Big Irrigation Company Buys Startup Behind Award-Winning Smart Sprinkler

Rain Bird, a major sprinkler system maker, has acquired OtO Inc., the company behind the solar-powered OtO Smart Sprinkler. The system won awards including TIME's Best Invention in 2022. Rather than building smart features themselves, established companies like Rain Bird are now buying up software-savvy startups. This mirrors what happened in home security a decade ago.