Alex founded one of the first, and largest, Internet of Things (IoT) platforms, SmartThings, in 2012. This revolutionary technology transformed physical homes into intelligent systems, enabling a safer, simpler, and more entertaining life.. Acquired by Samsung in 2014, under Alex's leadership SmartThings became a global platform with more than. 150 million users and over 1 billion connected devices across 88 countries. This innovative platform attracted more than 250,000 developers and device creators to develop unique solutions for every aspect of consumer life, from security and peace of mind to energy management to entertainment.. SmartThings isn’t Alex’s only brainchild. The experienced tech entrepreneur and business executive founded and operated multiple companies over the course of more than 25 years. Alex’s product and business-building experience, plus his expertise across IoT, AI, SaaS and cloud-based software, and mobile applications led him to create BrightAI.. As a co-founder of BrightAI, Hawkinson works with large enterprises to drive the technological transformation of their businesses, with a particular focus on leveraging the power of IoT to digitize physical operations, and then infusing intelligence into these environments with AI.. Hawkinson serves on the board of directors at CSC ServiceWorks, iFit, Latham Pools, One Tap Away, and Mural 365. Hawkinson also serves on the Advisory Council of the College of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Carnegie Mellon University. These companies reach more than 100 million consumers with essential services and are pushing forward the frontiers of IoT and AI into the physical world.
