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Owl Labs Earns Microsoft Teams Certification, Unveils Enhancements to Further Meet IT Needs for Enterprise Businesses & Government

Owl Labs Earns Microsoft Teams Certification, Unveils Enhancements to Further Meet IT Needs for Enterprise Businesses & Government

Yahoo28-01-2025

Connected device system with enterprise features provides the most flexible, easy-to-deploy in-room solutions for companies of any size
LONDON, January 28, 2025--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Owl Labs, a global leader in 360-degree video conferencing solutions powering both smart standalone and connected products through patented software, today announced Microsoft Teams certified products, along with TAA compliant SKUs, and an expanded suite of IT solutions that build upon its superior meeting room offerings. The company's Meeting Owl 3 and Owl Bar products are now peripherals that are certified for Microsoft Teams, and the Meeting Owl 4+ is currently in the certification process, reaffirming Owl Labs' alignment with Microsoft's trusted standards for quality and performance. In tandem, Owl Labs will be rolling out software and hardware enhancements to deliver even smoother integration of its industry-leading hybrid collaboration solutions that cater to businesses of all sizes.
"We've been delivering innovative hybrid meeting room solutions to companies since 2016. Today's announcement marks an exciting evolution as we expand our solutions to include enterprise-grade features starting with certifications to support IT teams at scale," said Frank Weishaupt, CEO of Owl Labs. "We're giving enterprise IT buyers exactly what they've been asking for – powerful management tools, enhanced security, and seamless deployment options – all while preserving the intuitive experience our customers love."
Powered by patented AI-driven software, Owl Labs' devices continuously improve performance, supporting diverse scenarios from intimate discussions to large presentations. Designed for modern, distributed offices, Owl Labs products prioritise flexibility, portability, and affordability, fostering inclusive and collaborative environments for both remote and in-room participants.
Microsoft Teams Certification
With the certification of the Meeting Owl 3 and Owl Bar, and the Meeting Owl 4+ to follow, Owl Labs strengthens its position as a trusted partner for IT professionals in over 225,000 organisations, and 89 of the Fortune 100 companies. The Teams certification validates that Owl Labs products meet the rigorous requirements of IT buyers and ensures optimal functionality in enterprise ecosystems.
"The Microsoft Teams certification is a testament to our team's relentless pursuit of meeting customer and buyers' needs," said Frank Weishaupt, CEO of Owl Labs. "We've seen overwhelmingly positive results in the small and medium business market, which makes us optimistic about expanding to meet IT buyer needs in the enterprise segment. By meeting Microsoft's rigorous standards, we will continue to expand our capacity to foster seamless collaboration across organisations of all sizes."
This certification underscores Owl Labs' dedication to delivering exceptional, plug-and-play devices that seamlessly integrate with Teams, offering flexible, scalable solutions that adapt to evolving IT and meeting space needs.
New Modes, Robust Analytics and Device Management
Owl Labs devices use robotics and patented AI-powered software to automatically switch between cameras to capture the best view of in-room attendees. Now, Owl Labs is enhancing its industry-leading products with additional Modes for the Meeting Owl product line, which include panorama and grid view, to allow people to better customise their view and have even more natural, face-to-face conversations that transcend physical distance.
To further provide secure and flexible collaboration for IT administrators, Owl Labs offers the Nest®, a customer analytics platform that serves as an additional customer admin portal to the Teams management tools, that gives visibility and control over your organisation's Owl Labs devices all in one place, for status updates and notifications, minimising the need for physical meeting room checks. Supporting bulk device management for scalability, the Nest is expanding its features to enhance meeting analytics and enable large-scale deployments, addressing the needs of both smaller fleets and larger enterprises.
TAA Compliance and Cyber Essentials Plus
Owl Labs' products have also acquired additional certifications including Trade Agreement Act (TAA) Compliance, Cyber Essentials Plus certification and Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) certification, addressing stringent security and compliance requirements for government and enterprise buyers, reinforcing the company's commitment to trust and reliability.
Owl Labs software is developed in the U.S. by an experienced team of engineers who are continually iterating to make Owl products smarter over time. All software adheres to industry-standard security protocols and Owl devices connect via a private, dedicated wireless network.
To learn more about Owl Labs and its connected device system of video conferencing solutions for hybrid organisations, visit www.owllabs.com.
About Owl Labs:
Owl Labs is the first company to build AI-powered, 360-degree video conferencing solutions for hybrid organisations. Its connected device system and Owl Intelligence System™ software make meetings more inclusive and collaborative by levelling the playing field between remote and in-room participants. The Meeting Owl® 4+ is the latest generation of the first WiFi-enabled, 360-degree camera, microphone and speaker that automatically zooms in on whoever's speaking. Owl Labs has raised $47 million in funding and is based in Boston, with remote and hybrid employees all over the world. To learn more and explore the company's research on the State of Hybrid Work, visit OwlLabs.com.
View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250127135503/en/
Contacts
Moxie Communications Group | press@owllabs.com

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