11 “Internet of Things” Startups to Watch in 2019

Internet of Things companies are everywhere these days, creating consumer devices and appliances that connect to networks & can send/receive data. With IoT poised to become the largest device market in the world by 2019, we’re presenting a cross-section of IoT companies you should watch – plus three veterans who’ve already established themselves.

1. If you’ve never heard of Dropcam, it’s a startup that’s quickly become a leader in DIY home-video monitoring. In many ways, it’s similar to Sonos, the upstart audio company that’s been highly successful in the multiroom wireless-streaming audio space. The backbone of both companies is elegant, user-friendly software that’s built around attractive hardware.
2. At its core, the Jawbone Up is a pedometer, but with pretensions of being much more. Within its “medical grade” rubber casing, the Up houses a number of motion sensors and shares the information it collects with a smartphone app for iPhones and Android.
3. At 80 bucks less than Nest’s premium Learning Thermostat, the E excels in its simplicity. It sports plastic components, fewer wire terminals, and a lower-res screen. Because of the display’s limitations, you also won’t find Farsight on the E, a feature that displays custom info such as an analog clock or the current weather forecast from a distance. Otherwise, the E does all of the same things as the Learning Thermostat.
4. Smart light bulb pioneer LIFX continues to innovate in the space, with its Frankenstein’s-head-shaped bulb continuing to lead the pack on everything from build quality to software features. LIFX has seemingly chosen a brute-force solution: Now packing 1,100 lumens of power, the LIFX A19 stands as seemingly the most powerful smart light bulb on the market. And in my testing, its brightness was unmatched by the competition.
5. If your current stereo is only accessible to part of your house or your office offers music just in the lounge, consider a wireless system to expand the reach. Beep, an audio adapter capable of streamlining music using your current speakers can connect to any powered speaker (that has an Aux input, RCA jack) and then communicates wirelessly playing the same music, or different, from each device. Check out the other IoT startups in the below infographic by Wrike.