Internet of Things specialist Actility announces $25 million funding round led by Ginko Ventures, KPN, Orange, Swisscom and Foxconn Investment from leading telcos and Foxconn investment fund offers powerful endorsement of Actility s unique approach to IoT enablement Paris, France, 16 June 2015 Actility, a leading provider of network solutions and managed information systems for the Internet of Things (IoT) market, today announced it has secured a $25 million funding round led by Ginko Ventures. Ginko Ventures leads a prestigious group of investors including tier one telcos KPN, Orange, Swisscom and Foxconn, along with the existing investors Fonds Ecotechnologies managed by Bpifrance Investissement, Idinvest Partners, and Truffle Capital. The investment will allow Actility to accelerate its go to market strategy for ThingPark, its open standard IoT network solution; funding its operational resources, building a high level of service and continuing to develop technology partnerships to foster a healthy ecosystem. It follows a recently concluded technology partnership between Actility and Swisscom. A fully integrated platform for nationwide IoT, Actility s ThingPark is designed to enable IoT services for any market sector, offering ready to go IoT connectivity plus a full set of ready to sell applications in less than one month. It is a Low Power Wide Area (LPWA) radio network built on the LoRaWAN standard, developed and supported by the LoRa Alliance. LoRaWAN networks address the three critical elements required for IoT networks connecting billions of devices: low power, long range, and low cost. ThingPark represents the first end to end, LoRaWAN interoperable platform to serve the IoT market for every use case. Today s wireless technologies are not optimized for IoT applications which require sensors to be low power and able to run on a battery with very little maintenance. ThingPark provides the technology to connect both long range and low power sensors over unlicensed ISM band spectrum, allowing low cost and fast roll out of IoT networks for a wide range of IoT applications, said Olivier Hersent, Founder, CEO and CTO, Actility. We are delighted to have secured the backing of such prominent communications industry leaders. With more than 50 Billion devices to be connected by 2020, Cisco believes that new scalable IoT infrastructure and services will become key evolution at every scale, for Telcos, cities and corporate campuses, said Tony Shakib, Vice President IoE (Internet of Everything) Vertical Solutions at Cisco. He added: We backed LoRaWAN as an open technology for IoT and are excited to see today such industry momentum behind Actility, whom we see as a critical partner to make pervasive IoT infrastructure and services.
After the rise of personal connected objects such as consumer wearable devices, we are now witnessing the emergence of a second wave: managed connected objects, said Hersent. Managed connected objects are creating a more efficient, more sustainable world. With a ubiquitous and costeffective IoT network in place, utilities for instance will be able to accelerate their smart metering plans, to optimize the filling of fuel tanks, to increase the use of renewable energy by dynamically controlling thermostats. We have the technology to achieve a paradigm shift in remote monitoring and management think of instant fire or leak detection, or prevention of loss of valuable equipment using smart tracking. Ubiquitous IoT will have a huge impact in agriculture and other key sectors of the economy. ThingPark is available now, allowing Telecom operators or municipalities to deploy an IoT network in a month. Foxconn Group is transforming to be a High Technology Solution Provider, including Hardware and Software Value creation. Through this strategic investment, we will expand our current collaboration with Actility to bring its LoRaWAN technology and IoT Platform and Solutions to Taiwan, China, and the rest of Asia," said Fang Ming Lu, Executive Vice President of Foxconn. We will leverage our strong network to accelerate the development of the IoT ecosystem, as well as promote and integrate Actility s IoT Solutions for Smart Cities implementation in APAC." Jasper Snijder, SVP New Business at KPN, said: As a founding member of the LoRa alliance, we re proud to partner with Actility and contribute to the development of the Internet of Things the next big thing in the digital landscape. Pierre Louette, Orange s Deputy CEO who is also responsible for Orange Digital Ventures said: Actility s connected objects platform is based on bringing together its open service approach with the power of networks. This clearly corresponds to the ambition of Orange Digital Ventures to invest in actors that are developing innovative digital services that contribute to change our customers experience and answer the changing desires and needs of our customers. The Internet of Things is an extremely promising new market and it is important for