Butlr Technologies Awarded as Technology Pioneer by World Economic Forum

May 11, 2022
The World Economic Forum announced its selection of the 100 most promising Technology Pioneers of 2022 - companies that are tackling issues from sustainability and climate change to healthcare and more.

Butlr Technologies, a MIT Media Lab spinout founded by Forbes 30 Under 30 entrepreneurs Jiani Zeng and Honghao Deng, was selected among hundreds of candidates as a "Technology Pioneer" by the World Economic Forum. Butlr was recognized for its breakthrough people-sensing platform, which uses thermal sensors and machine learning technology to accurately and anonymously understand human presence and activity indoors.

The spatial insights, occupancy and activity analytics derived from Butlr's platform are used to make data-driven real estate decisions, to improve the occupant experience and run buildings more efficiently. In addition, Butlr's sensors, incapable of capturing PII, are being deployed in senior living care settings for remote monitoring and fall detection applications.

Leveraging the robust and open API, alongside an overall integration-friendly system architecture, Butlr is part of a large network of innovative partners like GP Pro and Anders + Kern — a cohort that share Butlr's vision of advancing the workplace of tomorrow in a scalable, cost-effective and private manner. Integrations as such allow joint users to optimize the operation and cleaning schedules of their space, provide safer environments to tenants around the globe and access a rich pool of occupancy data through user-friendly and insightful dashboards.

"It is humbling to be selected as a Technology Pioneer alongside some of the world's leading innovators," said Deng, co-founder and CEO of Butlr. "We envision a world in which the built environment is responsive to its inhabitants, leading to smarter buildings and to people leading richer, healthier lives. We're delighted that our work is gaining global attention and look forward to contributing to the Forum's dialogues in this arena."

"We're excited to welcome Butlr.io to our 2022 cohort of Technology Pioneers," says Saemoon Yoon, community lead, Technology Pioneers, World Economic Forum. "Butlr and its fellow pioneers are at the forefront of industries that are critical to solving some of our world's most complex issues today. We look forward to their contribution to the World Economic Forum in its commitment to improving the state of the world."

Technology Pioneers have been selected based on the community's selection criteria, which includes innovation, impact and leadership as well as the company's relevance with the World Economic Forum's Platforms.

The diversity of these companies extends to their innovations as well. This year's Tech Pioneer firms are shaping the future by advancing technologies such as AI, IoT, robotics, blockchain, biotechnology and many more.