NextDrive, a Taiwanese company dedicated to energy optimization via the Internet of Energy, released its latest energy management system and the self-developed IoE energy gateway (Cube J) in conjunction with Amazon Web Services (AWS). The NextDrive Cube J can manage household electricity consumption directly by connecting to smart meter-connected home appliances. Besides basic functions such as monitoring and managing the electricity bill, users can also remotely control home appliances with their smartphones, monitor and record electricity consumption, and receive energy conservation advice from the energy management system while allowing “money-saving” and “smart home management” to be right at your fingertips.

The novel coronavirus COVID-19 has become a worldwide pandemic and research institutes, academia and private sectors are contributing to prevention efforts. NextDrive, together with the Department of Computer Science and Information Engineering (CSIE), the Department of Nursing and the Department of Internal Medicine at National Cheng Kung University Hospital, Tainan, developed a smart band specifically designed to monitor the heart rates and body temperatures of front-line medical staffs, continuously in real-time.

This year, MOST teamed up with 20 Taiwanese startup ecosystem partners such as Microsoft Accelerator, Chunghwa Telecom 5G Accelerator, PwC’s Scale-up Accelerator, Qualcomm Taiwan Innovation Competition (QITC), Garage +, and Digital Times. Among 2,620 technology startups, the 521 potential teams were recommended to participate in the 3-rounds selection process, including preliminary examination, review, and final selection to decide the annual 10 coolest startups.

With a focus on providing IoE platform solutions, NextDrive announces the successful closing of its $10m USD Series B1 equity fund raising round as of 3/17. This fund raising round was co-led by Arm IoT Fund, an early-stage VC sponsored by Arm – world leading semiconductor intellectual property (IP) supplier for digital electronic products, and the Alibaba Entrepreneurial Fund, managed and co-invested by WI Harper, a San Francisco based VC.