What NorthStar Home Technologies does

NorthStar Home Technologies, Inc. is a privately held luxury home automation integrator founded in 2015 by Chris Hayes and headquartered in Stillwater, Minnesota, with an immersive Design Studio in Uptown Minneapolis. The company designs, procures, installs, programs, and commissions bespoke smart home systems for ultra-high-net-worth homeowners in Twin Cities luxury communities such as Minnetonka, Wayzata, Edina, and Orono. Its technical stack is anchored by Lutron HomeWorks QSX and RadioRA 3 lighting control, Ketra tunable LED lighting, Josh.ai voice automation, IC Realtime surveillance, DSC intrusion detection, and Ubiquiti-based enterprise networking — unified under a single control plane with a privacy-first, local-processing posture.

The core service portfolio spans home automation, Lutron and Ketra lighting, motorized shades, home theater, networking, security and surveillance, retrofit automation, and a System Takeover & Rescue offering for failed competitor installations (Savant, Control4, RTI, URC). NorthStar monetizes through project-based installations supplemented by tiered recurring managed service plans: Tier 1 Managed Client at $88/month, Tier 2 Preferred Management at $399/month, and standalone security monitoring at $34.99/month, alongside hourly service billing and hardware sales. Go-to-market is exclusively direct enterprise field sales augmented by a by-appointment Design Studio experience, with no e-commerce or self-service channels. The company holds distinguishing credentials including first Josh.ai dealer in the Midwest (2017), one of 60 original Ketra dealers nationwide, the 2020 Lutron Excellence Award for Best Ketra System, and the 2022 Josh.ai President's Club and Chairman Accolade. Ownership remains with founder Chris Hayes; the firm is bootstrapped with no disclosed external funding, no subsidiaries, and a deliberately small team.

Name

NorthStar Home Technologies

Legal name

NorthStar Home Technologies, Inc.

Website

https://northstarhometech.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

NorthStar Home Technologies is a luxury home automation integrator founded in 2015 by Chris Hayes, designing and installing bespoke Lutron, Ketra, and Josh.ai systems for ultra-high-net-worth homeowners across the Twin Cities with tiered managed service subscriptions.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Luxury Home Automation Services

NAICS

Computer Systems Design and Related Services (54151), Computer Systems Design and Related Services (5415), Appliance Repair and Maintenance (811412)

SIC

Auto Controls For Regulating Residential & Comml Environments (3822), Services-Computer Integrated Systems Design (7373), Electric Lighting & Wiring Equipment (3640)

akta.pro primary industry

Home Automation Hub/Platform Integration for Electrical & HVAC (e.g., HomeKit/Google/Alexa) (HSAOANAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Smart Lighting & Dimming Control Installation (HSAHADAB), Smart Lighting Control (Switches, Dimmers, Scenes) Integration (HSAOANAF), Smart Home Security Automation & Integration (Monitored) (HSAHAAAF), Home Network/Wi‑Fi, Router & IoT Connectivity Setup (for Smart Home) (HSAHADAI), Maintenance, Repair & Replacement Services (HSAHAIAJ), Smart Home Device Mounting (cameras, doorbells, sensors) (HSAGAHAH)

Keywords

• Luxury home automation
• Smart lighting systems
• Motorized shading solutions
• Home networking infrastructure
• Security surveillance systems

Headquarters

HQ city

Stillwater

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Smart Home System Installation: Design, procurement, installation, programming, and commissioning of bespoke smart home systems. Revenue is project-based with pricing valid for 30 days from proposal date. Payment due upon completion unless otherwise specified.
2. Managed Client Plans (Recurring Subscription): Tiered monthly/annual subscription plans providing ongoing support, monitoring, software updates, and system maintenance. Tier 1 at $88/month, Tier 2 at $399/month. Includes remote support, on-site visits, hardware warranty, and app access.
3. Security Monitoring Service: 24/7 professional security monitoring through USA Central Station covering burglary, fire, and medical emergencies. Priced at $34.99/month on a month-to-month basis.
4. Hourly Service & Labor: Billable hours for additional work, after-hours support, and Sunday/holiday service. Standard rate $165/hour (Tier 0), with tier-specific rates for managed clients.
5. Hardware Sales: Sale of smart home equipment including Lutron systems, Ketra lighting, IC Realtime cameras, DSC security panels, and networking equipment as part of comprehensive system installations.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

