NYC Company Seeks to Revolutionize Home Security

There are 2.5 million burglaries per year, yet only about 17 percent of US households possessed a home security system. Given that $12 billion worth of goods are stolen annually, you’d think that people would be more vigilant about their belongings.

If New York-based startup Kangaroo has its way, everyone could get an advanced, cutting-edge home security system soon. Maximus Yaney and his team at Kangaroo are looking to bring a capable, easy-to-use device that can easily interface with smartphones, tablets, and desktops over the internet. The best part is that Kangaroo’s prototypes, which are currently still undergoing testing, will be a fraction of the price of existing home security solutions.

Today, there are two factors standing between residential households and the security system they need: cost and complexity. For one, home security systems are incredibly expensive. Though many companies advertise specials as low as $99, that doesn’t include the hidden costs, such as installation (which can run into the thousands of dollars) or monthly monitoring (which can run up to $100). And don’t forget that you have to be even more vigilant with your bill: many companies have recurring, automatic charges written into their contracts, often for incidentals like monitoring or maintenance.

For another, the vast majority of home security bundles aren’t exactly DIY, user-friendly plug-and-play kits. One reporter found herself baffled by the vast array of home security options available; her first option didn’t include essential options such as keypads, yard signs, or additional door and window sensors. Larger companies were no help either: sales reps pushed her to sign off on a complex agreement that charged extra fees for smartphone monitoring.

“Cost is hugely important to me,” Yaney explains. “My mother ran a successful restaurant in California for many years. But during lean times, she nearly went bankrupt paying the security bills alone.”

Kangaroo’s products are markedly cheaper. Maximus Yaney is aiming for less than a monthly $10 monitoring fee with no upfront costs--a price point far below what is currently available. To account for the rock-bottom costs, Yaney points to the structure of the system: because they are wireless-enabled, Kangaroo products can be connected to any number of smart devices, from tablets to your smartphone.

Though he’s up against some serious odds, Yaney isn’t deterred. His track record includes founding Titan Aerospace, a manufacturer of high-altitude, solar-powered drones made of lightweight composites. Yaney came up with the idea while brainstorming ways to provide internet to the 3 billion people worldwide who have no access; satellites were too unwieldy and expensive to justify their poor performance, and installing fiber-optic cable was too costly for an organization running on a shoestring budget.

So Yaney and his team hit on the idea of drones instead. Their operation began in his Manhattan apartment in 2011, before moving to a warehouse in Chinatown a year later, and finally to the deserts of New Mexico. By then, they had created a number of working prototypes--and attracted attention from Google, who acquired Titan in 2014.

“I’ve had a lot of people tell me something couldn’t be done,” Yaney explains. “I’ve made my career betting against naysayers, and that’s something I love to do.”

As Kangaroo continues to develop its product and solicit investment, the potential for a shakeup of the security industry is large. From past experience, Maximus Yaney and his team are certainly well-positioned to take on this stagnant, inefficient sector. Should he succeed, everyone will win--especially the consumer.