The new smart home standard, Matter, aims to bring order to the existing technology clutter. The prospects for success appear to be better than ever. Specifically for manufacturers of building technology, Matter offers new opportunities but also presents significant challenges. The new partnership between Insta GmbH and mediola - connected living AG now combines core competencies to facilitate the industry's entry into this promising standard and leverage the associated opportunities with comprehensive solutions.

Insta GmbH, an electronics specialist for digital networking in building technology, and mediola - connected living AG, a specialist in software and system solutions in the field of smart home and IoT, announced their partnership today. The aim of the cooperation is to combine the respective competencies of both companies. Based on the new Matter technology standard, Insta and mediola will offer a comprehensive range of products and services that make it particularly easy for manufacturers of technical building equipment to enter the world of the new Matter standard. Through this collaboration, customers will now have access to a portfolio of experience and expertise in strategy, concept development, specification and design, as well as in software and app implementation, development of Matter components and bridges, certification, and manufacturing, which is unparalleled worldwide. This allows manufacturers to focus on their core competencies, take advantage of all the market opportunities associated with Matter, and avoid potential pitfalls.

The alignment of Matter and the implementation of the technical integration pose a dilemma for many manufacturers of building technology. On one hand, thanks to strong support from Apple, Google, and Amazon, Matter is considered one of the most important future solutions within the industry. For the first time, it seems realistic to replace the patchwork of competing protocols. Due to expected market disruptions and the anticipation of accelerated market growth, hardly any company can afford to ignore Matter and not seize the emerging opportunities.

On the other hand, Matter presents significant challenges for professional building technology manufacturers. These challenges include a strong focus on the consumer/retail market, which creates issues for established specialist retail strategies, the high complexity of the standard, the costly certification requirements, and ensuring long-term warranty for capital goods. Therefore, finding the right Matter strategy is a real challenge for companies in the industry. The new partnership between Insta and mediola is precisely tailored to address this. With comprehensive expertise and a holistic range of services, they offer customized solutions to successfully manage the transformation to Matter.

"An individual company does not possess the necessary competencies to offer a complete solution portfolio in the building technology industry. We are very excited about the collaboration," explains Alexander Döpper from Insta GmbH. "The respective focuses of mediola and Insta complement each other perfectly and result in a 360-degree portfolio that allows us to strategically accompany Matter in all areas, from consulting services to product development."

Bernd Grohmann, CEO of mediola, adds: "In the field of technical building equipment, we are looking for a path that leverages the opportunities of Matter technology while avoiding the associated risks. Through our collaboration, we can now embrace industry trends to further advance the much-needed interoperability of home and building technology."
Both companies have years of expertise in digitising technical building equipment (TGA) and therefore consider Matter technology in the context of the specific requirements within the industry. Despite the optimism regarding a long-awaited "real" standard in the smart home market, it is essential to exercise caution as Matter is still in its early stages of development, and there are several uncertainties. Important questions arise, such as:

• How can Matter integration be realised most efficiently? Via direct integration using Matter radio modules in each product or through Matter bridges?
• What are the cost, effort, and dependency implications of the certification process?
• How can I differentiate my products in terms of features without significantly increasing the certification effort?
• Does a TGA manufacturer still need to offer their own software with Matter?
• What are the consequences of the large storage requirements of the Matter protocol for my products?
• What are the implications of Matter's focus on (cost-effective) consumer products for the TGA industry?

With Insta and mediola as competent partners, TGA companies now have the support they need to answer all these questions and cover all levels of the process chain, from evaluation and planning to manufacturing. In a workshop organized in light of the partnership, both companies will discuss the aspirations and realities of the new standard, address the current status, opportunities, and challenges, and take a comprehensive look at the future of the technology and its impact on the digital transformation in home and building technology.

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