About 1aim

1aim at BAU 2019.

At 1aim, we developed technology for the future of property management. Our first product was a suite of access management hardware and software components, called LightAccess Pro. It allowed users to open doors using their mobile phones, and enabled building owners and operators to manage access comprehensively throughout an entire organisation. In May 2019, 1aim was acquired by Franz Schneider Brakel GmbH + Co. KG.

1aim was much more than just a proptech startup. What was most remarkable about 1aim was the team that we assembled. 1aim had a unique culture that attracted a specific type of engineer. Somehow naturally, these engineers became good friends, not only during working hours but also in their personal lives. Besides that, it was a philosophy of how good technology products can be developed. 1aim was all about the right people working on the right things.

A 1aim LightAccess Pro Access Module mounted on a door frame beside a wooden door. — The 1aim LightAccess Pro Access Module is a reader that allows opening doors using the proprietary LightAccess technology, Bluetooth, NFC, and RFID.

Intelligent by design

One of the core principles that we used when engineering products is "intelligent by design". At the time, in 2014, the Internet of Things was hyped, and most technology companies introduced so-called "smart" products to the market. But even though the marketing messages suggested that these smart products were revolutionary, most often they were just the same product that was sold before, except for one component: connectivity was added, a Wi-Fi chip was all that changed. These products weren't really smart. The connectivity was just an afterthought.

In contrast, 1aim approached product development differently. We first thought about the purpose of the original product, for example what purpose a door is serving, and designed the product from scratch with all the technology components that were available to us. We designed intelligence into the product, right at its inception. The purpose of the product was the main driving factor. We called this thinking "intelligent by design". We still use it today, and we have been excited about the results that this approach produces. But there was much more. 1aim was far more of an attitude and a spirit than anything else.