Chowmain Soft
Chowmain Soft is a bootstrapped Australian/New Zealand software firm that develops and sells 400+ home automation drivers across 180+ brands and 9 control platforms (Control4, Crestron, ELAN, RTI, Savant, URC, Q-SYS, Josh.ai) to 4,000+ professional integrators worldwide via its self-serve Chowmainsoft Marketplace.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2010
- HeadquartersPreston, Australia
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingSoftware
What Chowmain Soft does
Chowmain Soft (legal entity Chowmain Ltd., domiciled in New Zealand, with primary operations in Melbourne, Australia) is a privately held software development company founded in 2014 that builds home automation drivers for professional control platforms. Its portfolio of 400+ drivers covers more than 180 manufacturer brands across nine control systems: Control4, Crestron, Crestron Home, ELAN/Nice Home Management, Q-SYS, RTI, Savant, URC, and Josh.ai. Drivers are built in-house using manufacturer SDKs and rely on local LAN-based IP control with optional cloud connectivity and two-way feedback; the company emphasizes cross-platform feature parity such as Control4 OS 3.3 lighting controls and manufacturer-specific protocols like TP-Link KLAP and Shelly BLU gateway bridging.
Chowmain distributes exclusively through the Chowmainsoft Marketplace (chowmainsoft.com), a 24/7 self-serve portal where verified integrators browse, trial (90-day free trials without login), and purchase per-project driver licenses at US$50-100 MSRP. Approximately half of the catalog is manufacturer-sponsored and distributed free of charge, serving as a lead-generation funnel and a co-marketing channel with hardware partners; the remainder are paid perpetual licenses with volume discounts. A separate revenue line consists of custom driver development services for manufacturers such as Hisense, Somfy, and Josh.ai. Free dealer showroom licensing (single showroom per dealer, 50% home-use discount for employees) supports pre-sales demonstration, and technical support runs up to 19 hours per day Monday through Friday across helpdesks in Australia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
The customer base is horizontal and distributed across 4,000+ professional home automation integrators worldwide, served via a CEDIA-aligned GTM motion combining email, social, SEO (9,000+ monthly unique visitors), trade shows (CEDIA Expo, ADI Expo, Essential Install Live!), and software-channel partnerships (Specifi proposal platform, Blackman Signature Designs for GUI assets). The company is bootstrapped and founder-led by Managing Director Alan Chow (2018 Golden Paul awardee), with a named team of roughly eight people including a CTO and dedicated driver developers across Australia, New Zealand, and the UK. No external institutional funding, acquisitions, or restructuring events are disclosed.
Chowmain Soft firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Chowmain Soft
- Legal name
- Chowmain Ltd.
- Website
- https://chowmain.software
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2010
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Chowmain Soft is a bootstrapped Australian/New Zealand software firm that develops and sells 400+ home automation drivers across 180+ brands and 9 control platforms (Control4, Crestron, ELAN, RTI, Savant, URC, Q-SYS, Josh.ai) to 4,000+ professional integrators worldwide via its self-serve Chowmainsoft Marketplace.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Chowmain Soft industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Smart Home Integration Software
- NAICS
- Automatic Environmental Control Manufacturing for Residential, Commercial, and Appliance Use (334512)
- SIC
- Auto Controls For Regulating Residential & Comml Environments (3822)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Whole-Home Automation System Design & Programming (HSAHADAA)
Keywords
Where Chowmain Soft is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Preston
- HQ country
- Australia
- HQ region
- Oceania
Offices5 records
Markets served
Chowmain Soft business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Driver License Sales (Per-Project): Integrators purchase driver licenses on a per-project basis through the Chowmainsoft Marketplace. Licenses can be assigned to customer projects and migrated to new systems when controllers are replaced. Volume discounts apply for bulk orders.
- Freemium / Sponsored Drivers: Over half of Chowmain's 400+ drivers are manufacturer-sponsored and available as free downloads. These are developed in partnership with hardware manufacturers and distributed at no cost to integrators.
