Roximity launches Model X Beacon

Denver startup Roximity recently introduced its Model X Beacon to help drive location-based interactive experiences through smart devices.

The beacons work with iPhones and Android devices using Apple's iBeacon technology and can be placed throughout stores, malls and other locations. Using Bluetooth Low Energy technology they communicate with devices alerting users to things nearby, like sales items in stores, interesting items in museums and more.

Roximity is a leader in developing and deploying iBeacon devices and already has deployed thousands of the Model X -- and selling out of its first batch of beacons, according to Co-Founder Danny Newman. “We are in some sort of either pilot or production stage with every big brand or retailer that you can imagine," he says. “It's a very cool space to be in and everyone realizes what the possibilities and different use cases are."

The company, which launched in 2012, previously made Wi-Fi and NFC-type devices. "Initially we were doing very low volume, very specific things for specific customers at the end of 2012 and early 2013," Newman says. "This time last year is when the iBeacon aspect of what we're doing really started to take off. We started doing thousands of beacons a week."

"Model X is the next generation," he adds. "Everything we learned over the last year has gone into the new hardware." The new devices have a battery that could last five years and security features to protect users and deployers.

Roximity currently manufactures its devices in Colorado. "We've been able to keep it cost competitive," Newman says. "We want to make sure we're nimble enough and quick enough to make any kind of changes or advances and keep iterating much faster. We feel that offsets any kind of savings from overseas."

As the company grows, it's also hiring. "We're currently hiring engineers on the server side and platform component side," Newman says. "We'll need enclosure engineers as well as iOS and Android engineers."

Contact Confluence Denver Innovation & Jobs News Editor Chris Meehan with tips and leads for future stories at chris@confluence-denver.com.