DUBAI / NEW YORK CITY — Wearable device management company Augmate today announced a partnership with Salam Technologies to improve the use of interconnected devices and blockchain technology for Haj and Umrah pilgrims. Building on the success of the Salam mobile app and Augmate’s device management platform, the partners will collectively create integrated services that extend the use of each platform and offer these same services to other providers in the ecosystem.

The use of Augmate’s unified device management platform will be extended to support existing wearable and mobile devices in the near term, and expand to additional sensors and IoT devices in the future. The Salam mobile app will seamlessly integrate into Augmate Connect’s device management interface to facilitate group and individual messaging, voice activation features, additional personal information control, payment services and more.

This will accelerate the development cycle of Augmate Connect’s consumer platform, which will be available later this year. A blockchain and distributed ledger (DLT) version will follow in 2019 that extends the content management, interconnectivity and interoperability of devices.

“The Augmate partnership will add significant value to our commitment to making the complete process of Haj and Umrah safer, informed and connected,” said Ali Dabaja, founder and CEO of Salam Technologies. “Much like the experience of visitors to Walt Disney World and Universal Parks, having a wearable device that is connected to many other sensors and IoT devices creates opportunities for interacting, paying for goods and services and many other uses while making the experience safer and more efficient for all stakeholders.”

“We recognize the technology requirements needed to support the projected 35-45 million visitors a year under the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 Plan, and wearable devices are a key component in achieving those goals. We look forward to adding our support for bringing this vision to reality,” said Pete Wassell, CEO of Augmate.

Augmate and Salam Technologies will be at the Blockchain Innovation and Investment Summit on March 19 in Dubai to further discuss opportunities with additional partners, media and other ecosystem participants.

Augmate was originally founded in 2014 in New York City as a B2B enterprise company specializing in wearable devices, and was recognized as a Gartner Cool Vendor in 2017. Investors include Tim Draper, William Hickey, UPS Ventures, Simon Property Group, Siemens Venture Capital, Rothenberg Ventures, and many others. — SG