Our Story
Totem didn’t begin as an energy platform.
It started with a simple, familiar problem: fixing the internet.
Years ago, we set out to build a smarter way to support internet service providers. At the time, most connectivity issues had a surprisingly simple solution, restart the router. In fact, nearly all common internet problems could be resolved that way.
But in reality, it wasn’t so simple.
Customers often struggled with the basics of powering devices on and off. Technical support teams and often friends and family became the default troubleshooters. We saw an opportunity to automate that process.
So we built Totem: a tool that could monitor a home’s internet connection, detect when something was wrong and remotely power cycle the router, solving problems instantly, without the frustration.
Expanding the Vision
Once it worked, we didn’t stop there.
We expanded Totem beyond routers, enabling it to map entire networks, identifying devices, access points, and connections across a home or building. Then we introduced satellite Totems: in-wall units capable of controlling power to connected devices like switches and access points.
This transformed Totem from a single-point solution into a distributed network control system.
And then came the turning point.
The Pivot
At a trade show in Amsterdam, a simple question changed everything:
“If you can control the power at every socket… can you measure it too?”
The answer led us in a completely new direction.
We realised Totem could be far more than a connectivity tool. By integrating industry-grade energy measurement technology, we could transform it into a platform for real-time energy monitoring and control.
That insight reshaped our mission.
Totem evolved from managing internet connections to managing energy itself.
Building the Platform
From there, we rebuilt Totem for a smarter, more resilient future.
We developed:
A cellular fallback system (NB-IoT) to ensure control even when internet connections fail
A cloud platform on Amazon Web Services for real-time monitoring, updates, and control
A Bluetooth mesh network connecting masters and in-wall units across entire buildings
Every Totem could now:
Monitor energy usage at the socket level
Be remotely controlled (on/off, updates, configuration)
Operate as part of a scalable, intelligent network
It wasn’t easy. Early versions faced challenges with connectivity, range, and data transmission. But through multiple hardware and software iterations, we refined the system into something robust and reliable.
Proving It at Scale
Our first major deployment came with Unilife, in a multi-storey modular building, an environment notoriously difficult for wireless communication.
The structure created a challenging landscape for Bluetooth mesh networking. But it also became the perfect testing ground.
We adapted. We optimised. We learned.
Today, 149 Totem units run simultaneously across five floors, delivering:
Stable mesh connectivity
Real-time energy monitoring
Reliable, scalable performance
Totem Today
What began as a simple way to reboot routers has become a powerful platform for intelligent energy management.
Totem now gives buildings the ability to:
See exactly how energy is used
Control power at a granular level
Operate reliably, even when networks fail
And we’re just getting started.