Link Labs is an American company based in Annapolis, Maryland, that develops computer network technology for business and industrial customers. Link Labs technologies are marketed for Internet of things (IoT) applications and devices.[1][2]

Link Labs
IndustryInternet of things
Founded2014; 12 years ago (2014)
FounderBrian Ray
Headquarters,
United States
ProductsSymphony Link, AirFinder
Websitelink-labs.com

History

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Link Labs was founded in 2014 by Brian Ray and three engineers from the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory.[3] Ray, a United States Naval Academy graduate and former submarine officer, previously led a Johns Hopkins APL team focused on communications and geolocation for the U.S. intelligence community.[3]

In August 2015, the company raised a $5.7 million Series A funding round. The round was led by TCP Venture Capital, with participation from Blu Venture Investors, Inflection Point Partners, and the state-run Maryland Venture Fund, which contributed $500,000.[3][4] By 2024, the company had accumulated approximately $20 million in venture funding, which included a Series B round that closed in April 2024.[5]

Products

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Symphony Link is an LPWAN protocol for bidirectional sensor communication.[3] It supports up to 250,000 endpoints per gateway, a 7-mile (11 km) range,[6] over-the-air firmware upgrades, and compressed data acknowledgements.[2]

AirFinder

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AirFinder is an RTLS division utilizing iBeacon and BLE for asset and personnel tracking in healthcare, manufacturing, and logistics.[7] Industry surveys indicate that workflow redesign and data quality are the main factors for scaling such tracking deployments from pilots to operational use.[8]

Partnerships

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In August 2015, Link Labs partnered with UK-based Stream Technologies to integrate subscription, billing, and data-management services into its platforms.[9][10]

In June 2016, the Stanley Mechanical Solutions division of Stanley Black & Decker utilized Link Labs hardware to develop its Shelter school-safety system.[11]

In October 2016, M2M Spectrum Networks partnered with Link Labs to deploy the Symphony Link protocol across its licensed machine-to-machine network.[2][12]

See also

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References

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  1. "Strip-mining the radio spectrum". IoT Now Magazine. 30 March 2015. Retrieved 29 November 2016.
  2. 1 2 3 Merritt, Rick (January 25, 2016). "IoT Networks Get New Provider". EE Times. Retrieved March 24, 2017.
  3. 1 2 3 4 Dance, Scott (August 24, 2015). "Annapolis-based Link Labs raises $5.7 million to grow 'the Internet of things'". The Baltimore Sun. Retrieved 13 December 2016.
  4. "Link Labs raises $5.7 million in VC funding". Maryland Department of Commerce. 2015. Retrieved 2026-05-25.
  5. "Link Labs funding, valuation and financials". CB Insights. Retrieved 2026-05-25.
  6. "Low Power networks hold the key to IoT" (PDF). Rethink Research. Rethink Technology Research Ltd. Retrieved 29 November 2016.
  7. "Real-time location tracking". AirFinder. Retrieved 13 December 2016.
  8. Merzlova, Katerina; Funtikov, Kirill (29 April 2026). "AI readiness in business: from pilots to production". SumatoSoft. Retrieved 25 May 2026.
  9. "Stream Technologies, Link Labs Partner for LPWAN". Connected World. Retrieved 29 November 2016.
  10. "Stream Technologies and Link Labs to Deliver Commercial Carrier Grade LoRa Low Power Wide Area Networks for the Internet of Things". MarketWatch. Retrieved 29 November 2016.
  11. Mims, Christopher (September 4, 2016). "Using Technology to Protect From Mass Shootings". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 13 December 2016.
  12. "M2M Spectrum Networks and Link Labs Announce Technology Partnership". IoT Business News. 2016-11-01. Retrieved 2026-05-25.