Hardware Podcasts

IoT Lessons: How Software Opened the Door to Smart Locks

Over the Air · 7 Dec 2021 · 28m

What this episode covers

Jason Williams, President of August Home and Yale Real Living, discusses Yale’s transition from a 180-year-old hardware manufacturer to a leader in smart locks through the acquisition of August Home. He details the strategic pivot from relying on third-party software partners to building an in-house platform, highlighting the cultural and technical challenges of integrating Silicon Valley software engineering with traditional mechanical hardware disciplines. Williams also shares lessons on product-market fit, noting how smart locks expanded beyond single-family homes into vacation rentals and multifamily housing, and advises executives on the importance of patience and knowing when to abandon failing technologies like early NFC implementations.

Most relevant to

companies scaling up

Topics

Mentioned

Companies
Yale, August Home, Alarm.com, Control4, SmartRent
Products
Yale Connected by August, Yale Smart Delivery Box, August App
Also
NFC, Bluetooth

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