AardarQ, a provider of a B2B AppStore framework for embeddable devices, just received $100k in funding from Innovation Works. Employing six people with plans to grow, AardarQ looks to build their customer base from two to three.
“The Innovation Works funding is a stamp of approval for our technology and our team’s ability to grow the business,”
- Pittsburgh, PA – February 10, 2010 AardvarQ™, LLC, provider of the industry’s first configurable, B2B AppStore™ Framework, today announced that it has been added as an Innovation Works portfolio company (http://www.innovationworks.org). Innovation Work’s resources will be used to expand AardvarQ’s AppStore Framework and to service initial customer demand.
AardvarQ’s AppStore Framework enables embedded device manufacturers to offer an innovative user experience for their B2B customers via a fully configurable online storefront. In addition to providing a steady flow of valuable productivity applications for their devices, AardvarQ enables device manufacturers to obtain detailed usage profiles for their installed base through its Web-based Device Dashboard.
“AardvarQ is a great addition to the Innovation Works portfolio,” said Richard Lunak, President and CEO for Innovation Works. “Their AppStore Framework provides a very innovative approach for embedded device manufacturers to stay connected with their installed base.”
Commercial devices are regularly purchased in bulk by large field service organizations with the assumption of a five- to ten-year usable life. Once shipped, manufacturers often lose track of these devices as they are assigned to a geographically dispersed mobile workforce. Whether a diagnostic, medical, point-of-sale or industrial control device, maintaining connectivity plays a crucial role in a manufacturer’s ability to manage a positive customer experience.
AardvarQ uniquely addresses this challenge by providing a virtual channel between a device manufacturer and their installed base of commercial devices. Device users are driven to the manufacturer’s branded AppStore to browse and install a steady stream of new/updated productivity applications. Upon accessing the AppStore, each device uploads a usage log that details the device’s location, usage and performance.
“The Innovation Works funding is a stamp of approval for our technology and our team’s ability to grow the business,” says Greg Quiggle, CEO of AardvarQ. “Our growing customer base needs to stay connected with their installed base of commercial devices. AardvarQ’s unique ability to log the usage of deployed devices enables manufacturers to (1) fine tune their feature sets, (2) proactively address performance issues in the field and (3) offer targeted on-the-job training aids.”
About AardvarQ
AardvarQ is the provider of the industry’s first configurable, B2B AppStore Framework. When licensed, AardvarQ provides a branded, hosted AppStore that can be offered in concert with an embedded device manufacturer’s product lines. Located in the suburbs of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, AardvarQ is a privately held corporation and both an Idea Foundry and an Innovation Works portfolio company. The AardvarQ team brings more than 20 years of experience defining, developing, launching and supporting successful embedded devices within a wide variety of B2B markets. For more information, visit www.aardvarq.net.
