Blossom, an Internet-of-Things (IoT) startup company offering a smart in-ground irrigation controller technology, continues its growth trend following an acquisition by The Scotts Miracle-Gro Company in late 2016. After three years of working out of the Cove @ UCI in UCI Research Park, this team will move to a new space as it grows and expands its business.
“We are very excited to see this team embark on this new chapter in their growth story,” said Richard Sudek, chief innovation of officer and executive director of UCI Applied Innovation. “One of the key aspects of the Cove @ UCI is providing an environment where early stage startups can connect with critical resources that can help them scale. This particular startup has been a great example of this for members of the Cove @ UCI community, including UCI students who joined the team. We look forward to seeing how Scotts Miracle-Gro revolutionizes outdoor technology and continues to strengthen our ecosystem.”
“Prior to the acquisition, there was a solid partnership between Blossom and Scotts Miracle-Gro; now it’s time to take this platform to the next level,” said Peter Supron, chief of staff to the president of Scotts Miracle-Gro. “It is our goal to bring higher levels of awareness to lawn and garden smart IoT devices and help companies with these types of products grow. By leveraging technology, we can provide consumers with integrated solutions that can extend into many aspects of their lawns and gardens.”
According to members of this startup, operating out of the Cove @ UCI for the past few years has afforded them invaluable opportunities to collaborate and network. Reflecting back on their experience at the Cove @ UCI, team members emphasized the atmosphere—where something always seemed to be happening. The team members also expressed how fortunate they felt to have worked alongside multiple innovative startups.
“The Cove @ UCI is the place to be, especially if you’re a startup,” said a member of the in-ground irrigation controller team. “The energy and connections that came out of day-to-day conversations were exhilarating.”
As preparations to transition to a new home continue, the team looks forward to its next steps, though members were quick to emphasize this is not a goodbye.
“In a sense, we are not really leaving. The Cove @ UCI is so much more than a place – it is a family of like-minded innovators that we will always be a part of.”