Switchee

Switchee provides an IoT smart thermostat and data analytics platform specifically designed for the social housing market. The company aims to improve living conditions for residents in rented homes while providing actionable insights for social housing providers to manage their properties proactively. Founded in 2015 by a team from INSEAD business school, including Adam Fudakowski, Ian Napier, Ed Warrick, and Russ MacMillan, Switchee was created to address the lack of bespoke technology for the social housing sector. Ed Warrick's experience in social housing highlighted the need for a B2B hardware-enabled software system, which led to the development of the company. Following the tragic death of co-founder Ian Napier in 2019, the team continued to grow the business in his memory. Tom Robins was appointed CEO in 2021, and in March 2026, Leann Hearne took over as Interim Chief Executive. Switchee's business model involves selling its smart thermostats to social housing providers and offering access to a data dashboard. This provides landlords with real-time data on property performance, enabling them to identify risks such as damp and mould, monitor for fuel poverty, and optimize energy efficiency. The company's technology does not rely on resident Wi-Fi, using its own GSM connection, making it accessible to all tenants. For residents, the system can reduce heating bills by up to 17% and allows for better control over their heating and hot water. Landlords benefit from lower operating costs and a shift from reactive to proactive property management. The Switchee device is a touch-screen smart thermostat with five built-in sensors: temperature, light, motion, humidity, and air pressure. It collects data to learn occupancy patterns and optimizes heating schedules. The platform also functions as a two-way communication tool, allowing landlords to send messages, schedule appointments, and conduct surveys with a high resident engagement rate. The company’s Open API allows for integration with existing housing management systems. Switchee has gained significant traction, serving over 130 social housing providers across the UK. The company is a certified B Corp and has received numerous awards, including 'Product of the Year' at the 2022 National Energy Efficiency Awards. Keywords: social housing, proptech, smart thermostat, IoT, data analytics, energy efficiency, fuel poverty, property management, damp and mould detection, resident engagement, B Corp, asset management, smart homes, decarbonisation, compliance, predictive maintenance, real-time data, housing associations, remote diagnostics, tenant communication