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Haptic
Techstars '19Austin, US · Founded 2015 · 1 employees on LinkedIn · 3 known investors
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Knocki makes a tap-gesture sensor that mounts on or under surfaces to control smart home devices and perform various actions through different tap patterns. The device serves smart home users and people seeking alternative control methods to voice commands.
Also known as Haptic, Inc. · Knocki
Investors · 3
How we know: the Techstars portfolio · open dataset · Top 3000 Accelerator Startups (no YC) 2026-08 · open dataset · 5k.vc investor directory · Not right? Tell us
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Company profile
researched Sep 2026Haptic, Inc., operating under the Knocki brand, develops a small battery-powered wireless device that attaches on, under or behind ordinary surfaces such as walls, tables, doors, counters, shelves and windows and converts them into touch controls. The device recognizes up to ten distinct tap gestures on a single surface, each mappable to a different action, and also offers a "sensor mode" in which any vibration triggers an action, with adjustable sensitivity for uses such as detecting a mail delivery. Knocki runs on built-in WiFi, which the company says allows the signal to work through solid surfaces and thick walls, and is powered by AAA batteries or an optional USB-C adapter.
Setup and configuration are handled through free companion apps for iOS and Android, which are used to connect the device to WiFi, link third-party accounts and services, and create or edit tap gestures that trigger individual tasks or grouped "task lists." After setup the device operates independently of the phone. Stated integrations include Alexa, IFTTT, Philips Hue, LIFX, TP-Link, Sonos, Honeywell, Schlage, Ecobee and, in beta as of 2025, Home Assistant. The company positions common use cases around bedroom and morning routines, media control, locking doors, finding a misplaced phone, accessibility for users with limited mobility, and control in wet or noisy environments such as bathrooms.
Business model
Sale of a consumer smart-home hardware device directly through the company's online store, supported by free companion mobile applications for iOS and Android.
Hardware sales of the Knocki device and an optional USB-C power adapter; the companion mobile app is free.
Traction
The Android app listing shows more than 1,000 downloads. The iOS app holds a 3.3 average rating from nine ratings, with user reviews from 2019 through 2023 praising the hardware build quality while citing WiFi connectivity problems, setup instruction gaps and limited depth in third-party integrations.
Latest developments
An app release in July 2024 added direct Honeywell and Ecobee integrations, removing the need for Yonomi as middleware, and expanded TP-Link support to light switches and smart bulbs. A January 2025 release introduced a Home Assistant integration in beta alongside bug fixes; the Google Play listing was updated in January 2025.
▸Full profile — market position, technology, go-to-market, geography, risks & controversies
Market position
Positioned in consumer smart-home control as an alternative input method to voice assistants and single-purpose smart buttons, interoperating with established platforms including Alexa, IFTTT, Philips Hue, LIFX, TP-Link, Sonos, Honeywell, Schlage and Ecobee.
The company contrasts Knocki with single-function smart buttons, which perform one action, by supporting up to ten tap gestures on one surface, and with voice assistants on privacy (no microphone), reliability in noisy environments, and discretion in quiet settings. The device can be mounted out of sight beneath or behind a surface and uses a mount the company says does not damage surfaces.
Technology
A wireless, battery-powered surface sensor that detects vibration patterns from taps and distinguishes up to ten separate tap gestures, each bound to a user-configured action. The unit connects over built-in WiFi and continues to operate without a paired phone. It contains no microphone, which the company presents as avoiding the always-on listening and noise-sensitivity limitations of voice assistants. A sensor mode with adjustable sensitivity responds to generic vibration rather than specific tap patterns. Cloud and account integrations connect to third-party smart-home platforms; a 2024 app release added direct Honeywell and Ecobee integrations that removed a dependency on Yonomi as middleware and expanded TP-Link support from smart plugs to light switches and bulbs.
Go-to-market
Direct-to-consumer sales through the knocki.com online shop, with distribution of the free companion app via the Apple App Store and Google Play, and third-party platform compatibility used as a channel for smart-home users.
Consumers in smart-home households as well as those without connected devices, users seeking an alternative to voice assistants for privacy, noise or discretion reasons, and people with limited mobility or other accessibility needs.
Geography
Haptic, Inc. lists a developer address in Austin, Texas, United States; the app is distributed in English through the US App Store and Google Play.
Risks & controversies
Published user reviews report difficulty connecting the device to WiFi, setup instructions that do not match the app's actual flow, and incomplete third-party integrations (for example, an inability to select LIFX scenes or the "All" group), with response latency of roughly three to five seconds reported in one case.
Compiled by commissioned research from 7 cited public sources — announcements, filings, and press listed under research sources below.
Key figures
latest reportedCompany-reported or press-reported figures, each dated to when it was claimed — not independently audited.
Related companies · 2
Companies working in the same space as Haptic.
Timeline · 2
launches, deals, and filingsKnocki app version 1.73.0 made a Home Assistant integration available in beta, with users invited to join the beta program via support request.
Knocki app version 1.71.0 added direct integrations with Honeywell and Ecobee, removing the need for Yonomi as middleware, and expanded TP-Link support beyond smart plugs to light switches and smart bulbs.
Dated company events from announcements, filings, and press; legal rows summarize public dockets and regulator releases.
▸Research sources · 7
primary sources listed
- Hapticknocki.com · web
7 public sources were cited for this profile; the first-party ones are listed here.
Frequently asked questions
- What does Haptic do?
- Haptic, Inc. makes Knocki, a wireless sensor that turns walls, tables and other surfaces into tap-controlled interfaces.
- Who are Haptic's investors?
- Haptic's investors include Techstars, FORWARD.one, Value Creation Capital.
- Where is Haptic headquartered?
- Haptic is headquartered in Austin, US.