Orange to support the start ups and developers who are currently working on services that will become part of our future. Jean Paul de Weck, CEO Swisscom Broadcast: This is a technology that comes at the right time for operators to accelerate the connection of objects. There is set to be a huge increase in the demand for IoT and we see Actility as a key partner as we expand our activities in this market. Actility s innovative platform combined with operators ability to deliver long term network services nationwide are key to the adoption of IoT applications such as utility metering, street lighting, asset tracking or home security that need resilient and cost effective infrastructure in place for many years, said Dominique Pitteloud, Managing Partner at Ginko Ventures. Key to the structuring of the investment round was to bring together a set of strategic investors to collaborate on building the infrastructure for the successful deployment of these new services. For media enquiries, please contact: Anne van Gemert anne.vangemert@actility.com +33 6 47 37 30 21
Notes to Editors Actility s ThingPark is an end to end IoT platform comprised of ThingPark Wireless, ThingPark Cloud and ThingPark Store. ThingPark Wireless LoRa service supports both monitoring and remote management of connected devices and Gateways (Base Station and Pico Cell), providing long range coverage for low power sensors used in SmartCity, SmartBuilding and SmartFactory applications. ThingPark Cloud is a cloud based platform with a simple RESTful API for Apps. This interface allows IoT application developers and cloud service providers to access sensors through a homogeneous XML based protocol independent syntax (obix). Based on the ETSI M2M standard, supported by the OneM2M global partnership, ThingPark Cloud ensures interoperability with a growing community of sensors and application vendors through an IoT Marketplace, ThingPark Store. The LoRaWAN Network, the Cloud platform and the Marketplace combine to create the world s first end to end fully bi directional long range low power secured network. About Actility Actility is an industry leader in LPWA (Low Power Wide Area) large scale infrastructure with ThingPark, its next generation, standard based IoT communication platform. Actility was founded in 2010 by telecom and technology expert Olivier Hersent. Headquartered in Paris, Actility has offices in Belgium, the UK and Singapore. It is a founding member of the LoRa Alliance: the largest, most powerful standards based effort to enable the Internet of Things. Please visit www.actility.com for more information. About the The LoRa Alliance The LoRa Alliance for Wide Area Networks for the Internet of Things is an open, non profit association of members that believes the internet of things era is now. The Low Power Wide Area Network (LPWAN) specification is intended for wireless battery operated Things in a regional, national or global network. LoRaWAN targets key IoT requirements including secure bi directional communication, mobility and localisation services. The mission of the Alliance is to standardise LPWAN to enable IoT, M2M, smart city and industrial applications, to guarantee interoperability between operators in one open global standard. Officially launched at the Mobile World Congress in March 2015, the Alliance has already attracted more than 300 members. LoRa is a trademark of Semtech Corporation. Please visit http://lora alliance.org for further information. About Ginko Ventures Founded in 2015, Ginko Ventures is a venture capital Firm targeting technologies, devices and solutions that will improve the way people work, play and live. We primarily focus on investments in European and Israeli companies whose technologies have the potential to rapidly access global markets. Together with our limited partner Foxconn, we are also keen on creating tangible industrial leverage for our portfolio companies. Our mission is to enable sustainable partnership between industry leaders and amazing entrepreneurs for disruptive innovations and superior value creation. For more information visit: www.ginkopartners.com About KPN KPN is the leading telecommunications and ICT provider in the Netherlands, offering fixed and mobile telephony, fixed and mobile broadband internet and TV to retail consumers. KPN is also market leader in the Netherlands in ICT services, infrastructure and network related ICT solutions to
