NC RIoT IoT Showcase Speaks to Strength of IoT in the Region

As part of All Things Open, a conference exploring open source, open tech, and the open web in the enterprise, NC RIoT hosted the single largest IoT demo showcase on a single night in the country. NC RIoT’s mission is to lead the North Carolina community in capturing IoT opportunities locally, nationally and globally. We caught up with Matthew Davis, NC RIoT co-founder and Vice President of Marketing for Reveal Mobile, before the event to discuss the role of IoT in the Raleigh community and how Raleigh’s open source movement supports IoT.

1. NC RIoT is hosting the largest IoT showcase, tell us about that. 
   • It is a big deal for the IoT community nationwide and here in Raleigh. We’ve got over 60 companies displaying 100 IoT demos, making it the biggest IoT demo on a single night in the country. What it’s really highlighting is the community in the area, locally and regionally, just how much interest and talent there is for IoT in the area.
2. Why do you think that Raleigh/the Research Triangle/NC has this concentration of IoT companies and you’re able to do things such as NC RIot?
   • It’s a wonderful mix of everything coming together. We have a long history of companies that produce the things that make up IoT: hardware, software, analytics, privacy, security. Companies such as IBM, SAS, Cisco that develop these type of products, alongside an established startup scene. In addition, you have the academics and research, as well as local governments that are willing to support IoT products. That’s really all coming together quickly,  and that’s what NC RIoT is trying to support. We want to make sure that all these groups are talking to one another, marching in stride together and thinking about building an IoT community.
3. During the next five years how do you see the IoT community in Raleigh continuing to progress, and how does NC RIot play into that? 
   • We’ll see more and more companies building brand new IoT solutions here in the area. We will see companies relocating here to develop IoT solutions.  We will also see existing companies that haven’t even realized IoT is a thing for them begin to adopt solutions across manufacturing, healthcare, textiles. These industries will benefit from IoT, but don’t care that it’s branded IoT.  They need solutions to their problems, and IoT is going to give them new and creative ways to find those solutions.
4. You just spoke to a convergence factor. How do you think here in the Research Triangle with life science, tech, healthcare all being here, how that they will converge with IoT and how that plays into an Open Source approach?
   • That is still to be determined exactly how it will come together. The important thing is that we have the right people sitting around the table at least talking about what is going to happen, how and when, and how we can all work together. The more we collaborate and share ideas and concepts, whether that just be through open communication, open software or open projects, the farther and faster our community will go. There’s always going to be a place for Open Source as well as companies wanting to keep things proprietary and patented.
5. Why did NC RIot decide to host the largest demo of IoT products at All Things Open?
   • We knew this was one of the best events in Raleigh when it comes to technology. There is such a strong focus now in terms of software and hardware development, and the role opens source plays in that for IoT, that we knew we had to be here. Fortunately, the All Things Open staff invited us in with open arms and said ‘yes, help us focus on IoT here at All Things Open.’ We responded by having the biggest IoT event at the conference. We’re really excited to be here!
6. From a business perspective, what makes Raleigh a supportive community of IoT for companies like Reveal Mobile and organizations such as NC RIot?
   • It’s incredibly supportive. We have all the pieces in play here today that make up IoT.  Everyone sees this opportunity coming, along with this new wave of embedding sensors and intelligence into every object. We all see this path forward and will be working together towards it. The support behind that is the talent in the area, the research that is happening and the investment community. The investment community is really starting to step up and make more investments in IoT as well.  

To learn more about NC RIoT and how to get involved visit their website and make sure to plan to attend All Things Open next year for more great opportunities like the NC RIoT showcase.