Berlin start-up promises home security system of the future

  BERLIN, GERMANY - 07/18/2016 (PRESS RELEASE JET)

BuddyGuard finished work on FLARE, the ufo-shaped home security device that will “blow Canary and Nest out of the water”. After a successful Kickstarter campaign, the start-up launched FLARE on IndieGoGo for pre-order.

FLARE is said to protect your home all by itself, as it actually understands its environment.
“We put a lot of emphasis on the Artificial Intelligence”, says CEO Herbert Hellemann, who built the first prototype in 2014. “We believe that home security should be smart enough to dispatch the police on its own, without you having to spend a second on it.”

The “easy and intelligent” home security system uses face and voice recognition to authenticate visitors, even at night. A feature called AudioIntel™ distinguishes normal noise from suspicious sounds. This allows FLARE to take actions on its own, although users will still be informed through notifications.

Standing up against the big guys
BuddyGuard is the latest to enter the smart home market, dominated by US companies. The start-up of 20 recently secured $1 million, which pales in comparison to Nest, bought by Google for $3.2 billion. Still, the small firm believes it stands a good chance of redefining the crowded home security landscape.

“We bring so much more to the table”, says CMO Wouter Verhoog, “Unlike Canary and Nest, FLARE offers real home security. Besides its AI and sensors, FLARE comes with LTE back-up for when your WiFi is down. The battery keeps FLARE running for three days in case of a power outage.”

Hellemann adds: “We designed FLARE with privacy in mind: Once you’re home, the camera gets mechanically covered. What happens at home, stays at home.”

Add-ons
BuddyGuard offers add-ons to upgrade your home security, like BuddyCall to receive a call in case of an alarm. With BudyReact, FLARE creates a live feed with a security monitoring company, where a human can decide to dispatch the emergency services. Hellemann stresses that FLARE works just fine without the add-ons, but “sometimes you just need extra security, for example for when you’re on vacation”.

FLARE is now available on IndieGoGo for $349 per device, shipping worldwide in November.

If you’d like more information FLARE, or to schedule an interview with the founders, please contact press@buddyguard.io or send us a tweet on @BuddyGuard_io

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