Pest Pulse is using the IoT to tackle an old problem in a new way.
Traversing the ups and downs of an IoT industry on the brink of explosion, Brian Monaghan explains where his company fits in.
(Left to Right) John O'Gara, Moritz Meisel, Tim O'Toole, Brian Monaghan, Wassim Magnin, Alex Prokop.
Published 12/01/19
The Internet of Things ecosystem is flourishing in the presence of advancing device miniaturisation and ultra-narrow band networks which boast several fundamental concepts that are integral to new business cases revolving around bulk-connectivity. Virtually everything around us will be connected to the internet as we move towards a world in which data is the new oil. This connectivity is futile if it does not deliver cost and power efficiency, along with extreme reliability and versatility.
Pest Pulse takes an old problem, pest infestations, and applies the power of the IoT to tackle it in a new and, frankly, better way. Cutting out the middleman, providing real-time access to monitoring solutions and ensuring that there is constant connectivity to a robust network are all core contributors to Pest Pulse and its vision to become the largest pest control company, not simply on the island of Ireland, but in the world.
A vision as vibrant as the one being pursued by Pest Pulse can't be achieved with the stroke of a magic wand, and as the IoT industry has come to learn, simply building a platform doesn't mean they'll come. It is the development of comprehensive solutions which target real-world problems that will win over consumers and investors.
Can Pest Pulse be the driving force behind a fundamental transformation in the pest control industry?
Pest Pulse takes an old problem, pest infestations, and applies the power of the IoT to tackle it in a new and, frankly, better way. Cutting out the middleman, providing real-time access to monitoring solutions and ensuring that there is constant connectivity to a robust network are all core contributors to Pest Pulse and its vision to become the largest pest control company, not simply on the island of Ireland, but in the world.
A vision as vibrant as the one being pursued by Pest Pulse can't be achieved with the stroke of a magic wand, and as the IoT industry has come to learn, simply building a platform doesn't mean they'll come. It is the development of comprehensive solutions which target real-world problems that will win over consumers and investors.
Can Pest Pulse be the driving force behind a fundamental transformation in the pest control industry?
Who are you and what do you do?
I’m one of the co-founders of Pest Pulse, along with Tim, John and Wassim. We came together to set up Pest Pulse which is a technology-led pest control services company that is using smart devices and software to offer a superior pest control service. Alex and Moritz have joined the Pest Pulse journey and we’re now a team of six that will grow in
2019.
Our offering to customers is a package of smart devices, software and service. Our Eco-friendly smart devices monitor customer sites 24/7. Our first patent-pending smart device for rodents lets us know the status of a rodent snap trap at all times. When there is a trigger, this data is instantly relayed to our platform. This allows us to dispatch a technician when they are actually required and solve issues before they become major problems. All of this data is easily accessible on our multi-feature customer portal.
2019.
Our offering to customers is a package of smart devices, software and service. Our Eco-friendly smart devices monitor customer sites 24/7. Our first patent-pending smart device for rodents lets us know the status of a rodent snap trap at all times. When there is a trigger, this data is instantly relayed to our platform. This allows us to dispatch a technician when they are actually required and solve issues before they become major problems. All of this data is easily accessible on our multi-feature customer portal.
Why did you create Pest Pulse and what is the company’s purpose?
Tim has known pest control since he was a child, having grown up in the family business, Pestguard, a major pest control company in Ireland. He has always complained about the lack of technology in the pest control industry and has always wanted to improve it. We started looking at the industry in more detail and the applicability of technology to it. We quickly realised that there is a huge opportunity and Pest Pulse was born.
Our vision is to be the world’s largest pest control company by providing customers with the best offering through a technology-led approach. Last year, 2018, was amazing, with the first steps taken on that path.
Our vision is to be the world’s largest pest control company by providing customers with the best offering through a technology-led approach. Last year, 2018, was amazing, with the first steps taken on that path.
How did you develop a passion for the IoT?
I’ve always been very interested in the IoT, but more as hobbyist messing with a Raspberry Pi rather than a professional. Wassim, on the other hand, is a seasoned IoT professional, as well as a hobbyist. He has designed IoT devices for companies such as AT&T and Intel in previous roles.
When we started looking at the problems in the pest control industry, we quickly realised that the solution was IoT-based products. Most of the time spent by pest control technicians is checking monitoring stations every 6-8 weeks for pest activity, a task that could easily be completed by IoT devices with 24/7 monitoring. The IoT is central to our product offering and company. It is the solution to the problems faced in the pest control industry.
