For a manufacturer looking to bring a connected device to market, developing the necessary hardware features and backend support infrastructure can be a daunting task. Ayla Networks Inc. has carved out a niche for itself by helping to simplify the process.

The startup, which is based in Santa Clara, California, today announced that it’s expanding its efforts using a newly closed $60 million funding round.

Ayla sells a cloud platform that lets manufacturers support connected devices without having to build out their backend management infrastructure from scratch. Besides reducing costs, the startup said, the service can also help better meet operational demands.

Ayla’s platform provides the ability to troubleshoot device problems, roll out software patches and collect diagnostics data that might be useful for maintenance purposes. A maker of industrial ventilation systems, for example, could check the sensory readings from a client’s deployment for problem indicators when an issue is reported. The service also provides a variety of complementary features, including a notification tool for alerting users to key events. 

Devices may be connected to Ayla’s platform in one of two ways. Manufacturers can employ the user’s handset as a network gateway, or they can equip their hardware with the preconfigured wireless connectivity modules that the startup offers alongside its service.

These modules come with built-in security features for safeguarding endpoint traffic. Given how often connected devices are targeted by hackers nowadays, that’s a potentially major boon for manufacturers. This is especially true for traditional hardware makers that are only starting to embrace the “internet of things” and don’t necessarily have much experience with cybersecurity.

Ayla currently boasts more than 100 “large enterprise customers.” The startup will use the new funding, which was provided by Shenzhen-based electrics maker Sunsea Telecommunications Co. Ltd. and an investment fund also based in China, to expand that installed base. The effort will see Ayla establish a joint venture with the former company to target the vast Chinese manufacturing industry more actively.

Ayla has raised over $120 million from investors to date.

Image: Ayla Networks