K4Connect and Eskaton Announce Partnership to Deploy Connected-Life Technology in Multiple Locations Throughout California

K4Connect’s flagship product, K4Community, will be integrated across 10 existing and planned Eskaton senior living communities

Eskaton, a nonprofit community-based senior living provider offering innovative housing, healthcare and social services, and K4Connect, a mission-centered technology company, today announced a strategic partnership to deploy K4Connect’s groundbreaking senior living solution, K4Community, in communities across California. K4Community will be integrated into 10 of Eskaton’s existing and planned senior living communities throughout 2018.

Eskaton’s multi-community rollout of K4Community highlights its continued commitment to providing life-enriching programs and innovative health and wellness initiatives for residents. The deployment will offer the latest in “connected-life” technology to over 1,000 residents, beginning with Eskaton Village Roseville in early 2018. Other Eskaton locations that will benefit from K4Community in 2018 include The Trousdale in the Bay Area Peninsula region, Eskaton Monroe Lodge in Sacramento, Eskaton Village Carmichael and Eskaton Lodge Granite Bay. Additional Eskaton communities in Cameron Park, Gold River, Grass Valley, Placerville and Orangevale will follow soon thereafter.

“We’re thrilled to be working with such a forward-thinking team at Eskaton,” said F. Scott Moody, Co-founder and CEO of K4Connect. “Eskaton is at the forefront of innovation in many ways and our connected-life platform provides a solid foundation for these innovations, both now and into the future. K4Community goes well beyond the idea a smart home by integrating every aspect of community living into a single easy-to-use resident application. With technology advancing so rapidly today, a plug-and-play platform that can change and expand with the latest innovations is well aligned with Eskaton’s focus on long-term life enrichment initiatives.”

K4Community’s connected-life technology integrates the latest in-home automation, connected health and wellness products, as well as social engagement services, all focused on making the lives of residents, “simpler, healthier and happier.” K4Community enables residents to manage multiple aspects of their lives – including more personalized and responsive living environments, the streamlined capability to connect with loved ones and other community members, and the ability stay up to date with the latest dining, events, wellness programs and community news – all through an easy to use application designed specifically for older adults. Moreover, K4Community provides staff in-depth management and analytics tools that further enable them to provide the very best in care and hospitality.

“Innovation continues to be an integral part of Eskaton’s mission to enhance the lives of older adults. Our partners at K4Connect have successfully worked closely with residents and staff at two pilot locations to create a meaningful experience of connection with family, friends and community life,” said Sheri Peifer, Eskaton Senior Vice President and Chief Strategy Officer. “Eskaton strives to be one of the most innovative senior living community operators in the country. The challenge has always been figuring out how to integrate so many disparate technologies and do so in a way that engages our residents. Our pilots last year proved to us that K4Community was the solution we were looking for today and into the future, and as importantly, that the two companies’ missions were very much aligned. K4Community will help give our residents easier access to the things that matter most to them, whether in their homes, the community at large or with family and friends outside the community.”

Masonic Villages and K4Connect Announce Multi-Year Strategic Partnership

Partnership delivers “Connected Community” technology empowering thousands of senior residents with automation, engagement and continued independence

Masonic Villages, a premier not-for-profit senior services provider in Pennsylvania, and K4Connect, a mission-centered technology company, announced today a strategic, multi-year partnership and the deployment of K4Connect’s “connected-life” platform, K4Community. K4Connect creates solutions to serve and empower older adults and individuals living with disabilities, and its K4Community technology will eventually reach thousands of Masonic Villages retirement living residents at its Dallas, Elizabethtown, Lafayette Hill and Sewickley campuses.

The deployment of K4Community is a key component to a series of large-scale investments and initiatives by Masonic Villages to expand its services and provide greater access to technology for its residents, customers and patients through home and community-based services. The deployment of K4Community, in stages, follows a successful pilot at the Masonic Village at Elizabethtown location, which includes nearly 2,000 residents across a 1,400 acre campus. The campus also includes an on-site farm, dozens of clubs, and thousands of recreational, social, cultural and wellness events and classes annually, all of which are accessible through K4Community. During this pilot, K4Connect saw a 100 percent adoption rate for its home automation feature and an 88 percent adoption rate for its tablet application.

