LG has secured a major stake in Athom, a company based in the Netherlands known for its significant contributions to smart home technology through its Homey smart home ecosystem. LG’s acquisition encompasses an 80% share in the company, with plans to acquire the remaining shares within the coming three years. Specific financial details have not been disclosed.
The strategy moving forward involves integrating the Homey platform by Athom — which connects a wide array of home devices including appliances, sensors, and lighting equipment — with LG’s ThinQ technology.
In a press statement, LG articulated that this merge is aimed at forming an “AI home” envisioned to offer enhanced living solutions through a deeper grasp of consumer needs, enabling users to customize their living spaces to their preferences.
Post-acquisition, Athom is set to continue its operations independently, retaining its brand identity and operational framework. Emile Nijssen and Stefan Witkamp, the minds behind Athom, will remain in their leadership roles within the company.
Established in 2014, Athom has been notable for its Homey smart home hub and cloud services, garnering a substantial user base primarily across Europe. From 2023, Athom has expanded its reach to include countries such as Australia, Singapore, the USA, and Canada.
Jung Ki-hyun, LG’s executive vice president and head of the Platform Business Center, highlighted the acquisition as pivotal for LG’s ambitions in the AI home market. He emphasized that the collaboration is set to enhance the company’s open ecosystem and external integration services to offer richer, multifaceted spatial experiences to consumers.
Athom’s standout offering, the Homey Pro, boasts connectivity with over 50,000 devices supporting a variety of connectivity technologies including Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Z-Wave, Matter, and Thread. The Homey App Store, featuring close to a thousand apps, facilitates control over a diverse range of devices from global brands like Philips Hue and IKEA, with LG noting Athom’s continuous efforts to widen compatible device and brand connectivity.
This strategic move by LG mirrors Samsung’s earlier venture in 2014, when it acquired SmartThings for approximately $200 million, subsequently integrating SmartThings’ capabilities across a spectrum of Samsung products, from TVs and appliances to wearables and other smart devices.
Compiled by Techarena.au.
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