If based in Hyderabad began its journey in 2016 with a simple goal: to make homes smarter, simpler and more connected. India's first breakthrough came with the first smart switches that supported Apple HomeKit, allowing users to control lights and devices with just a voice command.
Almost a decade later, the startup has emerged as one of the leading smart home automation brands in India. It just marked another milestone, becoming the first Made-in-India startup to launch a Matter-certified Thread device, the Switch Controller Mini.
“The new Switch Controller Mini is a big step for us,” says Manoj Malineni, co-founder of Wozart.
The compact retrofit device sits discreetly behind any electrical panel and connects all lights, fans and devices on that panel to Apple HomeKit, Google Home, Amazon Alexa and Samsung SmartThings. Launched in September 2025, it runs on the Matter and Thread protocols, enabling seamless interoperability, ultra-low latency and a future-ready smart home experience.
From first generation switches to the Matter era
Malineni started this journey with his co-founder Prashanth Rao Annamaneni, his colleague from BITS Pilani, Goa. They started with the first generation smart switches designed exclusively to work with Apple HomeKit, at a time when Alexa and Google Home were not even available in the Indian market. As consumer needs evolved, so did the startup's technology. The startup now offers its own application, Wozart, for iOS and Android and has over 1,000 users.
“We wanted to give users the freedom to choose any platform,” says Malineni. “Before Matter existed, we built one of the world’s first systems to support all four major ecosystems simultaneously.”
Wozart's Switch Controller Mini fits perfectly behind a control panel and takes up just 20mm of space, compared to 25-26mm for competing products. The startup also offers smart light dimmers, tunable drivers and an occupancy sensor that can even detect people standing, ensuring a home adjusts automatically without the need for manual input.
“With occupancy sensors installed, you never have to turn a switch again,” says Malineni. “It's not just about convenience; customers save up to 30% energy through automation.”
Wozart also integrates AI into several levels of his work. The team now uses AI tools to write, test and optimize new firmware for their devices. The startup ventures into AI and robotics and has an in-house robotics lab that focuses on developing actuators and gearboxes.
“We have already produced our own gearbox and actuator prototypes,” says Malineni. “Next we’ll build a robotic arm, then a mobile manipulator, and finally a humanoid robot.”
Wozart manufactures all its products at its own factory in Hyderabad. Components such as chips, relays and power modules are purchased from suppliers, but the startup handles the final assembly, testing and packaging.
“Our manufacturing is so automated that one operator can manage the entire line,” says Malineni.
Wozart employs around 20 people, including engineers and factory workers, and focuses on producing hardware that is future-proof and globally compliant. The startup is part of the NVIDIA Inception program, which supports its research and development in vision-language-action AI models for robot control.
A shift from DIY to experiential selling
Wozart initially tried to sell directly through Amazon and its website. However, the startup soon realized that Indian homeowners prefer to see and experience intelligent automation before making a purchase.
“Indian customers are usually not craft-oriented,” says Malineni. “They want to see how the product works and how it feels.”
The startup follows a B2B model and is building a network of over 100 sales partners, around 60 of which remain active. These partners take care of installation and customer service across cities; Wozart manages its own projects in Hyderabad. The startup has so far automated over 10,000 households and deployed nearly 25,000 devices, mostly in Tier-I cities.
The brand has also worked with real estate developers like Aparna One in Hyderabad and BrahmaCorp in Pune to automate entire residential complexes. “In the Aparna project alone, we are automating 300 apartments, each of which has automation equipment worth Rs 1.6 lakh,” says Malineni.
For individual customers, the average automation cost for a 3BHK apartment starts from Rs 35,000 to Rs 40,000 and can go up to Rs 100,000 depending on the level of controls and sensors.
Wozart has remained completely current since its inception. Last year, the startup generated a turnover of Rs 3 crore. In FY26, revenue is expected to reach Rs 5 billion.
“We could have raised money earlier, but back then most investors were interested in SaaS and not hardware,” says Malineni. “Now we are open to partnering with investors who understand hardware and want to support homegrown innovation.”
Like many Indian hardware startups, Wozart's early days were difficult due to a lack of vendors, suppliers and testing facilities. Malineni believes things are improving with initiatives like T-Works in Hyderabad, but building reliable hardware at scale in India is still a big challenge.
As competition increases, with global brands like Schneider and Legrand and local players like Smart Node and Kyos. But Malineni remains confident, saying: “Wozart stands out for its interoperability and reliability, unlike competitors who still rely on proprietary platforms.”
What's next?
According to a report by Mordor Intelligence, India's home automation market is valued at around $5.2 billion in 2025 and is expected to grow to nearly $19 billion to $47 billion by 2030 and 2033 at a CAGR of over 24%. “It’s a huge ocean, but we want to capture about 40% of the market,” says Malineni.
Wozart's roadmap for the next 12 to 18 months focuses on expanding both its core home automation line and new technology verticals.
According to Malineni, the startup's focus is to get all products Matter certified while obtaining FCC and CE approvals for global exports. As Wozart plans to roll out Made-in-India automation globally, Wozart is also gearing up for its next expansion into Tier-II cities.
Another key focus area is B2B real estate automation, which Malineni sees as a key growth driver. “We realized that converting a developer project takes the same effort as selling to hundreds of individual customers. That's where the true scale and cash flow lies.”