The Z-Wave Alliance was founded in early 2005 by a group of leading manufacturers of home automation products, all of whom were dissatisfied with the technological fragmentation that was stifling the promise of the then-young home control industry. Their goal was to guide this industry from an unclear future to a practical and widely adopted reality through shared technological standards. Since its inception, the Z-Wave Alliance has proven to be a key player in the wireless home control market. Thanks to the efforts of the founding companies of the Z-Wave Alliance and the more than 450 companies that have joined since, the promise of practical home automation is now a reality in the market.