Lighting giant Osram, Munich, Germany, agreed to acquire Digital Lumens Inc., a Boston-based company that specializes in lighting-related industrial IoT solutions, from a group of venture capital investors.
Digital Lumens, founded in 2008, employs 65 people and in the last fiscal year generated sales in the “mid-double-digit millions” Osram said in a release. The Digital Lumens software platform can be used to run applications covering everything from intelligent lighting control, energy use and security systems to the measurement of environmental parameters such as air quality.
The company’s cloud-based platform is compatible with components and hardware of other manufacturers. Digital Lumens has installed more than 2,500 industrial IoT systems. Customers cloud-based IoT solution pay a monthly service charge to access data that is continually recorded and analyzed by their lighting management system. This allows them to optimize business processes and document process-critical environmental variables.
“The acquisition of Digital Lumens puts Osram in a strong position when it comes to offering future-focused digital solutions for the facilities management sector and IoT applications,” said Stefan Kampmann, chief technology officer for OSRAM Licht AG. “By integrating software and sensors in a single platform, we will be able to give businesses a deeper insight into the environment within their buildings and their utilization of space. As a company that understands space, Osram is taking the next step in developing new business models that go beyond lighting. What’s more, the platform is also compatible with light products made by other manufacturers.”
The acquisition will enable Osram to expand its business with digital lighting solutions and add to its expertise in software, sensors and connectivity. Osram plans to integrate some of its existing digital services into the platform, including the navigation and location solution Einstone, which uses Bluetooth to send targeted offers to users’ smartphones, for example, when they are in retail environments.
“I am delighted that we will be working with Osram’s technology experts to pave the way for further growth and new customer applications. Our existing and future customers can look forward to even more value-adding innovations,” said Tom Pincince, president and CEO of Digital Lumens.