“We’re thrilled to be expanding our partnership with Masonic Villages,” said F. Scott Moody, Co-Founder, CEO and Chief Advocate Officer of K4Connect. “It has been an absolute pleasure to work with such a committed group of people who share our sense of mission and focus on serving others. For us, it’s all about the end users, the residents, making their lives simpler, healthier and happier. Yet at the same time, Masonic Villages’ staff will now have access to world class content management, facilities management and resident engagement capabilities to continue to expand their services at scale.”

K4Community integrates the latest in smart technologies into a single responsive platform, enabling smarter living environments and healthier lives, while also fostering family and community engagement for senior living residents. With a single touch, community residents can control their homes; stay connected with loved ones through voice calling, video chats and photo sharing; and stay more engaged in community activities through event calendars and newsletters.

K4Community enables Masonic Villages to offer its residents value-added amenities, while increasing revenues and lowering costs. Because K4Community is a software platform, integrating the best of various hardware, software and systems into a single system, new technologies can be continually integrated into the future, something that is critical as the pace of technology development accelerates.

“We thoroughly researched our options and feel K4Connect offers the latest technology, convenience and safety,” said Joseph E. Murphy, CEO for Masonic Villages. “This technology allows our residents to control their home environment, connect with loved ones on campus and across the world, and when additional needs arise, to assist them to remain independent as long as possible. We look forward to using this technology to augment our home and community-based services, benefitting an even greater number of people. It builds on the innovation Masonic Villages has driven across Pennsylvania for more than 145 years and provides us with the technical foundation for continued innovation and growth.”

About Masonic Villages of Pennsylvania
Masonic Villages of Pennsylvania has been in operation for more than 145 years, providing retirement living, nursing care and personal care services for senior residents, as well as a children’s home and community outreach services. A charitable arm of the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania, Masonic Villages operates locations in Dallas, Elizabethtown, Lafayette Hill, Sewickley and Warminster, PA. In 2016, Masonic Villages provided more than $45.4 million in charitable care and services. For further information, visit www.masonicvillages.org

 

K4Connect and HHHunt Bring K4Community to Spring Arbor Senior Living Communities Throughout the Mid-Atlantic

K4Connect’s “connected-life” platform has been implemented in five assisted living communities across North Carolina and Maryland, with plans to expand further in 2017

RALEIGH, N.C., April 18, 2017 – K4Connect, a mission-centered technology company that creates solutions to serve and empower older adults and individuals living with disabilities, announced today that HHHunt’s Senior Living Division has successfully implemented the K4Community “connected-life” platform across five communities in North Carolina and Maryland, with plans to expand to four additional communities in Virginia and North Carolina in the coming months.

These assisted living communities, known as Spring Arbor, are located in Raleigh, Apex, Greenville, and Greensboro, N.C., as well as Severna Park, Maryland.  Spring Arbor assisted living residents now have access to the K4Community platform, specifically designed for senior living communities. The platform combines the latest in smart-home technologies and engagement applications into a single, easy-to-use application.

HHHunt, an award-winning real estate development and management company, operates 22 Spring Arbor Assisted Living communities in the Mid-Atlantic. The Company holds a highly regarded 50-year track record in real estate, and since the early 90’s is known for its success in smart design and its highly-experienced staff certified in assisted senior living.

“Spring Arbor is committed to improving the standards of our communities and by adding technology based amenities for the residents, we’re enhancing our program while at the same time pushing the industry forward,” said Richard Williams, Senior Vice President of HHHunt’s Spring Arbor Senior Living Communities. “Hearing directly from our residents that K4Community is helping them live a more enjoyable and purposeful life is the reason we implemented K4Community in the first place. In addition to bringing K4Community to our existing communities, we plan to build the technology directly into the new communities being developed in coming years.”

“I was really curious about technology, but didn’t know if it would be a good fit for me,” said Leon Allgood, a resident of Spring Arbor Raleigh. “K4Community turned out to be very easy to use, and I use it to make decisions about what I want to do every day. I can do everything with it: check the weather, look at our menu, sign up for upcoming events, change my thermostat, play games, set lights to come on as I move around my room at night, and stay in touch with family and friends!”

