A key figure of the internet-of-things: Tony Fadell (Nest)

Posted on Apr 2, 2015

Already prior to graduation, he was CEO of Constructive Instruments and he has been closely related to the invention of the Ipod. He is also known as having filed over 300 patents.

The Lebanese American inventor and entrepreneur says it best: “The reason why we got in the thermostat market was that there was no innovation happening!” Founded in 2010 with Matt Rogers, his former intern at Apple, Nest produces Internet-connected thermostats & smoke detectors. His aim - a green and connected home. How? In his words through understanding of both energy prices and “personal behavioral patterns inside the home.”

Internet-connected thermostats are programmed to save energy. They can detect whether someone is at home and automatically decrease the temperature when no one is indoors. In September 2013 this technology already offered energy savings of1 billion kWh.

In 2014 Nest Labs was taken over by Google for $US 3.2 billion.

E. S.