June (company)

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June
FoundedJune, 2015
HeadquartersSan Francisco
Area served
United States
Key people
Matt Van Horn (Co-founder, President, CEO)
Nikhil Bhogal (Co-founder, CTO)
ProductsKitchenware
Number of employees
40
ParentWeber Inc.
Websitejuneoven.com

June is a home automation company based in San Francisco. Its first product was the June Intelligent Oven, a Wi-Fi-enabled, app-connected countertop convection oven that employs machine learning and computer vision technologies to identify and cook food.[1]

History[edit]

June was founded by Matt Van Horn and Nikhil Bhogal and launched in June 2015.[1] Van Horn previously co-founded Zimride, which spun off the ride-sharing service Lyft,[1] while Bhogal designed the camera software for the iPhone’s first five generations and was as an inventor on multiple Apple camera software patents.[1] June team members have also worked on the Apple Watch, GoPro cameras and Fitbit fitness trackers.[1] Michelin-starred chef Michael Mina is an advisor to June.[2]

The first generation oven was launched in December 2016. June launched its second generation June Oven in August 2018 as the "do-it-all oven" and seven appliances in one - a countertop convection oven, air fryer, slow cooker, dehydrator, broiler, toaster and warming drawer.[1]

Design[edit]

The oven is controlled by a 5-inch touch screen and connected app.[3][4] Programmable and sensor-driven, the oven uses a built-in scale, core-temperature thermometer and a camera to suggest cooking time and temperature. The internal high-definition camera with a fisheye lens that is designed to recognize commonly cooked foods.[1][3][5] The company claims the oven’s optical recognition can identify foods such as frozen pizza, bacon, Brussels sprouts, asparagus, and potatoes and can differentiate between different types of fish.[1]

The June Oven has dual-surround convection fans, digital TRIAC controllers, a GPU processor, a 2.3-gigahertz NVIDIA chip, and carbon-fiber heating elements.[6][7] Ammunition Design Group aided with the industrial design of the June Oven and Quanta Computer aided in the manufacturing.[8]

The iOS and Android apps display a live-stream video of the inside of the oven and then sends a notification when the food is done.[9]

Funding[edit]

June received $7 million in Series A funding from the Foundry Group, First Round Capital, Lerer Ventures, and Founders Fund.[6]

Acquisition[edit]

On January 12, 2021, it was announced that June was acquired by Weber Inc. for an undisclosed amount.[10] Following the acquisition, it will exist as a “strategic business unit” within Weber. Co-founder Matt Van Horn will serve as president of June while the company's other co-founder, Nikhil Bhogal, will become senior vice president, technology and connected devices of Weber. Van Horn will continue to focus on June Oven while Bhogal will work with Weber R&D programs and new products.[11]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h Rothman, Wilson (9 June 2015). "June Smart Oven Points to a Future of Perfectly Cooked Food". Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 8 August 2015.
  2. ^ Raphael, Lisa (9 June 2015). "This Crazy Awesome Gadget Will Change Your Kitchen Forever". Brit + Co. Retrieved 1 August 2015.
  3. ^ a b Coldeway, Devin (9 June 2015). "June Smart Oven Wants You to Let It Do the Cooking For You". NBC News. Retrieved 24 July 2015.
  4. ^ Hernandez, Daniela (9 June 2015). "Terrible cooks of the world, this smart oven will do the work for you". Fusion. Archived from the original on 25 July 2015. Retrieved 24 July 2015.
  5. ^ Pierce, David (9 June 2015). "This Smart Oven Bakes Perfect Cookies Without Your Help". WIRED. Retrieved 24 July 2015.
  6. ^ a b Higginbotham, Stacey (9 June 2015). "An oven as smart as your Xbox could be coming to a kitchen near you". Fortune. Retrieved 24 July 2015.
  7. ^ PCH (22 July 2015). "PCH Talks with Matt Van Horn, Co-founder and CEO of June Oven". Archived from the original on 2 October 2015. Retrieved 27 July 2015.
  8. ^ Brownlee, John (9 June 2015). "Let This Intelligent Oven Cook All Your Meals For You". Fast Company. Retrieved 25 July 2015.
  9. ^ Thompson, Ashlee Clarke (9 June 2015). "Live-stream baking? Company puts camera in countertop oven". CNET. Retrieved 25 July 2015.
  10. ^ "Weber acquires smart oven maker June". Engadget. 12 January 2021. Retrieved 2021-01-12.
  11. ^ Billy Steele (January 12, 2021). "Weber acquires smart oven maker June". Engadget. Retrieved June 29, 2023.