Industry leaders, manufacturers, installers, and technology experts gathered in Vienna to explore AI, cybersecurity, Z-Wave Long Range, emerging market opportunities, and the future of connected technologies.
The Z-Wave Alliance recently welcomed members, partners, developers, installers, and industry leaders to Vienna, Austria for the Z-Wave Spring Summit 2026. Over the course of three days, attendees participated in hands-on interoperability testing, in-depth educational sessions, engaging strategic discussions, and in-person networking that reinforced the strength of the global Z-Wave ecosystem and the bright future ahead.
This year’s Summit underscored several key themes shaping the future of the industry, including the continued expansion of Z-Wave Long Range (ZWLR), increasing focus on cybersecurity readiness, emerging applications for AI in connected environments, and new market opportunities across smart home, security, and adjacent IoT sectors.
Strengthening the Ecosystem Through Collaboration
The Spring Summit kicked off with the Unplug Fest, providing members with a unique opportunity to conduct real-world interoperability testing, collaborate directly with peers, and validate new products and implementations in a hands-on environment. This year’s event included testing of both Z-Wave Mesh and Z-Wave Long Range (ZWLR) devices and included live demonstrations from Z-Wave expert Eric Ryherd, Dr. Z-Wave, highlighting SmartStart commissioning, ZWLR performance, and simultaneous operation of mesh and ZWLR networks on a single controller.
The day concluded with a welcome reception held at the Imperial Riding School Hotel. Following a brief welcome address from the Chairman of the Board, Avi Rosenthal, members gathered out on the patio in the Vienna sunshine to reconnect, welcome new participants, and set the stage for the coming days of education, collaboration, and strategic discussions.
Industry Leaders Tackle the Opportunities and Challenges Ahead
Day 1 opened with remarks from Z-Wave Alliance Chairman Avi Rosenthal, who shared a forward-looking vision for the Alliance, highlighted continued growth of the Z-Wave ecosystem, and provided insight into the initiatives to come.
The opening fireside chat, moderated by Janet Collins, Director of Marketing for the Z-Wave Alliance, featured Avi Rosenthal (BlueConnect Partners/Z-Wave Alliance), Agnes Lorenz (Zooz), Peter Zsak (Smartopert), and Sebastian Loeffler (MK Logic). The discussion explored Alliance priorities, certification, installer perspectives, growth opportunities, and the collaboration efforts required to continue advancing Z-Wave technology worldwide.
Throughout the day, attendees heard from industry experts, analysts, academics, and technical leaders on some of the most important topics shaping the future of connected living, including:
- Cyber Resilience Act readiness and what upcoming regulations mean for manufacturers operating across Europe, presented by guest speaker Justina-Alexandrea Sava, Senior Analyst, IoT Analytics.
- Wake-on-Event End Nodes (WOEEN) and the future potential of battery-free Z-Wave devices.
- The evolving relationship between artificial intelligence and smart home technology, presented by two guest lecturers from the University of Applied Sciences Technikum Wien, Dr. Zaheer Tabassam and Dr. Khaled Kassem.
- New opportunities in smart water management and protection, presented by guest speaker, Dr. Christian Paetz.
- Key market data and growth trends for Z-Wave and ZWLR including expanded deployment opportunities.
- Insights from leading European installers on customer expectations, market challenges, and business opportunities.
The sessions highlighted the strength of the Z-Wave ecosystem today and the tremendous opportunities that lie ahead as connected technology continues to accelerate.
Members Shaping the Future of the Ecosystem
While Day 1 focused on industry insights and thought leadership, Day 2 shifted to member collaboration and strategic planning.
Through dedicated marketing and technical working sessions, Alliance members engaged in discussions around certification, technology adoption, industry events, ecosystem growth, User Credential Command Class (UCCC) and Aliro, future command classes, and long-term roadmap priorities.
These member-only discussions represent one of the most valuable aspects of Alliance participation: the opportunity for organizations across the ecosystem to collaborate directly on the technologies, initiatives, and strategies that will help shape the future of Z-Wave.
Member Collaboration Driving Innovation
Beyond the presentations, one of the Spring Summit’s greatest strengths was the opportunity for members to connect face-to-face. From manufacturers and service providers to installers, analysts, and technology partners, attendees exchanged ideas, shared best practices, and explored new opportunities for collaboration.
The enthusiasm from attendees reflected the value of bringing the ecosystem together. Members from across the industry echoed the importance of the Summit as a forum for discussing emerging trends, sharing technical expertise, and building relationships that help drive the entire smart home and IoT industry forward. The collaborative spirit on display throughout the event continues to be one of the defining strengths of the Z-Wave community.
Celebrating Excellence Across the Z-Wave Community
One standout moment of the Summit was the opportunity to recognize individuals whose contributions have helped advance the Z-Wave ecosystem.
Congratulations to the 2026 Z-Wave Alliance Outstanding Contribution Award recipients at the Spring Summit:
Péter Zsák, Smartopert
Outstanding Contribution – Marketing
Caitlin Manes, Alarm.com
Outstanding Contribution – Technical
Daniel Matosian, Fortune Brands Innovations
Outstanding Contribution – Technical
These leaders exemplify the innovation, collaboration, and commitment that continue to strengthen the Z-Wave ecosystem and help move the industry forward.
Thank You to Our Sponsors and Members
The Z-Wave Alliance extends sincere appreciation to all sponsors, speakers, attendees, and volunteers who helped make the Spring Summit a success.
Special thanks to our sponsors, who make these Summits possible:
MK Logic (Gold Sponsor)
Silicon Labs (Gold Sponsor)
Trident IoT (Gold Sponsor)
Vision (Gold Sponsor)
Zooz (Gold Sponsor)
Aeotec (Unplug Fest Sponsor)
BlueConnect Partners (Break Sponsor)
Smartopert (Break Sponsor)
The engagement throughout the Summit reinforced what makes the Z-Wave community unique: a shared commitment to interoperability, innovation, collaboration, and delivering better connected experiences for consumers around the world.
Looking Ahead
The momentum generated in Vienna makes one thing clear: the future of Z-Wave is strong.
From advancements in ZWLR and battery-free devices to cybersecurity readiness, AI integration, and expanding market opportunities, the Summit showcased a community actively shaping the future of connected living. More importantly, it demonstrated the power of bringing together manufacturers, service providers, installers, developers, and technology leaders to solve challenges, share ideas, and collectively drive innovation.
As the industry continues to evolve, the Z-Wave community remains committed to the principles that have driven its success for more than two decades: interoperability, collaboration, security, and innovation. Together, Alliance members are helping build the next generation of connected experiences across smart homes, multi-dwelling units, hospitality, security, and emerging IoT applications.
Thank you to everyone who joined us in Vienna. We look forward to continuing these conversations and building on this momentum together.
Save the Date
Join us for the Z-Wave Fall Summit 2026, taking place September 29 – October 1, 2026 in Boca Raton, FL. Reserve your seat today to take advantage of the early-bird discount.
A special thank you to ADT, Diamond Sponsor of the Z-Wave Fall Summit 2026.
We look forward to seeing you there!