smart-apartments
(2)
Bob W.
Bob W. - short for 'Best of Both Worlds' - is a Helsinki-founded, tech-powered aparthotel operator offering design-led, sustainability-focused apartments across European cities. It blends the consistency of a hotel with the space and local character of an apartment, running an in-house technology stack for self-service check-in, a 24/7 app-based virtual host, and automated operations. Founded in 2018 by Niko Karstikko and Sebastian Emberger, the company operates in roughly a dozen countries and close to 20 cities, positioning itself as a lower-carbon, lower-cost alternative to both traditional hotels and short-term rentals.
HOMMA Group, Inc.
HOMMA Group is a Palo Alto-based smart-home developer that builds residences with proprietary technology baked in from day one, rather than bolted on by the resident afterward. Founded in 2016 by former Sony and Rakuten executive Takeshi (Ted) Homma, the company designs the architecture, hardware, and software together so lighting, shades, thermostats, and door locks adapt to residents automatically. Its Cornerstone AI platform lets builders embed and remotely manage smart systems across multi-unit developments, with projects spanning Portland townhomes, a Boston high-rise, and a 30-unit Portland tower built with Mitsubishi's Diamond Realty Investments.