saudi Arabian mobile telephony operator Mobily has carried out a trial of a LoRaWAN-based low power wide area (LPWA) IoT network, in collaboration with U.S. networking firm Cisco.
The trial allowed the Saudi telco to test smart building and asset tracking IoT applications.
“IoT is one of the main pillars of Mobily’s strategy. This successful trial confirms our commitment to introduce new technologies and innovations to the Saudi market,” the telco said in a statement.
