Smart Yard Innovator Rachio Marks a Decade of Conservation

The concept of “tech for good” is often overblown and unachievable for many start-ups and large tech companies. But for some applications, there is a natural connection between delivering innovative products and contributing to a more sustainable world.

Denver-based Rachio came to market in 2014 with an award-winning smart irrigation controller, technology that conserves valuable resources. The company just celebrated its 10th anniversary with a milestone: 150 billion gallons of water have been saved with their smart irrigation products. Rachio also pledged to save 3 trillion gallons of water by 2030.

This month, the company launched its latest product, a smart hose timer that builds on its flagship model to automate manual hose watering. At the heart of Rachio’s products is the free Rachio app that helps its users save water with features like hyper-local weather forecasts and climate data that monitors and controls their scheduled watering from n anywhere.

I reached out to Rachio CEO Kim Sentovich just before Earth Day about their water conservation efforts and their recent B Corp certification and how they applied IoT technology from innovative way in the smart construction industry.

Christopher Marquis: Can you tell me about Rachio’s background and creation? Ten years is a long time in today’s technology landscape. How have you stayed at the forefront of innovation?

Kim Sentovitch: The idea for the Rachio Smart Sprinkler Controller was born when co-founder Chris Klein saw sprinkler systems watering in the rain during a drought in Denver. He noticed that all the water was wasted and as an engineer and garden enthusiast, he worked with co-founder Franz Garsombke to form Rachio in 2013 with the aim of using smart technology to solve watering ineffective from the garden. In 2014, the first generation controller was on the market. Since then we have introduced two more generations of our flagship sprinkler controller and have just introduced our new Rachio smart hose timer.

We continue to innovate and stay ahead of the curve because we have an amazing team that is always on top of the trends in the smart yard space, and they are so passionate about technology and conservation. They’re looking for new problems that consumers are trying to solve for their outdoor spaces, and we really want to help our customers “connect with the outdoors.” That’s why we created the Smart Hose Timer, for all households that don’t have underground irrigation. And we’ve built in-app integrations with other smart garden products that provide more tools to make garden maintenance easier for our customers.

Marquis: Rachio offers product lines for a variety of market segments, including consumers and professionals. How to differentiate them? How do you communicate the differences?

Sentovitch: Our consumer product line is designed for homeowners and end users who want to water easier and more efficiently. These products make installation and configuration easy and have features such as hyperlocal weather data, fast cycling, fixed and flexible schedules, etc., which simplify the garden irrigation and maintenance experience.

Our distinct line of Rachio Pro products are designed with features specifically designed for lawn care professionals. Features that make it easy for Pros to help their customers get the jobsite they want, such as “Properties”, to manage multiple sites for fast routing and “Wire Status”, which provides Pros with real-time monitoring of the current and voltage with malfunction alerts.

Marquis: People are spending more time investing in their homes and outdoors. How are you attracting growth in these smart home categories?

Sentovitch: We spend so much time researching, talking with our customers, and understanding their needs that we only release products and features that work the way our customers expect them to. Landscaping is a big investment, and we don’t take it lightly that they trust their Rachio to help protect that investment. With our smart sprinkler controllers and hose timers, you know your plants are getting the right amount of water. Our products adapt your watering to deliver the right amount for your garden and plants, so you don’t end up over watering or under water. A single tree purchased from a nursery, for example, can easily cost hundreds of dollars and provide thousands of dollars worth of home value.

Additionally, as leaders in the Smart Yard, we continued to expand our partner product offerings with the Rachio Marketplace – an online marketplace of products that work together to provide customers with a complete smart garden experience that extends the convenience of the house in their garden. Some partnerships include weather stations for hyper-local weather data, water flow monitors, and even a smart umbrella that retracts if it gets too windy! As people spend more time outdoors, we’re leading the charge in the smart yard…and there’s a lot more to come.

Marquis: You have EPA WaterSense certification. What is it, and does it matter to customers?

Sentovitch: The EPA WaterSense label means that a product meets “EPA specifications for water efficiency and performance, and is backed by independent third-party certification.”

Our smart irrigation controllers have earned the EPA WaterSense label for proven water savings. This means that when you buy Rachio controllers, you know they meet rigorous standards for using less water – at least 20% less water than other conventional irrigation controllers.

We’re seeing water-conscious customers seek the WaterSense designation for indoor products like low-flow toilets and water-efficient clothes washers, and they’re increasingly aware of products that conserve water. also outside.

Marquis: Rachio is B Corp certified. What does this mean and why is it important?

Sentovitch: We have been B Corporation certified since 2017, which means we meet the highest standards of verified social and environmental performance, transparency and accountability. For Rachio, achieving B Corp certification and continuing to meet these standards is how we ensure our business interests align with those of our people and the planet. Being a B Corp is also important to our people and our ability to attract talent to grow our business, and we are committed to living by this philosophy. For example, for Earth Day this year, our company has a three-day weekend to volunteer with whatever type of nonprofit they are passionate about.

Our B Corp status really helps us stand out in the irrigation industry, where there are many large companies that are not mission-based and do not adhere to any environmental or governance standards. B Corp really resonates with customers who want to support companies doing better for the world.

Marquis: What can we expect from Rachio in the future?

Sentovitch: Well, since we just launched our Smart Hose Timer this month, you can expect further expansion of this product – more valves, new features and more customer benefits. Additionally, we continue to examine other elements of a job site that could benefit from becoming “smart”. Our market research team is looking at the next big problem that our amazing team of engineers can solve, and where we can add a little Rachio touch!

And of course, you’re going to see a lot more development on the software side of our business. I always say that Rachio is a software company made possible by hardware products. We stand out because our in-app experience is second to none – and we have no monthly fees for this software. So we will continue to market the features, services and functionality that our customers want. We’re always on the lookout for the latest technology, whether it’s AI, integrations, machine learning, or anything else, to make it easier to build, maintain, and monitor their smart site via Rachio.