‘We get to really help cities in meaningful ways. We get to do it with an incredible team. And it’s all done in South Florida’ – Ian Aaron, Ubicquia CEO
By Riley Kaminer
Public-purpose tech has reached a tipping point. From climate change and public safety to income inequality and rapidly-aging infrastructure, public problems abound. Increasingly, scrappy startups and scaleups are stepping up to the plate to address many of these challenges.
One of such companies is Fort Lauderdale-based Ubicquia, which develops hardware and software to improve existing infrastructure. The company helps municipalities, utilities, and mobile operators cost-efficiently make their cities “smart.” Highlights of Aaron’s pre-Ubicquia career include as president of News Corp’s Gemstar-TV Guide Television Group and as director and executive chairman at leading aerial imagery company Pictometry International Corp. acquired by Vista Equity Partners.
The shift from Melbourne to Fort Lauderdale was major, Aaron told Refresh Miami. “Previously, that staff was focused on making five gold-plated units that would go to Mars for 30 years. When we started hiring from the pool of talent in Fort Lauderdale, the team included people used to making millions of units going into consumers’ hands.” On top of Motorola, Ubicquia also tapped into the engineering talent working at the South Florida outposts of Cisco, Nokia, and GE.
Focus on lower cost devices that are easy to install and maintain
This re-boot in 2017 enabled Ubicquia to scale beyond their competitors, in Aaron’s estimation. The vision: Enable cities to deploy smart technologies at scale by creating lower cost devices that are easier to install and maintain than their competitors.
“The problem is the cost for these products are very high,” said Aaron. “For instance, it can be $5,000 to $10,000 to deploy an air quality sensor. But a city like Miami needs thousands of these. We make a product that’s $1,300, including software and connectivity for the three years.”
Many of Ubicquia’s devices connect to the socket that can be found on 360 million street lights around the world. One of their flagship products reportedly enables municipalities to save up to 40% of energy by setting schedules that turn the lights on when they’re needed and off when they’re not.
Beyond contributing to energy savings, Ubicquia’s offerings can also help municipalities more effectively manage their assets. One simple example: their device can detect and report problems with street lights. “That way it doesn’t take two weeks to have someone come and fix it,” said Aaron.
Other offerings include tools to monitor traffic flows, pedestrian safety, and the uptake of bicycle infrastructure. They also have a product that lets mobile providers turn on 5G service in a neighborhood in a matter of days. This device can be installed in minutes, avoiding lengthy permitting and construction processing – and coming in at a tenth of the cost.
Safety and security is critical for Ubicquia. Aaron asserted that they closely follow cities’ policies and industry best practices to ensure citizens’ privacy.
South Florida as a focal point for smart city innovation
“What’s really exciting is all of this is coming out of South Florida,” said Aaron. Ubicqua works with 450 cities, including some in South Florida. In Miami-Dade, the startup has partnered with energy service company Smart City Capital to deploy its technology around the county.
Ubicquia has raised more than $100 million in funding to date. Investors include Hamilton Lane, one of the largest global ESG and impact funds; Florida-based ClearSky’s power and technology fund; and Miami-based Fuel Venture Capital.
Aaron has met with Miami Mayor Francis Suarez (and been in the cafecito hot seat). “I think there’s a lot of interest in what we do,” Aaron said of the meeting. He also expressed hopes that the rise of #MiamiTech can further enable Suarez to “achieve some of his initiatives at a faster pace.”
Much of Ubicquia’s growth can be attributed to South Florida, noted Aaron. “Florida has been an incredible base for us, and I’m excited to continue growing here.”
Ubicquia plans to expand its currently 150-person team and is hiring across all verticals.
Aaron also highlighted Ubicquia’s participation in an internship program with Florida Atlantic University. Through this initiative, the scaleup has tapped into FAU’s pool of AI and STEM talent. “I’m especially proud to say we’ve had quite a few women come through the program and convert to full-time positions,” he said. “I see doing more and more with FAU going forward.”
Taking advantage of the broader enabling environment for smart city tech
Aaron signaled that the federal government’s recently-passed infrastructure law has the potential to provide exciting opportunities for Ubicquia, once the funds are actually released.
“Some companies see this and then start developing,” he said. “Our products have been in development for five years, and over the past 24 months have been deployed commercially at scale. With our accelerated deployment, I think we’re peaking at the right time.”
Broadly speaking, Aaron is optimistic about the role technology can play in improving the quality of life cities can offer to their citizens. “At the end of the day, it is really all about data,” he explained, noting that this information can help cities save money and better serve their inhabitants.
“I wake up every day and pinch myself,” said Aaron, who earlier this year won EY’s Florida Entrepreneur of the Year award. “We get to really help cities in meaningful ways. We get to do it with an incredible team. And it’s all done in South Florida.”
READ MORE IN REFRESH MIAMI:
- South Florida is a hotbed for climate tech innovation. Here are 5 reasons why
- Carbon Limit’s cement turns concrete into a carbon capturing sponge
- How to build resilient communities? Smart City Expo Miami highlights practical, optimistic approaches
- Leaders put tech in the spotlight at Aspen Ideas: Climate conference in Miami Beach
- Fort Lauderdale-based Ubicquia raises $30 million Series C round
