#UpwardLabsSpotlight | Unifi.id
It’s no question that COVID has wreaked havoc on the world this year, challenging the perception of safety in public spaces such as the office, schools, and other businesses.
Unifi.id is committed to bringing a new level of security to commercial buildings - not only in light of COVID but for the post-COVID future - and using their technology to create truly smart cities.
Aubrie Cresswell is spearheading U.S. business strategy and development for U.K.-based Unifi.id. Learn more about how Aubrie & her team are paving the way for smart cities via her recent interview with Upward's marketing team.
UPWARD: Give us the Unifi.id elevator pitch.
Aubrie Cresswell: Unifi.id seamlessly detects all occupants within a building through an advanced access card to maximize building efficiency and safety. We provide both real-time and historical data on all occupants within a facility. With the ability to capture all movements and provide meaningful location data, we can better assist in building utilization, fire safety, track-and-trace (if needed), savings on HVAC and lighting costs, etc. We start by identifying how our clients look at facilities management, and then, specialize our real-time, meaningful location detection solutions to those needs using our vast data points: total visits, visits-per-floor, visit duration, visits per tenant, per building, etc.
U: What drives you and your team to accomplish your mission?
AC: Unifi.id is driven by the need for building security and efficiency. Our CEO, Paul, once witnessed a devastating fire on his street, and the idea for this technology was partly born of that experience. Unifi.id helps to accurately depict a building’s occupancy, which can help to safely evacuate people inside in the event of a fire, or even serve as a safety measure in the case of today’s pandemic, thanks to our embedded thermal camera that picks up a visitor’s temperature as they enter the building and directly associates with their access card.
Unifi.id is driven by the need for building security. - Aubrie Cresswell, Head of U.S. Strategy and Business Development at Unifi.id
U: Why Upward Labs?
AC: Upward Labs was especially attractive to us because of their affiliation with big insurance companies. Insurance companies operate in a ‘black box’ model, so if Unifi.id can shed light on the ‘black box’ of a building for insurers, policies could ultimately change for the better. Building partnerships with these companies are a key way for us to enter the U.S. market.
U: Where are you currently piloting Unifi.id?
AC: We are currently piloting with Shelbourne Global, Lexington Properties, and LAZ Parking at One Financial Plaza, Hartford’s notorious “Gold Building.” In the U.K., our technology is already operating in Deloitte's London offices, University College London, Fora coworking, and our most recent client being TSB Bank.
U: Tell us about you.
AC: I am leading business strategy and development, particularly in the U.S., and handle all on-the-ground communication with partners, distributors, and contractors.
Fun fact: I was in ROTC in my younger years. I started college with plans of working in the FBI’s Hostage Rescue Team (HRT) as a helicopter pilot (Tactical Helicopter Unit).
Learn more about unifi.id's solutions for smart buildings, education, and hospitality here.
About Upward Labs
Upward Labs is a Connecticut-based venture fund that has developed an ideal ecosystem to fast-track AgeTech and PropTech startups in the U.S. market. The program matches each startup with decision-makers from leading Fortune 100 and 500 companies in the healthcare and real estate industries. The startups and their corporate advisors work together for six months to first identify the use cases that prove the greatest commercial potential, and then test them in the Labs' numerous sandbox buildings and facilities. As the pilots deliver data and results, each Lab and its advisors work with the startups to refine their product and offering, thus enabling rapid growth and commercial traction. Learn more at www.moveupward.city/startups.