NorthStar Home Technologies designs, procures, installs, programs, and commissions luxury whole-home smart automation systems for ultra-high-net-worth homeowners in the Minneapolis/Twin Cities area. Core offerings center on Lutron HomeWorks QSX and RadioRA 3 lighting control, Ketra tunable LED lighting, Josh.ai privacy-first voice automation, motorized shading, enterprise-grade networking, and IC Realtime/DSC security with 24/7 monitoring. The company provides ongoing managed service plans and specializes in retrofitting existing homes and rescuing failed competitor installations.

Product overview

NorthStar Home Technologies offers a comprehensive portfolio of luxury smart home integration services centered around Lutron lighting control (HomeWorks QSX, RadioRA 3), Ketra tunable LED lighting, and Josh.ai voice automation. The company provides whole-home integration combining lighting, motorized shades, networking, security/surveillance, home theater, and outdoor entertainment systems. Client management is delivered through the NorthStar Connect portal and mobile app, with three service tiers (Standard Installation, Managed Client at $88/month, and Preferred Management at $399/month) plus optional 24/7 security monitoring at $34.99/month. NorthStar also specializes in retrofitting existing homes and rescuing failed systems from other platforms. The company's competitive differentiation rests on Ketra expertise (one of only 60 original dealers), Josh.ai as the first Midwest dealer, and award-winning Lutron integration.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• NorthStar Connect: Client portal and management platform for smart home clients.

Products and services

• Home Automation Whole-home control through intuitive interfaces and Josh.ai voice automation, unifying lighting, climate, entertainment, shades, and security under a single platform for luxury homeowners.
• Lutron Lighting Control Professional installation of Lutron HomeWorks QSX and RadioRA 3 lighting control systems for luxury homes, with seamless integration with Ketra lighting and motorized shades.
• Ketra Lighting Award-winning natural light tunable LED design; reproduces the full spectrum of natural sunlight from 1,400K candlelight to 10,000K daylight with 95+ CRI at every output level; NorthStar is one of only 60 original Ketra dealers nationwide.
• Josh.ai Voice Control Privacy-focused luxury voice automation platform with local processing, works offline, natural conversation; first Josh.ai dealer in the Midwest with President's Club and Chairman Accolade recognition.
• Motorized Shades Lutron Sivoia QS Triathlon and Palladiom motorized shade systems integrated with lighting scenes for daylight harvesting, privacy, and energy efficiency.
• Home Networking Enterprise-grade networking infrastructure using Ubiquiti, Access Networks, Cleerline fiber optics, and ICE Cable structured wiring for connected luxury homes.
• Security & Surveillance Professional security systems with IC Realtime 4K cameras, DSC intrusion detection, and 24/7 monitoring through USA Central Station; local storage with no cloud dependency.
• Home Theater Dedicated theaters and multi-purpose media rooms with 4K/8K projection, Dolby Atmos surround sound, acoustic treatment, and integrated lighting automation.
• Smart Home Retrofit Transforms existing homes into smart homes without major construction using wireless and low-voltage solutions; room-by-room installation with minimal disruption.
• System Takeover & Rescue Rescues failing smart home systems from Savant, Control4, RTI, URC, and other platforms; offers re-engineering to eliminate proprietary control processors or migration to Josh.ai.
• Security Monitoring Service 24/7 professional security monitoring through USA Central Station for burglary, fire, and medical emergencies; $34.99/month with month-to-month flexibility; requires compatible DSC security panel installed by NorthStar.
• Managed Client Plan (Tier 1) Recurring managed service at $88/month ($1,056/year) with 1-year commitment; includes dedicated phone line, same/next-day scheduling, free daytime remote support, annual tech review, and enhanced App access.
• Preferred Management Plan (Tier 2)

