Phare Labs

Phare Labs develops connected residential fire-safety hardware. Its product, the Phare C1, replaces a conventional smoke alarm and combines dual-wavelength photoelectric smoke detection with an array of indoor air quality and environmental sensors plus machine learning, with the stated aims of detecting fires earlier and more accurately while reducing false alarms. The company cites figures that conventional smoke alarms produce false alarms up to 89% of the time and miss two out of every five fires according to fire department data.

The C1 is sold in three variants. C1 Core covers fire and smoke detection, advance warnings and CO measurement; C1 adds air quality insights, temperature and humidity monitoring and a motion-activated night path light; C1 Pro adds intruder detection Doppler radar, 4G/LTE-M connectivity and loud noise detection. Sensors span carbon monoxide, temperature, humidity, air quality (including bVOCe and eCO2), ambient light, loud noise and movement radar. The unit is hardwired at 100–240 VAC with a self-recharging Li-ion backup battery rated at 7+ days off-grid, measures 130 mm in diameter by 40 mm, supports 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi and Bluetooth LE, interconnects with other Phare units, and is listed as compliant with EN 14604, CE and FCC. The company states the high-resolution CO sensor provides alerts up to 30 minutes earlier than conventional alarms, and that an early warning feature signals before an alarm sounds. Wireless interconnection is scheduled for fall 2026 and Matter integration for winter 2026.

Founding story

Phare Labs was co-founded by engineers Daniel McBride, an MBA graduate of London Business School, and Arnau Donate, an MA/MSc Global Innovation Design graduate of the Royal College of Art. The concept was prompted by a spate of false alarms the founders experienced, and the company set out to rethink a fire alarm design patented in the 1970s. Phare Labs is listed among the start-up companies associated with InnovationRCA at the Royal College of Art.

Business model

Phare Labs sells hardware direct to consumers through its own online shop, paired with an optional recurring subscription. Each C1 ships with the first 12 months of Phare Protect included; thereafter Protect is billed annually and can be cancelled at any time. One subscription covers every Phare device in a home.

Revenue comes from one-time sales of the Phare C1 in three price tiers (C1 Core, C1, C1 Pro) and from annual Phare Protect subscriptions in two tiers: Protect Starter (ongoing algorithm updates, full app access including historical data) and Protect Pro (adds dedicated human support, Protect API access and a lifetime hardware warranty of up to 10 years of coverage).

Traction

The company moved from prototype toward production following its 2023 raise, with the founders stating at the time an intention to go from prototype to production within 12 months. The Phare C1 is now offered for sale in three configurations with a subscription service.

Latest developments

The Phare C1 is available for purchase in Core, C1 and Pro configurations with Phare Protect subscriptions. The company has stated plans to add wireless interconnection in fall 2026 and Matter integration in winter 2026.