Kiwi startup Jucebox takes to world stage at Web Summit

Kiwi tech start-up Jucebox has scored a major coup, being selected for the Alpha Program at influential tech event, Web Summit, in Dublin this week.

The Alpha program is for a select group of start-ups which meet Web Summit criteria for innovation and potential. The selected companies receive free exhibition space, mentoring and access to thousands of potential tech investors.

More than 30,000 registered attendees and 1500 technology journalists from around the world will attend this year's Web Summit.

Ulrich Frerk, Jucebox founder, says the opportunity presented by Web Summit is 'massive'.

Last year the 40 startups that exhibited at Web Summit went on to raise around US$1 billion in funding in the months following the event.

"Being selected as an Alpha is great recognition that Jucebox is the right product at the right time to capitalise on the explosion of smart buildings and devices worldwide," Frerk says.

The company describes Jucebox as a 'universal device communicator', specifically designed to solve the problems caused by the lack of connectivity and communication between the growing number of smart devices, building control systems and machines in homes, businesses or social networks.

Utilising its own operating system, the jOS, and purpose designed hardware, the Jucebox can communicate in all device languages to effectively operate all kinds of devices, appliances and machines.

"We're seeing a huge number of products being released into the market with 'smart' capabilities, but until now there is no single device that can effectively bring them all together with other 'dumb' technologies into a functioning eco-system," Frerk says.

"Jucebox can do this and is uniquely positioned to be the leading product in this exciting new category," he adds.

"Being selected to be part of the Alpha program is the kind of endorsement we need to attract the investment to bring it to market.