Exploring New Air Sensor Technology with the CMO of WYND, Dora Du

In this episode, Alex and Annie are joined by Dora Du, CMO of WYND - venture-backed startup that has built proprietary sensor technology that helps homeowners take control of the air in their properties. Their first use case is a product line that monitors and improves in-door air quality, and more recently they’ve released a new product that detects noise and smoke.

WYND was founded by MIT engineers and scientists, with their first focus being to create products for the residential market. During COVID, they ventured into the vacation rental space unintentionally - but as more property managers bought their initial line of products, WYND followed the market and have now changed their messaging, approach and product development to be more tailored towards the vacation rental industry.

Dora highlights that WYND is playing their role in the automation revolution of the vacation rental industry. With new remote technology becoming more prevalent and the short term rental space being democratized with the Airbnb boom, there’s both excitement on the horizon, and also lots of added pressure with the rapid increase in regulations. They know their product line will become less of a “nice-to-have” and more of a “must-have” as HOA’s and local governments push for more regulations.

When comparing the vacation rental and hotel markets, Dora mentions that the biggest difference is the speed of adaptation and implementation. Selling to vacation rental property managers happens at a much lower volume and with a less complex sales cycle, which puts vacation rentals ahead of the curve in regards to new technology adaptation.

Dora goes into detail on how WYND is changing the game for sensor technology, and talks on the many use cases and proprietary value of their product line. They are now developing new AI technology to help people improve their indoor environment by better understanding the air they breathe - which is super exciting.

Tune in to the full episode to learn about new technology that might be a great addition to your vacation rentals!

HIGHLIGHTS
00:30 How WYND Found Product Market Fit
08:54 Dora’s Career Trajectory
11:22 The Difference Between Serving STR’s and Hotels
13:29 How COVID Kickstarted Vacation Rental Technology Adaptation
15:25 How WYND’s Technology Works
19:30 Dora’s A-HA Moment in Her Career
20:59 What’s Next for WYND

This episode is brought to you by Casago, Guest Ranger, and Good Neighbor Tech.

Visit AlexAndAnniesList.com to view our top picks for the best suppliers in vacation rental technology and services.

Special thanks to Rev & Research for being the presenting sponsor of Alex & Annie’s List.

Connect with Dora:
Website | Linkedin

Connect with Alex and Annie:
Alex Husner | Annie Holcombe
AlexAndAnniePodcast.com