We may not know much about what Internet of Things and “domestic automation company” Brava does, but we certainly know that what it is doing is attractive to those with deep pockets. Despite an increasingly crowded smart home space and an uptick in scrutiny around gimmicky kitchen appliances (thanks for that, Juicero), Brava has managed to capture the imagination of investors, as it recently doubled its venture funding to more than $24 million.
Brava has not been on the scene for very long. Indeed, little is known about what the company is up to, except that it is making a smart oven that apparently features automation, an internal camera to recognize food, and sensors that will keep tabs on “the functioning of the oven and the operation of automation systems of an oven.”
We also know that its small team is led by John Pleasants, the ex-CEO of Ticketmaster and Playdom, which was acquired by Disney in 2010. His most recent position was at Samsung, a company known for its smart devices. Other members of the leadership team include Thomas Cheng, Brava’s co-founder and Chief Operating Officer, who oversaw the hardware division of smart lock company August Home, and Dan Yue, the co-founder and former Cheif Marketing Officer of Green Chef, an organic ingredient and recipe delivery service. With resumes like these, it is easy to imagine that a connected kitchen device is well in their wheelhouse.
That said, Brava is staying tight-lipped on what customers ought to expect when it unveils its first product. Pleasants told TechCrunch that the team is “building a system that makes it easier to cook and eat well at home,” though that could mean … well, anything.
But don’t worry — we will soon be put out of our misery. Brava says that it is looking to launch a product publicly by the end of 2017 and that whatever it is will be available for purchase through the Brava website.
