Last month we shared the launch of Matter 1.0, a new smart home standard developed in collaboration within the Connectivity Standards Alliance (CSA). They are developing a single open-source stack that allows developers to build compatible cross-platform devices. For example, imagine an Amazon device that integrates with Google Home or Apple Home Kit.

Since its launch, it has been well received by hardware makers. 190 products have been certified or are in the queue for testing and certification. There have been 4,400 downloads of the new Matter specification and 2,500 downloads of the Matter software development kit (SDK) from GitHub.

Crucially, Matter not only benefits established large IoT companies, but also offers huge opportunities for startups. It exposes them to a network of established manufacturers and also helps them increase their market position by developing products that consumers really want. And, more importantly, products they actually use. Let’s face it, most people have a graveyard of wearable tech or gadgets that outweigh their usefulness by cramming a drawer in their home.

In this piece, we are going to explore how Matter is a huge opportunity for some European startups.

The benefits of working together

IoT is hugely beneficial when it comes to wearable health monitoring – and that includes the well-being of our furry friends. Ali Ganjavian is CEO at Moggy. The company uses AI and IoT to turn your cat’s activity and behavior into valuable health insights.

Moggie is currently in beta testing, so I was curious to see what Matter means for an emerging company whose first product is still in development. Ganjavian believes that by design, Matter offers a great opportunity to collaborate, bring smaller startups together and integrate products, “creating a larger IoT ecosystem and enriching the user experience.”

For example, imagine if your pet tracking system could detect that your cat is sleeping more (and possibly bored) and activate linked toys to keep him more active during the day? Or find that your cat is drinking more water than usual and have Alexa call the vet for an appointment. None of this would be possible without interoperability.

Ganjavian claims that without this collaborative ecosystem, the only thing that would make the Internet of Things interoperable would be a legal requirement.

Improving the sustainability of homes

Matter comes at an opportune time for startups making smart home products that reduce energy consumption, such as from Vilisto self-learning smart thermostats. A smart thermostat learns your behavior and heating/cooling preferences for the optimal temperature. In the future, Matter will even allow thermostats to be connected to the electricity grid to take advantage of incentive pricing benefits.

There is also room for energy generation, such as the connected solar panels from WeDoSolar. Co-founder Karolina Attspodina told me that they design their solar panels with future integration in the household in mind. Matter enables smart home devices to easily connect to the home network across different platforms, “bringing greater convenience and accessibility to our customers.”

The company’s solar panel kit comes with an integrated 4G connection so it can communicate with other devices in the household, creating a “much better end-user experience because no special setup is required.”

Despite its apparent ubiquity, Attspodina thinks that in the years to come, “people will optimize their lives to fit into a new, energy-efficient reality where they think sustainability first and keep only the appliances that really matter in their homes.” Devices that are well integrated and interoperable will be most beneficial.

Is matter the only way?

But only a few are convinced. Max Melnyk, is the R&D director of the device division at Ajax systems, the largest manufacturer of security systems in Europe. The range consists of more than 70 wireless and wired devices.

He tells me that while universalization is great for the end user, it can be more challenging if your devices use proprietary protocols. Primarily a security system, Ajax relies on its own protocol, Jeweler. It provides the system with advanced anti-tamper features, a range of up to 2000 m and high energy efficiency, as “batteries in wireless Ajax detectors last up to 5-7 years.”

However, he concedes that the company will observe the situation and “see if Matter will become the de facto standard for the industry.”

Overall I think it will take some time for the Matter to reach its full potential, after all it’s still only open to a handful of specific types of connected devices. But for sellers who choose it, it offers a huge improvement in the user experience and can inspire people to make their home and its inhabitants even smarter and more connected.