Mark Blum (Cognian)
Australian internet of things (IoT) start-up Cognian Technologies has signed an agreement with US-based distributor Avnet, aimed at widening its global footprint.
Sydney-founded Cognian will now see its key product, the Syncromesh Smart Canopy, made available to Avnet’s customers and partners in the United States, as well as around the world.
Specialising in commercial buildings, Cognian already has customers in the US, alongside Asia and its native Australia, but intends to expand this base via Avnet.
This will primarily come from connecting with Avnet’s Microsoft Azure-powered IoTConnect platform, which will connect the company’s networks with multiple devices to the cloud and address the software and hardware needs of those IoT solutions.
“Our philosophy is all around openness: open standards and open partnerships with companies who are driving smart building innovation across industries from commercial real estate to retail, convenience stores, logistics and everything in-between,” said Mark Blum, CEO of Cognian.
“With the commercial IoT space going from strength-to-strength globally, our partnership with Avnet amplifies our global reach. This, in turn, means we can help our partners and customers access an even broader range of third-party devices that can be enabled and easily connected by Syncromesh through the Avnet IoTConnect Platform.”
Meanwhile, Lou Lutostanski, IoT vice president at Avnet, said he was excited to partner with Cognian, claiming it would help the distributor amplify its presence in the commercial IoT space.
The move comes four years after Tech Data’s move to acquire Technology Solutions business from Avnet in a US$2.6 billion deal.
The distributor had first announced its intention to acquire its rival in September 2016, with the deal confirmed less than six months later.
