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§ Private Profile · San Francisco, CA, USA
Wi-Fi video cameras and cloud monitoring services for remote home security and business surveillance for consumers and small businesses.
Dropcam has raised $48.0M across 3 funding rounds.
Key people at Dropcam.
Dropcam has raised $48.0M in total across 3 funding rounds.
Dropcam is a San Francisco, California-based technology company that develops Wi-Fi video cameras and cloud-based video monitoring services for home and business surveillance. The organization generates revenue through hardware sales and optional subscription plans, with approximately 39% of its customer base paying for cloud storage services. Prior to its exit, the enterprise raised approximately $48 million in venture capital funding, including a $30 million Series A round, and secured early seed backing from Lotus Development founder Mitch Kapor. In June 2014, the smart home hardware manufacturer Google Nest officially acquired the surveillance business for $555 million in cash. Following integration conflicts with Nest executive Tony Fadell, the original leadership team eventually departed the subsidiary to pursue other connected home ventures at Apple. Dropcam was founded in 2009 by former Xobni engineers Greg Duffy and Aamir Virani.
Dropcam is a San Francisco-based company that builds affordable, easy-to-use internet-connected home and business surveillance cameras. Its product line includes HD-quality cameras with features such as motion detection, two-way audio, night vision, and cloud video storage. Dropcam serves homeowners and small businesses seeking simple, reliable remote monitoring solutions. The company’s cloud-based video storage model, with about 39% of customers subscribing, addresses the problem of inaccessible or lost video footage from traditional webcams. Dropcam experienced rapid growth, with revenue increasing fivefold within a year after launching its first original camera in 2012, and it became a leader in cloud video monitoring before being acquired by Google Nest for $555 million in 2014[1][2][3].
Dropcam was founded in 2009 by Greg Duffy and Aamir Virani, two engineers formerly at Xobni, an email app company. The idea originated from a personal problem: Duffy’s father wanted to identify which neighborhood dog was leaving droppings in his yard but struggled with unreliable webcams and large video files. Duffy and Virani reverse-engineered a camera and developed software to stream live video and store it in the cloud, enabling remote access and motion-triggered recording. Early traction was slow, with initial investor rejections until tech pioneer Mitch Kapor provided seed funding. The founders initially packed and shipped every camera themselves. Over time, Dropcam transitioned from a software-only service paired with third-party cameras to designing and manufacturing its own hardware, launching its first original camera in 2012 at $149[1][2][4].
Dropcam capitalized on the growing trend of connected smart home devices and the increasing consumer demand for remote monitoring and security. The timing was crucial as mobile device proliferation and cloud computing matured, enabling reliable, anytime-anywhere video access. Dropcam’s integration of hardware and cloud software anticipated the rise of the Internet of Things (IoT) in home security. Its success influenced the broader ecosystem by demonstrating the viability of cloud-based video surveillance and helped pave the way for smart home platforms like Google Nest, which acquired Dropcam to expand its connected home offerings[1][3].
Following its acquisition by Google Nest in 2014, Dropcam’s technology became foundational to Nest’s smart home security products, contributing to the evolution of integrated home automation and security ecosystems. Future trends shaping this space include AI-powered video analytics, enhanced privacy controls, and deeper integration with smart home devices. Dropcam’s early innovation in cloud video monitoring set a standard that continues to influence how consumers interact with home security technology, emphasizing ease of use, affordability, and seamless connectivity. Its legacy persists in the ongoing convergence of hardware, software, and cloud services in the smart home market[1][3].
Dropcam has raised $48.0M in total across 3 funding rounds.
Dropcam's investors include IVP, Kevin Hartz, Accel, Acrew Capital, Bond, Brand Foundry Ventures, Canvas Ventures, CapitalG, Fifth Wall, Foundation Capital, Great Oaks Venture Capital, M13.
Key people at Dropcam.
Dropcam has raised $48.0M across 3 funding rounds. Most recently, it raised $30.0M Series C in July 2013.