Sensity Systems, a provider of networked lighting, has closed a private funding round of $36 million led by Cisco Investments and including Acuity Brands, GE Ventures and Simon Venture Group. Sensity has now raised a total of $74 million since its inception.
Sensity Systems uses energy-efficient LED lighting as the foundation for a high-speed, sensor-based Light Sensory Network (LSN). The company enables light owners to capitalize on the LED conversion process by embedding networking technology within both retrofit and new LED luminaires.
Light Sensory Networks leverage lighting infrastructure by embedding sensors, wireless connectivity, and data analytics into luminaires to collect and transmit data and enable cloud-based applications and services for smart city, smart parking, retail services, security and public safety, environmental monitoring and other initiatives.
The new funding will be used to scale Sensity’s cloud-based NetSense platform and Internet of Things application developer program, globally.
Both GE and Acuity executives are looking to smart-city projects, which use a canopy of connected streetlights as the wireless infrastructure to coordinate city services, reports the New York Times. For Sensity investor Simon, which develops and operates malls, the company is interested in automated shopping where customers can receive smartphone alerts about store offers.
Earlier this year, Acuity Brands acquired the patent portfolio of ByteLight for its lighting-based services for indoor positioning in retail stores.
