When a company joins the Z-Wave Board of Directors, it signals a level of commitment to advancing the Z-Wave standard. The importance of membership involvement within the Z-Wave Alliance can’t be overstated, because when Z-Wave transitioned to a non-profit standards development organization in 2020, it ushered in a new era whereby members have become the dominant, driving force behind the organization and structure. For new board member LEXI, becoming an active and vocal participant of that driving force and gaining access to the tremendous resources offered by the Z-Wave Alliance and the members within was the perfect next step for LEXI. We sat down with John E. Osborne II, COO, LEXI to hear more about their company and their decision to join the Z-Wave Board of Directors.
LEXI is a relative newcomer in the IoT space, but they are already making an impact enough to entice Osborne an industry veteran to join their team. The company was founded in 2017 with founders that have a deep history in IoT and software development and a commitment to smart device interoperability.
“The LEXI platform supports all major smart home ecosystems including Z-Wave’s 4,000+ strong device ecosystem,” shares Osborne. “The compelling part of joining the Z-Wave Alliance board is that as a newer company, LEXI is able to learn from the experience of other members. There is a huge level of support Z-Wave members provide one another because at the end of the day we are all working toward advancing the technology.”
In talking about their decision to join the board, Osborne made an important distinction that standards development organizations (SDOs) like the Z-Wave Alliance are not a private club. With the right goals, vision, and passion many companies have what it takes to not only sit on the board – but lead the industry – even the small companies.
“Actively engaging with Z-Wave has given us an additional kick-start as we look to continue to grow our platform. Having a resource that we can use to help team members get up to speed on the protocols offers a huge benefit. As a member, you get to participate rather than waiting for technology to be released, you get to be a part of it. That gives you a first-to-market, leading edge opportunity. You can create it, guide it, and shape it,” says Osborne
Looking to the future, Osborne and the LEXI team see continued opportunity for Z-Wave. He shares “Interoperability is key to the industry being successful, growing and expanding the market for all companies in the IoT space and those looking to enter the IoT space. Z-Wave provides a way for new players to get in the industry because they don’t have to create their own standalone ecosystem. Over the next year I think we will continue to see those “walled gardens” of proprietary devices and platforms slowly evolve; consumers want choice and companies will need to focus on interoperability to grow and be successful. We’re excited to be part of this evolution as LEXI looks to launch our next series of gateways.”
