Brandenburg Kapital invests in smart care for the future

Berlin/Chorin – 17 May 2022 HUM Systems receives seed funding of 2.3 million euros for its vision to simplify smart homes and better connect people in need of care. The lion's share is equity financing from business angels of the Companisto investor network, which includes entrepreneurs from the construction and real estate industries, and the venture capital company Brandenburg Kapital, a subsidiary of the Brandenburg development bank ILB. High Rise Ventures is also participating as a co-investor and in so doing is also betting on the smart multi-solution of the future. The IoT company was founded in Berlin in 2017 by Ali Reza Humanfar, Amir Humanfar and Helena Peralta Becker and has since been developing user-friendly all-in-one products under the smart home brand "Livy" that are designed to make life more comfortable, easier and safer.

"Livy" as a solution for the smart care of the future

The "Livy" brand, which has won several awards, currently has around 20 employees who are constantly working on the further development and optimization of their Smart Living Station "Livy Alive", which stands for multi-functionality, maximum user-friendliness and regularly new functions through software updates in the smart home sector. The focus of daily work is primarily on the needs of users and their safety and living comfort in their own homes. Thanks to a close partnership with an electricity and gas supplier, more than 20,000 households have already been equipped with "Livy" devices since 2017.

The new Smart Living Station "Livy Alive" is the first IoT device that can simultaneously "hear", "see", "feel" and "speak", combining key sensors such as camera, microphones, radar and air sensors. The start-up has already set new standards in the field of networked security and now also wants to more strongly expand on the topic of self-determined living in old age.

The company deliberately focuses new functions on use cases in the area of (geriatric) care, is oriented on high data protection compliance and the weak points of existing systems on the market. HUM Systems bundles numerous sensors in a compact and user-friendly way in a smart home device that can be controlled from anywhere using a smartphone and connects family members and caregivers with people in need of help.

In the near future, software updates will enable the device to detect calls for help, inactivity, glass breakage and falls, and trigger appropriate alarms to ensure rapid assistance for those affected. At the same time as the device, "Livy" offers multiple options for barrier-free communication via video and audio. This allows for direct exchange in alarm situations via remote access.

With the financing, HUM Systems would now like to invest in the further development of this sector and in sales operations at the new site in Chorin (Brandenburg).

"The past weeks and numerous discussions with investors and our already existing business and sales partners show that our products are in tune with the times. We are in a position to offer people a sustainable solution that can solve many current problems in the (home) care sector. We want to make leading a self-determined life significantly easier. With the funding, we can set new milestones and work confidently on our visions. For this, my team and I are extremely grateful," explains CEO and founder Ali Reza Humanfar.

"We have invested in HUM because the "Livy Alive" solution addresses one of the biggest challenges in demographic change, enabling older people to live in their own homes for as long as possible. The well-coordinated team consists of a mix of software and hardware experts, which is rather unusual for start-ups, and has now developed this intelligent smart living concept and launched it on the market. With this in-house expertise, the innovative edge can be maintained in the future and transferred to other application areas," adds Katja Kühnel, Senior Investment Manager at Brandenburg Kapital.

"We were immediately interested in getting to know HUM when Brandenburg Kapital, a venture capital investor we value, asked us if we could imagine another co-investment with them. In terms of content, the Smart Living concept of "Livy" appealed to us, as we see many synergies with our medium-sized investor network - especially in the real estate industry and in the field of care. The deciding factor for inclusion in the Companisto portfolio was the HUM team, which won us over with its technical expertise and entrepreneurial vision," says Nicolaus Schlieffen, Senior Investment Manager at Companisto, summing up.

About Companisto

Companisto is the market-leading private investor network in the D-A-CH region and has been the most active private venture capital provider in Germany for five years in a row. To date, more than 149 million euros have been committed via Companisto in 227 financing rounds. Since 2018, Companisto has expanded its network of currently 122,300 private investors with a digitally organized Business Angel Club. Around 1,400 business angels are investing in the equity of companies via Companisto with investments starting at EUR 10,000. The investment process and investment management have been fully digitized.

For more information, visit: www.companisto.com, www.companisto.com/de/angel-club

About HUM Systems GmbH

HUM Systems is a Berlin-based IoT company (IoT=Internet of Things) in the smart home market founded in 2017. The abbreviation HUM is a construct of the English words HUMAN and MACHINE and an expression of the claim of the multi-award-winning start-up to bring people (HUMAN) and technology (MACHINE) together in intelligent systems (SYSTEMS).

For more information, visit: https://hum-systems.com

About the "Livy" brand family

With "Livy Protect", HUM Systems has created a user-friendly all-in-one smart home product that solves three main needs of people living indoors: "Livy Protect", which allows users to protect their home from fire and burglary; monitor temperature, humidity and air quality; and, through the use of the "Livy App", which involves a community of family and friends who will be notified by push notification in the event of an alarm. "Livy Plus" offers customers additional services, such as the "Home Cover" insurance package, which takes effect in the event of nasty surprises at home ¬ whether loss of keys, water damage or a burglary.

As part of the cooperation with the energy supplier Vattenfall, HUM Systems has already developed two generations of "Livy Protect" devices and launched them on the market. Since October 2021, the "Livy Alive" has also been available to users, setting yet another milestone for the smart living company.

For more information, visit: https://livy-home.com

About Brandenburg Kapital GmbH/ ILB

Brandenburg Kapital GmbH is a subsidiary of the Investitionsbank des Landes Brandenburg (ILB). Since 1993, as the venture capital arm of ILB, it has supported Brandenburg-based companies by acquiring equity stakes and equity-like investments. As a public venture capital company, experienced lead investor and active partner, Brandenburg Kapital ensures a strong equity base for start-ups and small and medium-sized enterprises in the State of Brandenburg on the basis of a stable group environment. The Early-stage and Growth Fund is currently available in the amount of around 100 million euros for this purpose. The funds for the Brandenburg Kapital fund, which was set up on behalf of the Brandenburg Ministry of Economics, are currently provided by the European Fund for Regional Development and by the ILB. Through ILB's investment activities, 244 companies have so far been supported on their growth course with around 275 million euros. In addition, private investors have invested more than 600 million euros in the companies to date.

For more information, visit: www.brandenburg-kapital.de