K4Community is more than the latest in home automation. The platform brings together a multitude of capabilities that deliver real value and utility for older adults in senior living communities. K4Community is designed to easily integrate into both new and established communities, and is hosted, managed and supported by the K4Connect team. With a single touch, community residents can control their living environments (integrating “smart” thermostats, light switches, remote control, etc.); monitor their wellness (fitness trackers, time in bed, pill reminders, etc.); stay connected with loved ones through secure voice/video calling, photo sharing and messaging; and stay engaged in community activities through online event sign-ups, menus, resident directories, and newsletters.

K4Community also provides an integrated reporting and management system for senior living staff and operators, enabling them to provide the best in care, hospitality and operational efficiency. Staff members easily access K4Community data via user-friendly dashboards, which provides both resident analytics and building management insights. K4Community also serves as a content management system, digitizing the community, enabling more frequent communication, significantly greater feedback and overall lower costs.

“We have been extremely excited by the resident response at each of the Spring Arbors. K4Community has really become part of everyday life, in fact, across the communities there has been a 100% adoption rate of our home automation solutions, and our daily tablet usage rates are consistently higher than mass market solutions like LinkedIn and Pinterest,” said Scott Moody, CEO and Chief Client Advocate of K4Connect.

 

The Cardinal at North Hills Adopts K4Connect’s Technology for its Senior Apartments

Raleigh startup K4Connect’s innovative Internet-of-Things technology is now being deployed close to home – at The Cardinal at North Hills, a new senior living community in the midtown section of Raleigh.

By: David Ranii

January 18, 2017

K4Connect announced Wednesday that The Cardinal has installed its K4Community technology, a software platform that seamlessly connects multiple devices regardless of the manufacturer or the wireless technology they use, in 225 residential apartments. It enables residents of senior living facilities, known as senior living communities, to remotely manage tasks such as managing their room temperature and turning lights off and on – as well as monitoring their health, receiving medication reminders and keeping on top of community events.

“K4 is really on the cutting edge of using technology to help” seniors as well as “individuals with mobility challenges,” said Tom Ford, executive director of The Cardinal. The Cardinal, which just opened on Friday, is one of 23 senior living communities in seven states owned by Kisco Senior Living of Carlsbad, Calif.

Technologies that compete with K4Community offer a piecemeal approach, while K4Community “brings it together in one package,” Ford said. In addition, he added, the technology can be adapted to accommodate other devices and other functions.

Read the full article on The News & Observer, here

 

K4Connect Secures $8 Million in Series A Funding Led by Intel Capital

Funding supports mission of making the lives of older adults and those living with disabilities simpler, healthier and happier through the use of technology

RALEIGH, N.C., October 24, 2016 — K4Connect, a mission-oriented technology company that creates solutions that serve and empower older adults and individuals living with disabilities, today announced it has raised $8 million in Series A funding, led by Intel Capital. In addition to Intel Capital, this financing included new strategic investments by RGAx, LLC, a subsidiary of Reinsurance Group of America, Incorporated (NYSE: RGA), a global provider of life and health-related reinsurance with over $10B in revenue, and Traverse Venture Partners, a growth equity platform focused on accelerating the transition to more productive, flexible and valuable real estate, including senior living communities. All of the Company’s seed-stage fund investors also participated, including Sierra Ventures, Stonehenge Growth Equity, Lowe’s Corporation and Better Ventures. K4Connect plans to use the funds to accelerate the growth of its first product, K4Community, designed specifically for the residents and operators of Senior Living Communities, of which there are over 22,000 in the U.S. alone.

Intel Capital announced the investment earlier today at its 17th Annual Intel Capital Global Summit in San Diego, a gathering of nearly 1,000 technology executives and industry influencers.

“There are close to 1.5 billion older adults and people living with disabilities in the world today, a market segment expected to grow to nearly 28 percent of the world’s population by 2050,” said Scott Moody, Co-founder and CEO of K4Connect. “That’s an enormous segment of society currently underserved by technology. Our solutions, of which K4Community is just the first, empower those we serve to live simpler, healthier and happier lives.”

