Sensr.net
Cloud computing monitoring and social networking services for internet accessible cameras.
Sensr.net, founded in 2009 by serial entrepreneur Tom Chavez and filmmaker Adam Rifkin, operated as a cloud-based video monitoring service that has since ceased operations as of 2024. The company provided a platform for users to connect their own IP-enabled security cameras for remote surveillance. Its core service involved capturing and storing video footage in the cloud, which customers could access from web browsers or mobile devices. The platform organized saved images chronologically, allowing users to review events from specific times and dates. A key feature was its automated motion detection system, which would trigger alerts sent to the user via email or text message, providing a layer of security for homes and small businesses. The business targeted the do-it-yourself and prosumer markets, appealing to individuals who wanted a straightforward way to monitor their property without investing in complex security systems.
The venture secured $1.5 million in funding to develop its application software. One of the founders, Tom Chavez, brought extensive entrepreneurial experience, having previously founded and sold two technology companies, Rapt to Microsoft and Krux to Salesforce. His background includes a Ph.D. from Stanford and a B.A. from Harvard, with a career focused on data science and AI. The inspiration for the company was described by the founders as a personal project that evolved into a business, though it ultimately remained a passion project rather than a large commercial success. After a 14-year run, the service was discontinued, with the founders noting it had a loyal customer base but never achieved the breakout success they had envisioned.
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