In 2009, Steven Eidelman and Ben Jacobs met each other while working at Bain & Company and the seeds for their company and its flagship app were planted. While at Bain & Company, both worked for technology clients and pet care retailers, a partnership that will soon be used in their future company –Whistle.
In 2012, the duo settled on devices designed to provide valuable information to pet owners that would help them understand their pets’ activities. With Kevin Lloyd as Chief Technology Officer, Whistle was born; Jacobs is now its CEO.
The Whistle Activity Monitor, a wireless device made from brushed aluminium, is attached to a dog’s collar. The pet owner can then watch through a mobile app the dog’s activities, thus, providing a dog’s eye view of the world.
Whistle also has a Vet Council where vets and researchers share their knowledge and skills in the improvement of canine lifespan. The company also maintains a database for this purpose, a fact that reinforces its status as a leading pet tech manufacturer in North America.
But why settle for your current operations when you can expand? In January 2015, Whistle announced that it has acquired Tagg, a San Diego-based manufacturer of dog activity collars.
Jacobs said that the deal was designed to combine the best features of each company’s wearable dog tech. Tagg, for example, had a better battery and sophisticated GPS technology that can improve Whistle’s overall performance. In the months following the acquisition, Tagg users and their devices will be integrated into the Whistle website and app.
Whistle has also closed a successful $15 million Series B funding round led by Nokia Growth Partners. Other investors included Melo7 Tech Partners, Qualcomm, and QueensBridge Venture Partner. The new capital will be used in the development and design of Whistle’s product lines as well as in the support of its continued growth.
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