- Driver Development Services for Manufacturers: Chowmain develops custom drivers for home automation and product manufacturers, funded internally or by the manufacturer, then distributes via the marketplace.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Standard Driver License (e.g., Yeelight) |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Standard Driver License (e.g., Govee) |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Standard Driver License (e.g., LIFX, TP-Link Kasa) |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Standard Driver License (e.g., Shelly Suite) |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Standard Driver License (e.g., Generic Lighting) |
| Freemium | Pay-as-you-go | Dealer Showroom License |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Volume / Bulk Discounts |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels8 records
Chowmain Soft product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Chowmain Soft develops and licenses home automation driver software that integrates third-party smart home devices (lighting, shading, AV, HVAC, sensors, security) into nine major professionally-installed control platforms including Control4, Crestron, Crestron Home, ELAN/Nice, Q-SYS, RTI, Savant, URC, and Josh.ai. The company distributes more than 400 drivers covering 180+ brands through the Chowmainsoft Marketplace, a 24/7 self-serve online portal where integrators can browse, trial, purchase per-project licenses, and manage software updates. The company also provides custom driver development services for hardware manufacturers and multi-channel technical support.
Product overview
Chowmain Soft operates the Chowmainsoft Marketplace, a software marketplace for professionally installed home automation systems. The core offering is over 400 drivers across 180+ brands that integrate third-party devices (lighting, shades, TVs, sensors, and other smart home devices) into major control platforms including Control4, Crestron, Crestron Home, ELAN/Nice, Q-SYS, RTI, Savant, URC, and Josh.ai. The portfolio consists of the Chowmainsoft Marketplace platform for license purchasing and management, complemented by individual device drivers (such as Govee, LIFX, Shelly, TP-Link Kasa/Tapo, Yeelight for Control4), dealer showroom licensing for free demonstrations, 90-day driver trials, and custom driver development services for manufacturers. Technical support is provided via phone, chat, and tickets.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Chowmainsoft Marketplace Online software marketplace providing 24/7 access for integrators to browse, download, trial (90-day), purchase per-project licenses, and manage over 400 drivers covering 180+ brands across nine major home automation control platforms.
- Driver Development Services Custom driver development services for home automation control platforms, helping manufacturers get their products integrated with Control4, Crestron, Crestron Home, ELAN, Q-SYS, RTI, Savant, URC, and Josh.ai systems.
- Technical Support Services Multi-channel technical support including phone, live chat, and ticketing available up to 19 hours per day, Monday through Friday, with dedicated support teams in Australia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
- Shelly Suite Driver for Control4 Control4 driver suite integrating Shelly IoT devices including relays, sensors, LED controllers, smart plugs, bulbs, motion/flood/smoke detectors, and BLU Bluetooth devices. Licensed per project with a 90-day free trial.
- TP-Link Kasa/Tapo Driver for Control4 Control4 driver enabling integration of TP-Link Kasa and Tapo smart devices including bulbs, cameras, fans, power strips, switches, and LED strips using the KLAP protocol for local control without cloud dependency.
- Yeelight Driver for Control4 Control4 driver providing two-way integration with Yeelight Wi-Fi controlled LED lighting products including dimmable RGB/white bulbs, lamps, ceiling lights, and LED strips.
- Govee Driver for Control4 Control4 driver integrating Govee smart home devices including LED lighting, smart sockets, TV backlighting, and floor/table lamps via LAN and Cloud control.
- LIFX Driver for Control4 Control4 driver providing two-way control and feedback of LIFX Wi-Fi enabled LED lighting products including bulbs, strips, beams, and tiles.
- Generic Lighting Driver for Control4 Control4 driver allowing integration of infrared-based motorized and relay devices by customizable IR HEX codes, with support for on/off, RGB, and dimmable IR lighting.
- Hisense VIDAA Driver for Control4 Control4 driver providing IP-based control of Hisense VIDAA TVs including power, volume, input switching, transport control, channel selection, app launching (Netflix, YouTube, Prime Video, Disney Plus), and dynamic feedback.
- Somfy PoE Motor Driver for Josh.ai Josh.ai certified driver enabling IP control of Somfy Power over Ethernet (PoE) motors with automatic discovery, automatic recovery, individual/group shade control, preset positions, and scene integration.
- Dealer Showroom License Program Complimentary license program that provides verified dealers with one free showroom license unlocking all Chowmain drivers for demonstration and educational purposes, with secondary showroom licenses available upon verification.
Companies that use Chowmain Soft
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Chowmain Soft technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature8 records
Chowmain Soft partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Josh.aicoreChowmain joined the Josh.ai Developer Program and is developing drivers for the Josh.ai ecosystem. The first driver released is a Somfy PoE motor driver officially certified by Josh.ai, enabling seamless control of motorized shades through Josh.ai's touch, text, and voice interfaces.
- SomfycoreSomfy's Power over Ethernet (PoE) motor range integrates with Josh.ai via Chowmain's certified driver. The driver enables IP control, automatic discovery, individual/group shade control, preset positions, and scene integration for Somfy's PoE shading solutions.
