We just got back from Utrecht, and we're still processing everything that happened. State of the Open Home 2026 was one of the most meaningful experiences we've had as a company, and we want to share what it felt like to be in that room.
What Is State of the Open Home?
State of the Open Home is the annual event hosted by the Open Home Foundation which is a Swiss non-profit that owns and protects Home Assistant, ESPHome, Music Assistant, and over 250 other open-source smart home projects. This year's event was held at TivoliVredenburg in Utrecht, the Netherlands, with nearly 300 people in the audience and many more watching the livestream.
The theme was "Building in the Open," and the lineup reflected that. Paulus Schoutsen, Franck Nijhof, Laura Palombi, Kevin Ahrendt, Jean-Loic Pouffier, Melissa Thermidor, Missy Quarry, Matthias de Baat, Marcel van der Veldt, and Carl Olof Albertsson all took the stage. Our co-founder Trevor Schirmer was honored to be among them.
If you missed the livestream, you can read the official recap from the Open Home Foundation here: Building What's Next: State of the Open Home 2026
This Movement Is Bigger Than Any One Company
We want to say something that might sound unusual coming from a business: none of this is about us.
The Open Home Foundation exists to protect your right to a smart home that respects your privacy, gives you real choices, and doesn't lock you into a subscription or a cloud service that could disappear tomorrow. That mission matters more than any single product we sell. It matters more than any single company in this ecosystem.
When we talk to people about why we care so much about open-source smart home hardware, it can be hard to put into words. But being in that room in Utrecht made it easy. You could feel it. Nearly 300 people of developers, tinkerers, families, retirees, students, and all there because they believe your home should belong to you. Not to a corporation. Not to a cloud. To you.
It feels like a movement. It feels like we're all fighting for something that matters and for everyone's future, not just our own. The right to own your data, to choose your hardware, to run your home locally without asking permission from a server somewhere. That's what the Open Home Foundation is protecting, and that's why we'll keep showing up.
Apollo Would Not Exist Without This Community
We say this every chance we get because it's true: Apollo Automation would not be here without the Open Home Foundation and the community.
Two years ago, Trevor and Justin were assembling sensors in a basement in Versailles, Kentucky. Today we have a dedicated manufacturing facility with a six-person team, we're the first ESPHome-based manufacturer certified under Works With Home Assistant, Trevor serves as a rotating board member of the Open Home Foundation, and a majority of our profits from licensed products go directly to funding the foundation's work.
None of that happened because of some business plan. It happened because this community gave us feedback, filed issues on our GitHub, told us what they needed, and supported us when we were just two people with an idea. The ecosystem that Paulus and the foundation team built is the reason our products have a home. We don't forget that.
The Community in Utrecht Was Amazing
One of the best parts of State of the Open Home is what happens between and after the talks. We met people running Home Assistant setups we'd never imagined. Someone monitoring beehives with ESPHome sensors. A family that built an entire accessibility system for a disabled family member using nothing but open-source hardware and Home Assistant automations. A guy who automated his entire workshop dust collection system with an Apollo AIR-1 and a relay. A teacher using our sensors to teach students about IoT and programming.
These conversations remind us why we do this. It's not about selling sensors. It's about enabling people to solve real problems in their own homes on their own terms.
Trevor Took the Stage and Announced the ESPHome Starter Kit
Trevor spoke in the "Building in the open with partners" segment alongside Carl Olof Albertsson from Nabu Casa. And he had some news to share.
We announced the ESPHome Starter Kit which is a product we've been building in the open with the Open Home Foundation and the community. The ESPHome Starter Kit is designed to be the easiest way for someone new to ESPHome and Home Assistant to get started with open-source smart home hardware. It's our answer to the question we hear most often: "I want to get into Home Assistant and build my own sensor, but where do I even begin?"
The ESPHome Starter Kit is an approachable, hands-on kit that teaches you how ESPHome works by having you actually build and configure a real device. It's not a toy or a demo board. It's a real product you'll keep using in your home after you've learned the basics.
We're building it in the open because that's what this community does. The firmware is on our GitHub, the development process is transparent, and community feedback is shaping the final product.
A majority of the profits from the ESPHome Starter Kit will fund the Open Home Foundation. When you buy an ESPHome Starter Kit, you're not just getting a starter kit, but you're directly supporting the foundation that protects Home Assistant, ESPHome, and the entire open-source smart home ecosystem.
