August Home

August Home Inc. materialized in the smart home market in 2012, co-founded by industrial designer Yves Behar and technology entrepreneur Jason Johnson. The company's inception was driven by the founders' vision to create a more secure and convenient way to manage home access, blending elegant design with robust technology. Behar, a renowned designer, brought his aesthetic and user-centric design philosophy to the hardware, while Johnson provided the technological and business strategy. This fusion of design and tech became a core tenet of the August Home brand.

The firm established itself as a key player in the smart lock industry, targeting homeowners and renters seeking to upgrade their home security with keyless entry solutions. Its business model centers on the direct-to-consumer sale of its hardware products through its website and major retail partners. The primary revenue stream is generated from the sale of smart locks and accessories like keypads and doorbell cameras.

August Home’s flagship product line consists of smart locks that retrofit to existing deadbolts, a design choice that significantly lowers the barrier to adoption for consumers. A key feature is the ability to grant or revoke access remotely via a smartphone app, creating virtual keys for family, friends, or service providers. The system also maintains a 24/7 activity log, allowing users to track who enters and leaves their home. Another signature feature is Auto-Unlock, which uses Bluetooth and Wi-Fi to detect the user's approach and unlock the door automatically, and Auto-Lock, which secures the door after a set period. The ecosystem extends to include the August Connect Wi-Fi Bridge, which enables remote operation and integration with voice assistants like Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, and Apple HomeKit.

A significant milestone in the company's trajectory occurred in November 2017, when it was acquired by Assa Abloy, the world's largest lock manufacturer. This acquisition integrated August Home into a global powerhouse in the access solutions market, providing substantial resources and distribution channels. Following the acquisition, Jason Johnson continued to lead the company as CEO, ensuring continuity in its mission and product development. The company now operates as a brand under the Yale residential business of Assa Abloy, leveraging the parent company's extensive experience in security and lock manufacturing.

Keywords: smart lock, home automation, keyless entry, access control, residential security, smart home technology, retrofittable lock, remote access, mobile app, Assa Abloy