business customers, including other telecommunications operators. In Belgium, KPN pursues a challenger strategy and offers mobile telephony products and services through BASE Company. KPN also provides wholesale network services to third parties and operates an IP based infrastructure for international wholesale customers through ibasis. About Orange Orange is one of the world s leading telecommunications operators with sales of 39 billion euros in 2014 and 155,000 employees worldwide at 31 March 2015, including 98,000 employees in France. Present in 29 countries, the Group has a total customer base of 247 million customers worldwide at 31 March 2015, including 188 million mobile customers and 16 million fixed broadband customers. Orange is also a leading provider of global IT and telecommunication services to multinational companies, under the brand Orange Business Services. In March 2015, the Group presented its new strategic plan Essentials2020 which places customers needs at the heart of its strategy with the aim of allowing them to benefit fully from the digital universe and the power of its new generation networks. About Swisscom Ventures Swisscom Ventures is the venture capital arm of the Swisscom Group, the leading telecommunications and IT company in Switzerland. Since its inception in 2007, Swisscom has acquired minority stakes in over 35 companies with a strong focus on digital media, IT and telecommunications. Swisscom Ventures offices are located in the innovation hubs of Switzerland (Zurich and Lausanne) and the USA (Silicon Valley). As a strategic investor, we invest in companies that are strategically relevant to the Swisscom business. In return, we offer entrepreneurs access to telecommunications expertise, technical infrastructure and marketing channels in addition to financial support. For more information visit: www.swisscom.ch/en/ventures.html About Foxconn Established in 1974, Foxconn Technology Group ( Foxconn ), under the leadership of Founder and CEO Terry Gou, offers the most competitive production manufacturing technology in the world. A recognized global industry leader, Foxconn created the 3C OEM service business model, ecmms, incorporating vertical integration of mechanical, optical and electronic components. Foxconn offers many of the world s leading companies a one stop integrated manufacturing solution. Foxconn has in recent years expanded into technology services, providing customers the most comprehensive solutions for their technology and manufacturing needs. In addition to maximizing value creation for customers, Foxconn is also dedicated to enhancing the concept of environmental protection in the manufacturing process. In addition to being a trusted partner for its customers, Foxconn is working to be a best practices model for global enterprises. About BPI France BPI France, a management company approved by the AMF, and a Caisse des Dépôts subsidiary, is in charge of the group's capital investment activities. Its mission is to develop the different sectors of this market in France. The objective: to promote equity capital financing of growing French SMEs in the technological sector or in traditional industry which create value and jobs. BPI France invests in capital investment vehicles which, in turn, invest directly in SMEs. This involvement goes from technological support to small transmissions, on a national and regional level. It acts as an advised
investor, taking time and assuming riskier positions than those taken by private entities. It invests in market conditions, looking for levels of efficiency, liquidity and profitability allowing it to draw in private investors. BPI France is pivotal to the public general interest mechanism France Investissement, founded on a partnership between Caisse des Dépôts and private institutional investors. To this end, it contributes annually to the France Investissement Guarantee Fund managed. About Idinvest Partners With 5 billion under management and 50 people, Idinvest Partners is a leading pan European manager focused on the middle market segment. Idinvest Partners has developed several complementary areas of expertise including investments in innovative European start ups, primary, secondary and mezzanine investments in European non listed companies, and private equity consulting. Founded under the name AGF Private Equity in 1997, Idinvest Partners was formerly part of the Allianz group until 2010 when it joined forces with IDI Group to become independent. www.idinvest.com About Truffle Capital Truffle Capital is an independent European venture capital firm founded in 2001 and whose assets under management and advisory total 700 million, as of December 31, 2014, mostly via institutional and retail private equity funds (FPCIs and FCPIs). Truffle Capital specializes in investments in companies developing breakthrough technologies and products in the Information Technology and Life Sciences sectors, often in the form of spin offs and new ventures. The firm is led by a team of three founding partners, Henri Moulard, Dr. Philippe Pouletty and Bernard Louis Roques, with decades of successful investment and entrepreneurial experience in Europe and the U.S. Backed by a team of 17 international investment experts and support professionals, Truffle Capital aims to achieve superior financial returns by leveraging its industry knowledge, extensive network, and operational experience to identify business opportunities that match latent market needs. For further information, please visit www.truffle.fr and www.fcpi.fr