K4Community integrates the latest in smart technologies into a single responsive platform, enabling smarter living environments and healthier lives, while also fostering family and community engagement for senior living residents. With a single touch, community residents can control their apartments, stay connected with loved ones through photo sharing or video chats, and stay more engaged in community activities through event calendars and newsletters. K4Community also benefits operators of these communities by allowing them to provide the best in care and hospitality with value-added amenities, while increasing revenues and lowering costs.

“K4Connect puts the power of technology to work in a way that benefits the lives of older adults and people living with disabilities,” said Doug Davis, senior vice president and general manager of the Internet of Things (IoT) Group at Intel Corp. “Bringing smarter connections and innovative technologies to new places and underserved users aligns with Intel’s vision for the future of how we live and work across all sectors.”

Sierra Ventures and Stonehenge Growth Equity were previously investors in AuthenTec, the fingerprint sensor technology company co-founded by Moody that was acquired by Apple in 2012. AuthenTec remains the only public company ever acquired by Apple, and its technologies are now the foundation for Apple’s Touch ID.

“We’re excited about supporting Scott and the team at K4Connect as they work to transform an industry and make a difference in people’s lives, much as they did at AuthenTec,” said Ben Yu, Managing Director at Sierra Ventures. “We’ve seen many other companies in this space, but K4Connect has worked extensively with those they serve to produce what we think is a truly unique solution.”

“What impresses us most about K4Connect is not only their mission orientation, ‘To serve the underserved’, but that they have assembled a very talented team,” said Steve Lux, Managing Partner at Stonehenge Growth Equity. “We’re thrilled to be supporting Scott again and helping the K4Connect team make their mission a reality.”

To learn more about K4Connect, visit k4connect.com

About K4Connect

K4Connect creates solutions that serve and empower older adults and individuals living with disabilities, enhancing lives through an open technology delivery and management platform that combines home automation, health and wellness technology, content and communications. The Company’s products enable simpler, smarter living environments and healthier lives, while fostering family and community engagement. For more information, please visit www.k4connect.com

About Intel Capital

Intel Capital, Intel’s strategic investment and M&A organization, backs innovative startups targeting computing and smart devices, cloud, datacenter, security, the Internet of Things, wearable and robotic technologies and semiconductor manufacturing. Since 1991, Intel Capital has invested US$11.7 billion in 1,457 companies worldwide, and 605 portfolio companies have gone public or been acquired. Through its business development programs, Intel Capital curates thousands of introductions each year between its portfolio executives and Intel’s customers and partners in the Global 2000. For more information on what makes Intel Capital one of the world’s most powerful venture capital firms, visit www.intelcapital.com or follow @Intelcapital.

Technology Solution For Growing Senior Market Earns Attention From Strategic Investors

K4Connect raises $1.9 million to launch smart technology for senior living communities with a product to improve quality of care, streamlining community operations, and most importantly, to help make residents’ lives simpler, healthier and happier.

Raleigh, N.C. – October 12, 2015 – K4Connect, a user-centric technology integration company, announced today that it has raised $1.9 million in a seed round to support the launch of its debut product for senior living communities. The product, K4Community, transforms community apartments and residences into smart homes that are responsive to individual residents’ needs and preferences via a single easy-to-use application. With new home automation products appearing on the market daily, K4Connect is the first company to bring them together in an integrated solution specifically designed and developed to meet the evolving needs of the rapidly growing, though underserved, senior living market.

The senior market, which is expected to double in size over the next 15 years, is prime for an influx of new technologies and investments. The momentum in the market is evidenced by strong support for K4Connect from several leading investors, including: Silicon Valley-based Sierra Ventures and Better Ventures; North Carolina-based Lowe’s Companies, Inc.; and Florida’s Stonehenge Growth Equity Partners. Chris Regan, a patent attorney with Allen, Dyer, Doppelt, Milbrath & Gilchrist, P.A., as well as two other unnamed investors have committed funds for K4Connect’s growth.

Sierra Ventures and Stonehenge were previous investors in AuthenTec, the fingerprint sensor technology company co-founded by K4Connect CEO F. Scott Moody. AuthenTec’s technology is now the foundation for Apple’s Touch ID. Similarly, Regan previously served as outside patent counsel for AuthenTec, which had more than 200 patents when acquired by Apple in 2012.