The ESPHome Starter Kit ships in mid-May 2026. You can sign up and reserve yours now:
Reserve the ESPHome Starter Kit
What the Open Home Foundation Announced
The ESPHome Starter Kit was just one piece of a packed evening. Here are some of the other highlights from the event:
A new Community department. The Open Home Foundation introduced Melissa Thermidor as the Lead of Community, alongside Community Manager Missy Quarry and Event Organizer Florencia Martin. This is a real investment in making sure everyone who finds their way to this community feels welcome and supported.
Home Assistant Labs. Franck Nijhof and Jean-Loic Pouffier shared how the foundation is inviting users to test and influence features while they're still being developed. Real-world feedback from real homes, shaping the product before it's finished.
Sendspin. Kevin Ahrendt and Marcel van der Veldt showed how new protocols are being opened up to community contribution while still evolving, with some impressive music demos along the way.
A public roadmap. The foundation's roadmap is now live on GitHub, and it's not just a list to look at. It's designed for you to participate in. Open the cards, leave feedback, and submit feature requests on the Home Assistant, Music Assistant, or ESPHome discussion pages.
New Nabu Casa hardware. Carl Olof Albertsson shared upcoming Nabu Casa products with infrared and radio frequency support, giving the community even more choice for local smart home control.
How You Can Get Involved
You don't need to write code to be part of this. The Open Home Foundation and Home Assistant are built by and for regular people who want their homes to work better. Here are some ways to get involved:
- Try the ESPHome Starter Kit when it ships in mid-May - it's designed for beginners: Reserve yours here
- Explore the public roadmap and share your feedback: Open Home Foundation Roadmap on GitHub
- Watch the State of the Open Home 2026 livestream if you missed it: Watch on YouTube
- Read the official Open Home Foundation recap: Building What's Next: State of the Open Home 2026
- Support the Open Home Foundation directly: openhomefoundation.org
- Join our Discord to talk about Apollo products or just smart home stuff in general: Apollo Automation Discord
Thank You
To the Open Home Foundation team, to Paulus and everyone who makes Home Assistant possible, to the community members who traveled to Utrecht, and to everyone watching the livestream from home - thank you. You're building something that matters. We're grateful to be a small part of it.
Let's keep fighting for the open home. Together.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the ESPHome Starter Kit? The ESPHome Starter Kit is an approachable starter kit designed to teach beginners how ESPHome and Home Assistant work by building and configuring a real device. It's being built in the open with the Open Home Foundation and the community. A majority of profits fund the Open Home Foundation. Reserve yours here.
When does the ESPHome Starter Kit ship? The ESPHome Starter Kit is expected to ship in mid-May 2026. You can sign up now on our product page to reserve yours.
What is State of the Open Home? State of the Open Home is the Open Home Foundation's annual event celebrating the open-source smart home community. The 2026 event was held on April 8 at TivoliVredenburg in Utrecht, the Netherlands, with nearly 300 in-person attendees and thousands watching the livestream.
What is the Open Home Foundation? The Open Home Foundation is a Swiss non-profit that owns and protects Home Assistant, ESPHome, Music Assistant, and over 250 other open-source smart home projects. It champions privacy, choice, and sustainability in the smart home.
Is Apollo Automation a partner of the Open Home Foundation? Yes. Apollo Automation is one of only two official commercial partners of the Open Home Foundation. Our co-founder Trevor Schirmer serves as a rotating board member. A majority of our profits from licensed products fund the foundation's work.
What is ESPHome? ESPHome is an open-source system for controlling ESP32 and ESP8266 microcontrollers with simple configuration files. It integrates locally with Home Assistant with no cloud required. Learn more at esphome.io.
What is Home Assistant? Home Assistant is the world's most popular open-source smart home platform. It runs locally, supports thousands of devices, and gives you full control over your home without relying on cloud services. Learn more at home-assistant.io.
Browse our full lineup at apolloautomation.com.
Apollo Automation builds high-performance, open-source smart home sensors and tools in Versailles, Kentucky. We're a proud commercial partner of the Open Home Foundation and the first ESPHome manufacturer certified under Works With Home Assistant and Made for ESPHome. All our products work locally with no cloud required. Learn more at apolloautomation.com.