Quantifiable outcome

• 89% of existing equipment successfully salvaged during system takeovers
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration21 records

AI capability8 records

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Josh.aicoreTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2017First Josh.ai dealer in the Midwest (2017). Earned President's Club and Chairman Accolade — highest dealer network honors. Josh.ai provides privacy-focused local voice processing that integrates with Lutron, AV, climate, and security systems.
• Ketra (Lutron subsidiary)coreTechnology or IntegrationOne of only 60 original Ketra dealers nationwide since 2017. Ketra was acquired by Lutron and integrates natively with HomeWorks QSX. NorthStar holds Lutron's Excellence Award for Best Ketra System, demonstrating deep programming expertise in circadian lighting systems.
• Lutron ElectronicscoreTechnology or IntegrationLutron Excellence Award winner specializing exclusively in HomeWorks QSX and RadioRA 3 platforms (not consumer-grade Caseta or older RA2). Deep integration expertise enables native Ketra control and full scene programming across lighting, shades, HVAC, and AV systems.
• IC RealtimecoreTechnology or IntegrationExclusive provider of IC Realtime commercial-grade surveillance cameras featuring 4K Ultra HD, AI analytics, Starlight night vision, and local NVR storage with no cloud dependency — chosen for luxury homes that value both security and privacy.
• USA Central StationcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorProvides 24/7 professional security monitoring covering burglary, fire, and medical emergencies for NorthStar's security systems. Monitoring service priced at $34.99/month, month-to-month with no long-term contract.
• DSCcoreTechnology or IntegrationDSC PowerSeries Neo and Qolsys security panels provide the reliable backbone for intrusion detection. Compatible with NorthStar's monitoring service and integrated with home automation systems.
• UbiquiticoreTechnology or IntegrationPrimary network infrastructure partner providing Dream Machine Pro gateways, managed PoE+ switches, and enterprise routing for whole-home networking. Combined with Access Networks wireless, Cleerline fiber, and ICE Cable structured wiring.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Others

• Lutron Electronics: Premier lighting control manufacturer and primary technology partner of NorthStar — relevant for understanding ecosystem dynamics rather than direct competition.
• Josh.ai: Privacy-focused voice control platform partner of NorthStar — comparable in luxury voice automation positioning though Josh.ai is a vendor whose dealer ecosystem includes NorthStar.

Direct peers

• Integrated Media Systems: High-end residential integrator delivering whole-home automation, lighting, AV, and networking for luxury homeowners — directly comparable service portfolio and white-glove model.
• Paragon Technology Group: Luxury residential systems integrator specializing in lighting control, whole-home automation, and home theater for UHNW clients — closely comparable in service offering and customer profile.
• Audio Video Arts: Luxury home automation and AV integration firm serving high-end residential clients with similar Lutron, Ketra, and Josh.ai expertise — directly comparable boutique integrator business model.
• La Scala: Luxury home technology integrator serving affluent residential clients with smart home, lighting, and entertainment systems — similar boutique, project-based business targeting UHNW customers.

Emerging players

• Savant Systems: Premium smart home automation platform whose installed base represents a significant portion of NorthStar's system takeover pipeline — also competes as a complete automation alternative in the luxury space.

Broad incumbents

• Crestron Electronics: Enterprise-grade automation platform with significant luxury residential presence — NorthStar services existing Crestron installations and competes in the high-end whole-home automation category.
• Control4: Broad-incumbent smart home automation platform with wide residential dealer network — NorthStar services/rescues failing Control4 installations while representing a competing platform approach.
• Vivint Smart Home: Mass-market smart home and security provider with broad consumer reach — represents the larger competitive backdrop where mass-market installers push upmarket against luxury specialists.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@northstarhometech
• Facebookfacebook.com/northstarhometech
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/northstar-home-technologies
• Instagraminstagram.com/northstarhometech

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about NorthStar Home Technologies