In this Research Note, we examine two strategic investments in workplace occupancy sensing and analytics platforms by leading building automation incumbent players, Carrier Global Corporation and Johnson Controls. Sensors and sensing platforms in the commercial office space are technology solutions being adopted for occupancy analytics, people counting and location services. As a result of the adoption of revised working styles such as flexible working and hybrid working for office employees during and after the COVID-19 pandemic, workspace management tools and real-time occupancy data are needed more than ever, to ensure that decision-making around future commercial real estate strategies is grounded in reality. Founded in 2019, Butlr, a Burlingame, California-based MIT Media Lab spinout developing sensors that use body heat to estimate office occupancy, raised $20 million in a Series A round with participation from Carrier Global Corporation through its newly established corporate venture capital unit, Carrier Ventures.  “Butlr’s technology, when integrated with the Abound cloud-based digital platform, will present building owners and […]