Avery Dennison invests $75M in Wiliot to expand BLE-based IoT

Avery Dennison is investing $75 million in Wiliot to deepen their partnership around battery-free BLE sensor technology. The move targets scalable digital identities and condition monitoring in supply chains, addressing growing demand for real-time, AI-ready data across retail, logistics, and food sectors.

Strategic investment to scale Physical AI

Avery Dennison has announced a $75 million minority investment in Wiliot, a provider of battery-free Bluetooth Low Energy sensor technology and so-called Physical AI platforms. The investment strengthens an existing collaboration between the two companies and signals a long-term commitment to expanding data-driven supply chain visibility.

As part of the agreement, Avery Dennison will take a seat on Wiliot’s Board of Directors. The company will also act as the preferred partner for inlay design, manufacturing, and commercial scaling of Wiliot-enabled solutions.

Combining RFID and BLE for broader IoT coverage

A key aspect of the partnership is the combination of established RFID technologies with passive BLE-based sensing. Avery Dennison positions BLE as a complementary layer to RFID, extending capabilities from identification to continuous sensing and condition monitoring.

This approach enables new data streams beyond traditional scan-based systems. Passive BLE sensors can provide ongoing insights into location and environmental conditions without manual interaction, which is particularly relevant for perishable goods and time-sensitive logistics.

For system integrators and solution providers, the integration of multiple wireless technologies offers flexibility in designing hybrid architectures tailored to specific use cases. It also increases the addressable market by enabling applications that require continuous data rather than event-based tracking.

Focus on digital identities and AI-ready data

The partnership aims to accelerate the adoption of digital identities for physical items across industries such as retail, logistics, and food. By linking items to cloud-based platforms, both companies target improved transparency and automation in supply chain processes.

Wiliot’s platform processes signals from battery-free BLE sensors and converts them into actionable data using AI and machine learning models. This enables real-time condition monitoring, inventory intelligence, and automated workflows.

The availability of continuous, structured data is increasingly relevant as companies implement AI-driven decision-making systems. Sensor-based data streams can support predictive processes, reduce waste, and improve operational efficiency.

Industrial relevance and scaling potential

Avery Dennison brings large-scale manufacturing capabilities and established market access in digital identification, particularly in RFID inlays and labeling solutions. This infrastructure is expected to support the industrial scaling of Wiliot’s technology.

For end users, especially in food and retail sectors, the combined offering addresses challenges such as freshness tracking, waste reduction, and supply chain transparency. In logistics, continuous visibility can improve asset tracking and exception handling.

The expanded go-to-market strategy reflects increasing demand for solutions that bridge the physical and digital worlds through persistent, item-level data.