(April 10, 2017) — Siren Marine LLC, a pioneer in Connected Boat™ technology based in Newport, Rhode Island, was recently awarded a $50,000 Innovation Voucher Grant from Rhode Island Commerce Corp. in a program designed to help small, innovative companies partner with research and development centers at top universities, medical centers or research facilities.
This grant will allow Siren Marine to partner with the highly respected New England Institute of Technology (NEIT) in the development of wireless transceivers and sensors for the Siren Marine proprietary Internet of Things (IoT) boat monitoring and tracking system. This partnership is expected to enhance Siren Marine’s existing Connected Boat technology — which gives boaters the power to monitor, track and control their vessels via the Internet and mobile apps — while eventually helping Siren Marine expand into other high-tech applications beyond the marine industry.
Siren Marine’s leadership appreciates this grant award as both recognition for its hard work and affirmation of the company’s future plans. “Building a successful tech start-up is by far the hardest thing I have ever done,” said Siren Marine Founder and CEO Daniel A. Harper. “It makes single-handed ocean sailing and riding out hurricanes seem like a breeze. The rewards, however, have been worth every bit of the effort. This grant is going to be a huge boost for our plans to bring cutting-edge innovation to the marine industry, and will help grow our business inside the marine space and beyond,” added Harper.
Competition for these grants was strong — five Rhode Island companies were selected from 31 worthy firms submitting proposals. “We are very pleased to award this Innovation Voucher to Siren Marine,” said Secretary of Commerce Stefan Pryor. “Siren Marine is a terrific company with enormous potential. To their credit, the entrepreneurs at Siren Marine are simultaneously drawing upon Rhode Island’s proud tradition in boating and our state’s emerging strength in technology. We wish them great success.”
Siren Marine will work closely with NEIT as its Knowledge Provider, taking full advantage of this accredited university’s technical expertise to help develop low-power wireless transceivers and sensors to make its hardware more robust, as well as easier to install and set-up for users. In this way, Siren Marine can bring the increasingly popular home monitoring/security-type connected technology to a new application where it is greatly needed — protecting boats and boaters in the harsh and unforgiving marine environment.
“We are very excited to be working with Siren Marine to lay the groundwork for tomorrow’s connected boat technology,” said Steven H. Kitchin, NEIT Vice President for Corporate Education and Training. “Our technical expertise paired with Siren Marine’s understanding of the marine industry and what boaters truly need make this a great match. We’re confident that together, we can help shape the way boaters connect with their vessels and enhance the overall boating experience,” added Kitchin.
About Siren Marine and Connected Boat Technology
Siren Marine is an innovation leader connecting boaters with their vessels via a central hub and mobile/web apps, empowering them to predict and prevent potential disasters. Siren Marine’s proprietary technology monitors the status of a variety of conditions aboard a vessel and sends the owner alerts when critical conditions occur. By warning boaters of issues such as bilge water level, low battery voltage, shore power disconnection, dragging anchor, temperature variations and unauthorized boarding or vessel operation, Siren Marine provides boaters with enhanced situational awareness and something even more important —peace of mind. This technology can also be used to control important onboard systems such as lights and air conditioning remotely, making a boat ready to use and enjoy when its owner arrives.
For more information on Siren Marine, contact www.sirenmarine.com
About New England Institute of Technology
Under the leadership of President Richard I. Gouse, New England Institute of Technology is a private, non-profit, technical university with an enrollment of more than 3,000 students and is accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges, Inc. Founded in 1940, New England Tech now offers 59 associate, bachelor’s, master’s and online degree programs. For more information, visit www.neit.edu or contact the Admissions office at 800-736-7744 or by email at NEITAdmissions@neit.edu. Follow news of the university on Facebook, Twitter, You Tube, Instagram, LinkedIn and the New England Blog
