In June, Microsoft Corp. and American Family Insurance announced the launch of a business accelerator for tech startup companies that are focused on home automation. The goal of the Microsoft Ventures Accelerator is to provide mentorship, resources, and workspace to startups in order to help create safer, smarter homes through improvements in home automation technology.
While the partnership aims to help propel the home automation industry into the future, some in the HVAC industry are expressing concern about what might happen if these non-HVAC companies begin infringing on industry products they may or may not fully understand.