HighIOT

HighIOT, based in Tel Aviv, Israel, develops cybersecurity solutions for smart homes and IoT devices, utilizing behavior analytics and blockchain technology to protect against hackers and vulnerabilities. Its flagship product, Akita, functions as a device offering cybersecurity as a service (SECaaS), designed to secure connected systems and personal data. The company successfully raised $939,738 through crowdfunding campaigns on platforms such as Kickstarter and Indiegogo, which concluded in January 2018. Following these campaigns, HighIOT produced 12,000 Akita units, with international shipments commencing in April 2018, and the product was selected for resale on Amazon. HighIOT primarily targets smart home consumers and IoT device owners, while also exploring applications for industrial IoT solutions. The organization was founded in November 2016 by Igor Rabinovich and his co-founders.

HighIOT is a cybersecurity company that builds network appliances and cloud services to protect consumer and home IoT environments from hacking and anomalous device behavior. It markets a plug‑in device called Akita plus a behavior‑analytics/security platform that uses DPI, machine learning and blockchain elements to detect, isolate and remediate compromised smart‑home devices; the company crowdfunded Akita and prepared a mass shipment after raising roughly $900k on Kickstarter/Indiegogo[1][9].

Essential context and supporting details

• HighIOT’s core offering is the Akita security appliance (a device that plugs into a home router LAN port) and an associated cloud security service that performs threat intelligence, behavioral analysis and IPS‑style protections to block or quarantine IoT devices exhibiting unusual activity[1].
  - The company emphasizes protecting consumer privacy and smart‑home profiles and describes its solution as “cybersecurity as a service (SECaaS)” for connected households[1][9].
  - HighIOT has used crowdfunding as an early go‑to market channel; its campaigns raised over $900,000 and the company prepared production shipments (reported in press coverage)[1].

Origin story

• Founding year and leadership: HighIOT was founded in 2016; public interviews and coverage cite Igor Rabinovich as a co‑founder and CEO/CTO figure involved in product and technology strategy[1][9].
  - How the idea emerged: The company states it was created to address rising smart‑home vulnerabilities and sophisticated attacks on consumer devices, positioning Akita as a retrofit security device and SECaaS model for non‑technical households[1].
  - Early traction / pivotal moments: The Kickstarter/Indiegogo campaigns and securing Amazon resale were early commercialization milestones; press coverage notes preparations to ship roughly 12,000 Akita units to backers after crowdfunding success[1].

Core differentiators

• Product + deployment model: Hardware appliance + cloud SECaaS designed specifically for home IoT rather than enterprise network security, letting non‑technical users add protection without replacing devices[1].
  - Behavioral analytics focus: Uses deep packet inspection (DPI), behavioral analysis and machine‑learning to detect anomalous device behavior and automatically shut down or isolate compromised devices[1].
  - Blockchain element: Public materials mention blockchain for storing behavior profiles and secure data transfer—presented as an enhancement to integrity of security data and possibly payments/records[1].
  - Crowdfunding / go‑to‑market: Early reliance on consumer crowdfunding and online retail channels (Kickstarter/Indiegogo, Amazon) rather than purely enterprise or channel sales[1].

Role in the broader tech landscape

• Trend alignment: HighIOT rides broader trends of expanding consumer IoT adoption, rising IoT security incidents, and demand for edge/plug‑and‑play security solutions that require minimal user configuration[1][6][8].
  - Why timing matters: As smart‑home device counts grow and regulatory/consumer attention to privacy/security increases, there is greater willingness to buy bolt‑on security for legacy devices that lack built‑in protections[1][6].
  - Market forces in its favor: Consumer concerns about data privacy and the high cost/complexity of enterprise‑grade IoT security create an opportunity for SECaaS appliances targeted at households; the overall IoT market continues to expand across consumer and industry segments[6][8].
  - Influence: By packaging behavioral analytics and simple hardware for consumers, HighIOT contributes to normalizing consumer‑grade network defenses and raises awareness of device‑level risks in the smart‑home ecosystem[1].

Quick take & future outlook

• Near term: Growth depends on demonstrating reliable detection (low false positives), scaling backend threat intelligence, and converting early backers into broader retail adoption (e.g., Amazon/resellers) while maintaining subscription revenue for the cloud service[1].
  - Medium term: Success would require integrations with router vendors, ISPs or platform partners to reach mainstream households at lower customer‑acquisition cost, and continuous model updates as IoT attack tactics evolve[1][5][6].
  - Risks and shaping trends: Competition from router makers adding security features, major cloud or telco players bundling IoT protection, and the technical challenge of balancing DPI/processing with consumer privacy expectations are key risks[5][7].
  - How influence might evolve: If HighIOT proves an effective, low‑friction SECaaS appliance, it could push other vendors to offer interoperable behavioral protection for consumer devices and help set expectations for home‑network security standards[1][6].

If you’d like, I can:

• Pull and summarize the exact Kickstarter/Indiegogo campaign details and timelines cited in coverage[1].
  - Compare HighIOT’s Akita feature set against consumer router security features from major vendors (Cisco, ASUS, Netgear, etc.) using public specs.