The integration industry is defined by its restlessness. While established manufacturers provide the backbone of the smart home, fresh innovation often bubbles up from new entrants viewing old problems through a different lens.
This dynamic was the driving force behind the inaugural CEDIA Expo/CIX PitchFest, a Shark Tank-style competition that pitted new exhibitors against one another in a battle for industry recognition.
After two days of intense presentations, one solution rose above the rest. SmartShowroom360 captivated the audience, securing the title of Ultimate PitchFest Champion.
The Champion: Closing the Sales Gap
In an industry where “seeing is believing,” selling a smart home experience to a client standing in an unfinished drywall shell is a persistent hurdle. SmartShowroom360 answered this challenge with a decisive victory. The platform offers an immersive, interactive virtual experience that illustrates all smart home possibilities.
The judges were particularly impressed by the platform’s ability to bridge the gap between technical capability and client understanding.
“We thought the pitch was creative and very visually engaging,” noted Zachary Comeau, executive editor for CE Pro. “It positions the platform as a virtual showroom for integrators that don’t have those physical demo spaces…The customizable branding, we think it offers a really compelling way to educate clients.”
Soundvision’s Michelle Ferlauto agreed, highlighting how the software solves a critical communication problem. “It also helps solve one of our biggest challenges as integrators of clearly explaining what it is that we actually do,” she says.
The Finalist: BTX Window Automation
While SmartShowroom360 took the crown, the competition was fierce. BTX Window Automation emerged as a formidable finalist, securing the Day 1 victory with its “Smart by Bond” solution.
By embedding the popular Bond bridge infrastructure directly into their motors, BTX offers native integration that simplifies deployment with true RF real-time feedback.
Innovation Across the Board
The road to the championship was paved with diverse innovations from a cohort of impressive vendors.
Two companies tackled power management from different angles. Modern Atomics pitched energy-efficient power supplies that save space and reduce wasted energy by nearly 99%.
OnFILTER took an industrial approach, showcasing filters that clean both power and ground lines to block electromagnetic interference (EMI) and kill transient voltage spikes that standard surge protectors miss.
Nightscaping USA introduced the Locklin series, a modular landscape lighting solution featuring patent-pending gold pin plated technology. Inside the home, Deako presented a “smart-ready” modular lighting system that allows standard switches to be swapped for smart dimmers in seconds without rewiring.
Additionally, BZBGEAR addressed video distribution complexity with the BG-IP-Gear-Ultra, capable of delivering matrixing videowalls up to 20×20 on a standard 1GB network. On the control side, Rithum Home showcased a smart touch panel that replaces standard light switches, offering native integration with major platforms like Sonos and Lutron.
Dio Technologies pitched a minimalist Wi-Fi speaker solution that eliminates proprietary hubs, appealing to privacy-conscious clients. Meanwhile, MyTVArt offered a high-end aesthetic solution, using a motorized roller to conceal televisions behind real giclée canvas prints.
Finally, WeQuote demonstrated a comprehensive software platform designed to streamline business operations, from quoting to inventory management, helping integrators reduce administrative friction.
Looking Ahead
The variety of technologies on display at PitchFest underscores a vibrant industry. From virtual sales tools to granular power protection, these emerging players are finding unique ways to add value to the integrator’s toolkit.
