IoT automation startup helped develop MSO’s new ‘xFi’ platform

Comcast has acquired Stringify, an Internet of Things tech startup that helped the cable operator develop xFi, a cloud-based home WiFi management platform that was launched earlier this year.

Stringify announced the acquisition via a Sept. 18 blog post, noting that the company would be updating its terms of service soon to signal that Stringify service data will be transitioned to Comcast.

Founded in 2014, Stringify provides a cloud-powered automation service for the IoT, and has introduced apps for iOS and Android. Stringify said it works with 500-plus products and services, including those from Nest (part of Google), Philips Hue, Ring, Amazon Alexa, Honeywell, Insteon and Netgear, among others.

Financial terms of the acquisition were not disclosed. Stringify raised a $6.3 million seed round led by Artis Ventures, according to Crunchbase.

“Comcast is a perfect fit for Stringify,” the IoT provider explained in the blog post. “With xFi and Xfinity Home, Comcast is delivering elegant, powerful IoT and automation experiences to millions of customers. The Comcast team shares our passion for using technology to solve real-world problems, and to connect the world in meaningful ways.”

Elsewhere on the xFi front, Comcast made in investment in Plume, a startup that is helping Comcast develop a lineup of WiFi “pods” that work in tandem with broadband gateways to extend wireless signals to all corners of a consumer’s home.