1851's Most Innovative Franchises in 2026: Level Up Automation

Smart technology is no longer reserved for luxury homes or early adopters. Homeowners, businesses and builders increasingly expect connected lighting, security, networking, entertainment and automation systems to work seamlessly together. Yet as the number of connected devices grows, so does the complexity of designing, installing and supporting them.

Level Up Automation has built its business around solving that challenge. Rather than focusing on a single product category, the company serves as a technology integration partner, helping clients create connected environments while giving franchise owners the systems, training and vendor relationships needed to build a business in an industry still in its early stages of growth.

Building a Business Around Connected Technology

Founded in 2016 by Jennifer Mallett, Level Up Automation was created with the goal of becoming a trusted advisor in an increasingly complicated technology landscape. After building the original business, the company launched its franchise system in 2020, becoming what it describes as the first national franchise focused on custom technology integration.

Today, the brand serves both residential and commercial customers with services ranging from networking, security cameras and smart lighting to automated shades, whole-home control systems, home theaters and commercial automation. Instead of treating each technology as a standalone product, Level Up designs systems that allow them to work together through a single, intuitive experience.

Bringing Simplicity to a Complex Industry

What makes Level Up Automation stand out is not simply the technology it installs but the role it plays for customers trying to navigate a rapidly changing market.

"We're an automation company,” Mallett said. “If you think of smart homes and what it entails, it's the automation of all systems in residential spaces. This includes automated lighting, audio, video, shades and strong wireless networks.”

As more homes and commercial buildings rely on interconnected devices, customers often need guidance as much as installation. Level Up positions its franchisees as local experts who can recommend the right solutions, oversee implementation and provide ongoing support as technology continues to evolve.

The company's mission reflects that philosophy by serving as a trusted advisor that helps clients simplify, enhance and elevate their homes and businesses through thoughtfully integrated technology.

A Franchise Model Built for a Growing Market

Level Up Automation's innovation also extends to its franchise model.

Instead of asking entrepreneurs to build supplier relationships, identify product lines and create operating systems on their own, the company provides a structured framework designed specifically for the connected technology industry. Franchisees receive training, certification pathways, marketing support, branded systems and access to established vendor relationships while beginning with a home-based model that can eventually grow into a retail showroom.

"One of the great things we're doing for potential franchisees is driving simplicity and deciding which lines they should carry, what will help them grow their business and support them," Mallett said. "When people start automation businesses, it's often mom-and-pop stores and hard to scale, but the franchise system is going to be a difference maker in our industry."

The company is looking for entrepreneurs who enjoy technology and customer service, but it emphasizes that success comes from following a proven system rather than trying to navigate an evolving industry alone. As connected homes, smart buildings and intelligent cities continue expanding, Level Up believes locally owned automation businesses will become increasingly important to helping customers adopt and maintain these technologies.

Why Level Up Automation Stands Out

Many home service franchises focus on a single category, such as security, networking or audiovisual systems. Level Up Automation gives owners a broader platform, allowing them to help clients bring those technologies together in one connected system.

That combination of integrated services, a structured franchise model and a market driven by long-term technology adoption is what makes Level Up Automation one of 1851 Franchise's Most Innovative Franchise Concepts. Rather than reacting to how homes and businesses are changing, the brand is building local businesses around the systems that will increasingly power them for years to come.

Stay tuned throughout the rest of the month for 1851 Franchise's full Innovative Franchise Concepts series to explore the other innovative brands making waves in the industry.