- HisensecoreHisense partnered with Chowmain to develop the VIDAA Control4 driver, enabling integration of Hisense VIDAA TVs into Control4 smart home environments. The driver provides IP control of power, volume, inputs, transport, channels, and app launching. The companies are actively working on additional integrations across other major automation platforms.
- Blackman Signature DesignsminorBlackman Signature Designs, a professional GUI design firm featured on MTV Cribs and various home theater publications, offers free sample GUI files for Chowmain drivers as part of the partnership.
- SpecificoreChowmain is listed on Specifi's platform, enabling Specifi users to access Chowmain driver information and pricing within their proposal tools. Specifi provides live pricing from Chowmain and helps integrators create professional proposals including Chowmain products.
- CEDIAcoreChowmain is a CEDIA member. CEDIA is a global trade association for companies that design, manufacture, and integrate technology-based solutions for the home.
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Chowmain Soft competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Crestron Electronics: Owner of Crestron and Crestron Home control platforms for which Chowmain develops drivers. Broad incumbent in the same space that could expand native integrations to displace third-party drivers.
- URC (Universal Remote Control): Control platform maker supported by Chowmain. Operates in the same professional integrator channel with Total Control system, occasionally overlapping with Chowmain's third-party driver offerings.
- SnapAV / Control4: Owner of the Control4 platform — Chowmain's largest single channel. Competes with Chowmain's Control4 drivers by controlling the native ecosystem and could prioritize in-house drivers over third-party ones.
- Savant: Premium smart home control platform and one of Chowmain's nine supported systems. Incumbent competitor that could develop or acquire competing driver capabilities for the high-end integrator channel.
- RTI (Remote Technologies Inc.): Control system manufacturer supported by Chowmain drivers. Competes in the same integrator-facing custom install channel and could expand its own integration ecosystem.
- Nice (ELAN Home Management): Owner of the ELAN control platform — one of Chowmain's nine supported systems. Broad incumbent competing for the same professional integrator channel.
- Lutron Electronics: Lighting and shading control manufacturer with HomeWorks and RA platforms. Chowmain integrates with Lutron via drivers, but Lutron's native ecosystem overlaps with Chowmain's lighting/shading drivers.
Direct peers
- Josh.ai: Voice-focused premium smart home control platform; Chowmain's certified developer partner. Both serve the high-end custom install integrator channel and overlap in product scope (whole-home control integrations).
- Black Wire Designs: Develops drivers and integration modules for Control4 and Fibaro, serving the same professional custom install channel. Direct competitor with overlapping portfolio of third-party device drivers for major control platforms.
- Extra Vegetables: UK-based specialist developer of drivers and modules for Control4, Crestron, RTI, and other home automation platforms. Closest direct comparable — same product category (drivers), same customer (professional integrators), same per-project licensing model.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Chowmain Soft social profiles
Digital presenceChowmain Soft financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Chowmain Soft leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles8 records
Chowmain Soft funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Chowmain Soft M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Chowmain Soft
What does Chowmain Soft do?
Chowmain Soft develops and licenses home automation driver software that integrates third-party smart home devices (lighting, shading, AV, HVAC, sensors, security) into nine major professionally-installed control platforms including Control4, Crestron, Crestron Home, ELAN/Nice, Q-SYS, RTI, Savant, URC, and Josh.ai. The company distributes more than 400 drivers covering 180+ brands through the Chowmainsoft Marketplace, a 24/7 self-serve online portal where integrators can browse, trial, purchase per-project licenses, and manage software updates. The company also provides custom driver development services for hardware manufacturers and multi-channel technical support.
Is Chowmain Soft a public or private company?
Chowmain Soft is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Chowmain Soft founded?
Chowmain Soft was founded in 2010. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Chowmain Soft based?
Chowmain Soft is headquartered in Preston, Australia, in the Oceania region.
How does Chowmain Soft make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Driver License Sales (Per-Project) is the primary driver. The others are freemium / Sponsored Drivers and driver Development Services for Manufacturers.
Who are Chowmain Soft's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Crestron Electronics, URC (Universal Remote Control), SnapAV / Control4, Savant, RTI (Remote Technologies Inc.), Nice (ELAN Home Management) and Lutron Electronics. Direct peers are Josh.ai, Black Wire Designs and Extra Vegetables.
Does Chowmain Soft have an API?
No public API is recorded for Chowmain Soft.
What industry is Chowmain Soft in?
Chowmain Soft's product category is Smart Home Integration Software. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HSAHADAA, Whole-Home Automation System Design & Programming. Its NAICS code is 334512 and its SIC code is 3822.