12 Pioneering IoT And Virtual Reality Startups Getting Investments From Intel Capital

Investing In IoT

Intel Capital is adding 12 Internet of Things, connected solutions and virtual reality companies to its portfolio, saying this week that it is investing more than $38 million in 12 "pioneering" startups.

"Innovation is exploding as the world transforms into an increasingly smart and connected place, where billions of devices will be made even smarter by intelligence in the cloud," said Wendell Brooks, Intel senior vice president and president of Intel Capital, in a statement.

The companies range in their offerings – from Internet of Things offerings for senior citizens to advanced audio for 360-degree virtual reality systems to vision systems for connected cars. But all provide solid proof that Intel, like many other companies, sees the potential in the IoT market. Following are the 12 startups that Intel Capital is adding to its portfolio.

Chronocam

Chronocam, a Paris-based startup, is tapping into the Internet of Things by developing computer vision sensors and systems for autonomous navigation and connected objects.

This company, which was founded in 2014 by leaders in the neuromorphic vision industry, is aiming to create a new computer vision standard for the IoT industry by "unlocking a paradigm shift in vision sensing and processing inspired by the human eye."

Intel Capital, leading other investors including iBionext and Robert Bosch Venture Capital GmbH, granted Chronocam $15 million in Series B funding.

Embodied

Pasadena, Calif.-based Embodied, which was co-founded by the former chief technology officer of Roomba's iRobot connected vacuum, is trying to shake up the robotics market by developing affordable robotics systems that "improve human wellness and quality of life."

The company is leveraging machine perception, cognition and learning capabilities into its robotics systems to make them more efficient.

Perrone Robotics

Perrone Robotics offers software and other products that enable robust mobile autonomous robotics applications. The Charlottesville, Calif.-based company has spent the past 13 years developing sensors, control systems and advanced algorithms for a variety of real-world self-driving systems.

Perrone Robotics has also developed MAX, a comprehensive, full-stack robotics software platform for autonomous vehicles and general-purpose robotics. This software enables rapid development of autonomous vehicles and other autonomous applications.

Eazytec

Eazytec, a China-based smart city developer and service provider, offers proprietary core firmware technology and specializes in application software and firmware development, systems integration and data center services.

According to Intel Capital, Eazytec's headquarters and research park, in Yixing City, Jiangsu Province, has been identified as a national science and technology "business incubator" in China.

Grand Chip Microelectronics

Grand Chip Microelectronics, a China-based manufacturer, develops and delivers high-performance and highly integrated Wi-Fi front-end devices for WLAN infrastructure, wireless connectivity on cellular platforms and the Internet of Things.

On the IoT side, the company provides "Place and Play" RF solutions and high-performance RF front-end IC, which can be used in smart homes, smart meters and wireless remote controls.

Paxata

Paxata, a Redwood City, Calif.-based company, touts its enterprise-grade business information platform to serve the needs of business consumers and IT. With this company's platform, data engineers and data scientists can transform raw data into clear information that can be easily and accurately analyzed.

Paxata said that there is no need for code or sampling, as it leverages a patent-pending, machine-learning, natural language processing and semantic text algorithm technology. This technology is built on a distributed, in-memory pipeline architecture, enabling massive scalability, according to the company.

StealthMine

Intel Capital invested in StealthMine, a Sunnyvale, Calif.-based company that enables enterprise applications to run on encrypted data.

The company's security technology provides full data insulation against server, network, storage and database attacks, as well as insider compromises.

CubeWorks

CubeWorks, an Ann Arbor, Mich.-based company, specializes in small computers with its Cubisens platform. This platform enables the first truly autonomous wireless sensing platform measuring less than a millimeter, and gives systems the capabilities to sense and process their environment, wirelessly transmit the results or store them for later usage. According to CubeWorks, the small form factor, wireless capability and long lifetime of Cubisens make it an "ideal platform for realizing ubiquitous computing."

Kinduct

Kinduct, a Halifax, Calif.-based company, provides cloud-based data and analytics software for a variety of customers, including sports organizations, military and public safety units, and health and wellness clinics. Kinduct specializes in sports, and its customer list includes teams in the major sports leagues in North America.

Intel Capital said it invested in Kinduct because its platform is changing the way information shapes human performance by allowing organizations to derive insight from multiple sources of data.

K4Connect

K4Connect has created an Internet of Things offering to help senior citizens and individuals living with disabilities. The Raleigh, N.C.-based company's solution, K4Community, is designed for senior living communities, creating smarter environments with tools like smart thermometers, mobile devices and fitness trackers. The company also provides operators with the insight and analytics needed to offer top-notch care and hospitality.

Dysonics

Intel Capital also invested in virtual reality-focused company Dysonics, which develops technologies to create a 360-degree sound experience for headphones. For instance, the company is partnering with major airlines like Delta and Virgin America to bring the first-ever surround sound experience to in-flight entertainment.

This San Francisco-based company also creates immersive audio software and hardware products for the capture, creation and playback of next-generation virtual reality content.

InContext Solutions

Chicago-based InContext Solutions develops scalable, cloud-based virtual reality offerings for retail that can provide important insight for manufacturers and retailers.

The company touts its enterprise SaaS virtual reality platform and services that help brands visualize new concepts and better understand consumer behavior in a rapidly evolving retail space to increase profitability.