Eco-friendly smart light specialist Autonomous iOt targeting bright future

A North Lanarkshire-based firm behind a renewable energy smart light is eyeing growth both in the UK and internationally, also seeing “seismic” potential in COP26 coming to Scotland later this year.

Autonomous iOt is harnessing the Internet of Things, and says its core product is able to provide LED street lighting, managed by a smart controller, plus integral wireless surveillance and monitoring services – and utilising solar and wind power.

It says the autonomous, off-grid design of its product makes it suitable for applications such as communication; smart-city connectivity; emergency alert systems; utility power access; electric transport charging; and analytics.

The firm’s technology is the work of chief executive Bobby Kane, who returned to Scotland from California in 2019, saying he “locked [himself] in a cupboard” for several months during the pandemic and came up with the firm’s smart light design.

'We are extremely ambitious - with a clear vision and plan to grow, but always in a sustainable way,' says CEO Bobby Kane. Picture: contributed.

Grant help from Scottish Enterprise helped bootstrap the firm, which developed the product and opened a small manufacturing and research facility in Chapelhall just outside Airdrie – and it is now looking to grow its headcount from ten currently as it grows its installed base.

Mr Kane said: "We source most of our components locally and our workforce is from the local community. We have recruited recent graduates from the University of Strathclyde and have several projects on the go with them. We are working with like-minded partners such as Scottish Sea Farms and regional government projects to replace halogen lights with our product amongst others.”

He added that the business is “extremely ambitious with a clear vision – and plans to grow, but always in a sustainable way”. The CEO also said: “Our immediate focus is on the areas and sectors we are already active in, to expand our reach within these and increase the impact of our products with like-minded partners.

From left: Abdul Bostani, Autonomous iOt non-executive director, with Mr Kane, and Neil Gray MSP on a recent visit. Picture: contributed.

“Longer term, we have ambitions not only to grow across the UK but internationally, including with the introduction of new products. Clearly COP26 in November – being so close to home – represents a seismic opportunity not just for Autonomous iOt but for all of us, and we are determined to capitalise on that to help the UK deliver on the critical targets that are looming.”

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