“K4Connect’s first product is bridging the gap between smart technologies and the 43 million seniors living in the United States. The company’s focus on improving quality of life for seniors will be essential as our population ages,” said Ben Yu, Managing Director of Sierra Ventures. “We could not be more excited to reinvest in an entrepreneur like Scott. Much like our prior investment in him and the team at AuthenTec, we see K4Connect solving a global problem by making extremely complex technology accessible to everyday consumers.”

“By putting the residents’ needs first, there is no doubt that K4Community is making a material difference in peoples’ lives,” said Morton, co-founder of Southern Assisted Living, whose 40 senior living communities were acquired by Brookdale in 2006. “My experience in this industry has taught me that the products that empower seniors themselves are the ones that succeed, and that is what I see here.”

The company’s patent-pending software platform seamlessly integrates disparate smart devices, systems and technologies into a single responsive system. This makes life simpler and healthier for seniors, while arming community staff and operators with actionable resident data and analytics to help improve quality of care and customer satisfaction.

“The overwhelmingly positive support we have received from investors confirms that K4Connect will be important to the future of senior care,” said Moody. “As more of America’s 75 million baby boomers transition to retirement, senior living communities need new ways to distinguish themselves from competitors. Our product improves quality of care, streamlines community operations, and most importantly, helps make residents’ lives simpler, healthier and happier.”

 

K4Connect Expands World-Class Team to Meet Demands of Growing Senior Market

Raleigh-based tech company names former Startup America Managing Director, Derek Holt, as company President. Holt brings a unique background to the K4Connect team with nearly a decade of enterprise software experience in various leadership roles at IBM.

Raleigh, N.C. – September 21, 2015 – K4Connect announced today that it has hired former Startup America Partnership Managing Director, Derek Holt, as its new President. Holt joins other veteran entrepreneurs and industry experts to accelerate the transformation of the senior living industry from traditional nursing homes to amenity-rich communities that cater to active and independent seniors. The company’s first product, K4Community, brings smart home and health technologies to senior living communities to make life simpler, healthier and happier for residents and staff alike. Holt recently helped the team close its recently announced deal, topping $1.4 million, with Signature Senior Living for ten new communities planned in Pennsylvania.

Holt brings a unique background to the K4Connect team with nearly a decade of enterprise software experience in various leadership roles at IBM. He earned a degree in computer engineering from Penn State University and his M.B.A. from Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business where he was a Fuqua Scholar. After completing his M.B.A., Holt was recruited to the nation’s capital by Startup America Partnership, a public-private partnership with the White House. There, Holt served as Managing Director of Business Development and was responsible for all private sector sponsor relationships, as well as partnering with large U.S. companies to provide tools and resources to grow and accelerate startup communities across the country.

“During my tenure with Startup America, I had the incredible opportunity to work with hundreds of entrepreneurs across the country and learn from some of our nation’s most legendary founders who have built iconic companies and, in many cases, helped to establish entire industries,” said Holt. “My experience taught me the importance of focusing on customer value, creating a great product and building an experienced team. I truly believe in the K4Connect mission and am confident our technology can make a meaningful difference in the lives of the more than one billion seniors around the globe.”

K4Connect’s CEO F. Scott Moody is a seasoned entrepreneur and technology thought leader. Moody previously co-founded AuthenTec, the company that developed the technologies now at the foundation of the Touch ID in the Apple iOS products. AuthenTec was acquired in 2012, making it the only publicly traded company in history to be acquired by Apple.

Moody co-founded K4Connect with Jonathan Gould, who serves as Chief Technology Officer. Gould brings with him more than a decade of home and hospitality automation experience. He previously founded an audio-visual and home automation company that grew to be one of the market leaders in the Raleigh area before its successful acquisition. Gould also served as Chief Technology Officer for a software development company whose clients included some of the largest players in the home automation market.

Rounding out the management team are Ian Sanders, VP of Business Development, and David Weiss, Creative Director. Sanders was among the founding team at several startups, including one of the largest in custom assistive technologies. Before joining K4Connect, Weiss oversaw design for luxury yachts where he learned to integrate the most advanced technologies in a seamless way.

“Senior living is a rapidly growing but underserved market,” said Moody. “We have assembled a world-class team with diverse industry backgrounds all focused on improving the lives of seniors and the people who care for them on a daily basis.”