When we started looking at the problems in the pest control industry, we quickly realised that the solution was IoT-based products. Most of the time spent by pest control technicians is checking monitoring stations every 6-8 weeks for pest activity, a task that could easily be completed by IoT devices with 24/7 monitoring. The IoT is central to our product offering and company. It is the solution to the problems faced in the pest control industry.
Why Sigfox?
Will Ferguson and Mark Bannon of VT IoT
Our key connectivity criteria are a wide network coverage, low cost and low power usage. This is key to ensure our IoT devices are adopted by our customers. Sigfox meets these criteria better than any of the alternatives.
What’s more, Will Ferguson and Mark Bannon in VT IoT, the Sigfox network operator in Ireland, have been extremely helpful in the development of our initial devices. There’s no reason for us to look for a different provider, Sigfox are delivering the connectivity service that we need. Also, with the enhancements that they have planned, we're confident that Sigfox will continue to be the best connectivity option for Pest Pulse for a long time.
What’s more, Will Ferguson and Mark Bannon in VT IoT, the Sigfox network operator in Ireland, have been extremely helpful in the development of our initial devices. There’s no reason for us to look for a different provider, Sigfox are delivering the connectivity service that we need. Also, with the enhancements that they have planned, we're confident that Sigfox will continue to be the best connectivity option for Pest Pulse for a long time.
Looking to the future, how will Pest Pulse adapt to an ever-evolving industry?
Within the pest control industry, we want to be the folks who are changing the industry. We want to be at the forefront, driving the next evolution of pest control. We do this in part by staying very close to the changing IoT industry, chatting to the key stakeholders and getting their take on what is happening in the IoT.
We’re constantly brainstorming how we can apply new technology to the pest control industry. The IoT, and technology in general, continues to evolve at a rapid pace, with new opportunities continually opening up.
We’re constantly brainstorming how we can apply new technology to the pest control industry. The IoT, and technology in general, continues to evolve at a rapid pace, with new opportunities continually opening up.
Which upcoming technologies do you believe will have the greatest impact on Pest Pulse and the IoT industry?
For Pest Pulse, advances in Low Power Wide Area Network (LPWAN) technology will probably have the greatest impact. Whether that’s a compelling challenger that meets our key criteria better than Sigfox or whether it’s the improvements that Sigfox continues to implement.
The inevitability is that costs will plummet. Power consumption will also fall resulting in longer battery life. This opens up the door for even more devices that are financially viable to introduce.
For the IoT in general, I think that edge computing, coupled with the rollout of 5G, will have a transformative impact. This isn’t simply for complex solutions like self-driving cars or drones. It’s for everyday devices that require real-time data processing and feedback to be valuable and I believe that advances in this area will continue at a rapid pace.
The inevitability is that costs will plummet. Power consumption will also fall resulting in longer battery life. This opens up the door for even more devices that are financially viable to introduce.
For the IoT in general, I think that edge computing, coupled with the rollout of 5G, will have a transformative impact. This isn’t simply for complex solutions like self-driving cars or drones. It’s for everyday devices that require real-time data processing and feedback to be valuable and I believe that advances in this area will continue at a rapid pace.
What advice would you give to someone setting up a new company IoT company?
Resilience, perseverance, grit and determination are some of the most important characteristics of a successful entrepreneur. That’s true for an entrepreneur in any industry but nowhere is it more relevant than for an IoT entrepreneur.
Mass adoption and the explosion of devices has been slower than what was predicted in the past. Nobody is doubting that it will happen though, it has just taken longer to get all the key pieces in place. If you have a great IoT product or service that is solving a real problem, then stick with it, even through the lowest lows. The take-off will happen.
Mass adoption and the explosion of devices has been slower than what was predicted in the past. Nobody is doubting that it will happen though, it has just taken longer to get all the key pieces in place. If you have a great IoT product or service that is solving a real problem, then stick with it, even through the lowest lows. The take-off will happen.
Pest Pulse has enjoyed an injection of €250,000 from private investors. The Irish start-up is an example of how our island is becoming an incubator for immense growth and innovation in the IoT space.
The IoT ecosystem is constantly expanding, with each new device and solution influencing the development and adoption of another in a ripple effect that will only intensify with time.
An IoT Revolution is underway, and it is the companies which adapt, evolve and innovate today that will be the champions of connectivity tomorrow.
The IoT ecosystem is constantly expanding, with each new device and solution influencing the development and adoption of another in a ripple effect that will only intensify with time.
An IoT Revolution is underway, and it is the companies which adapt, evolve and innovate today that will be the champions of connectivity tomorrow.
The State of the IoT in IrelandIreland is leading the charge to a connected future in which data is the new oil.
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