Zuli

Zuli, Inc. was a consumer electronics company that operated in the smart home market, founded in 2012 by Taylor Umphreys, Ben Chang, and Sid Bhargava. The company, which started as Brightblu, was established by the founders, who were friends from the University of California Santa Barbara, shortly after their graduation. CEO Taylor Umphreys, who has a degree in Electrical and Computer Engineering, previously held positions at the Palo Alto Research Center and the Institute of Energy Efficiency at Santa Barbara.

Zuli's core business revolved around its flagship product, the Zuli Smartplug. These plugs connected to a standard electrical outlet and allowed users to control and monitor connected lights and appliances through a smartphone app using Bluetooth Low Energy. Key features included the ability to turn devices on or off remotely, dim lights (even those not connected to a dimmer switch), set schedules, and monitor energy consumption. The business model was direct-to-consumer, selling plugs individually or in multi-packs directly from their website and through retailers like Lowe's. The company's unique selling proposition was its "Presence" feature. By installing three or more Smartplugs, the devices created a Bluetooth mesh network that could triangulate a user's location within the home, automatically adjusting lights and appliances according to pre-set personal preferences as someone entered or exited a room. This technology was developed to function as an indoor GPS, leveraging Apple's iBeacon technology to enhance location accuracy.

The company launched with a successful Kickstarter campaign that raised over $175,000, surpassing its goal. It later secured $1.65 million in a seed funding round in August 2014, with investors including Menlo Ventures, Logitech, and DeNA. Despite initial traction and partnerships, including an integration with Nest thermostats, Zuli eventually ceased operations. The company is now listed as deadpooled. Keywords: Zuli, smart plug, home automation, Bluetooth Low Energy, presence detection, smart home, Zuli Presence, energy monitoring, connected appliances, IoT device, Bluetooth mesh network, Sid Bhargava, Ben Chang, Taylor Umphreys, indoor location, smart lighting, Zuli Smartplug, consumer electronics, Kickstarter, Menlo Ventures, Brightblu