BOULDER, Colo.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--BOOMTOWN, a startup accelerator founded and operated by a group of media, marketing and technology veterans, today announced a partnership with Comcast Labs to build one of the world’s first Internet of Things (IoT) labs. Comcast Labs is the advanced technology arm of the company and is focused on developing, integrating and deploying products that change how people are entertained and informed.
The IoT is a network of physical objects — like household appliances or thermostats, for example — which communicate through network connectivity. This allows devices to be controlled remotely, communicate status or problems and even communicate with other devices on the network. For example, an Internet-enabled thermostat could be programmed to talk to a health monitoring device (like a Jawbone UP wristband) and turn up the heat automatically if it detects restless sleep from the UP wristband.
Comcast has the network and scale to bring the IoT to more people. Investments like this will help advance development of the next generation of innovations that will be seamlessly integrated into customers’ offices and homes to make their lives better with technology.
“The IoT Lab will build relationships with other labs locally and around the world to leverage expertise and resources,” said Toby Krout, BOOMTOWN founder and managing director. “We believe this facility can be an important addition to Boulder’s already thriving development culture.”
The lab will serve entrepreneurs, BOOMTOWN startups and companies and corporations seeking to develop products and services for the IoT. Users will be able to access the latest hardware and software in this market, explore interactivity and communicate across virtually every major traditional and mobile operating platform.
“Comcast Labs, like many other companies, sees the tremendous potential of the IoT, and we’re very pleased to partner with BOOMTOWN to underwrite the development and launch of the lab,” said Joshua Seiden, executive director of Comcast Labs.
BOOMTOWN and Comcast have clearly recognized a fast-growing and important market. According to The Economist Intelligence Unit, 61 percent of executives surveyed agree companies that are slow to integrate the IoT will fall behind the competition. Nearly all respondents (96 percent) expect their business to be using the IoT in some respect by 2016. Further, information technology research and advisory firm Gartner predicts the IoT will have an economic impact of as much as $1.9 trillion by 2020.
About Boomtown
BOOMTOWN’s founders are Alex Bogusky, Toby Krout, Stephen Groth and Jose Vieitez. Based in Boulder, Colo., BOOMTOWN operates two 12-week sessions per year and aims to discover and support promising Internet, mobile, software and Internet of Things (IoT) startups, primarily in the media, design, marketing and ad tech sectors. BOOMTOWN gives special consideration to companies that are developing businesses at the intersection of media and Internet of Things (IoT). For more information, visit www.boomtownboulder.com.
About Comcast Corporation
Comcast Corporation (Nasdaq: CMCSA, CMCSK) is a global media and technology company with two primary businesses, Comcast Cable and NBCUniversal. Comcast Cable is the nation’s largest video, high-speed Internet and phone provider to residential customers under the XFINITY brand and also provides these services to businesses. NBCUniversal operates news, entertainment and sports cable networks, the NBC and Telemundo broadcast networks, television production operations, television station groups, Universal Pictures and Universal Parks and Resorts. Visit www.comcastcorporation.com for more information.
