Pepper IoT has been busy. Notably, the Kansas City-based Internet of Things platform and service provider startup announced a Series B investment round of $8.5 million. It also debuted its Pepper IoT operating system—and indicated more is to come. 

The funds came from Leawood Ventures, the KCRise Fund and Royal Street Ventures, who joined Pepper IoT’s current investors OpenAir Equity Partners and Comporium Communications.

“Kansas City is fortunate that the Pepper team has chosen our region to grow its IoT technology which will change the way we harness information to improve our lives,” said Darcy Howe, managing director of the KCRise Fund. “Pepper is yet another great example of the diverse innovation happening in KC. KCRise Fund is delighted to be among its investors.”

The new Pepper IoT operating system will power the next generation of IoT and connected home services.

The Series B financing will support the launch of several consumer IoT products, including the Pepper OS, and hire several more employees.

The company plans to serve the Internet of Things and connected home markets through Pepper IoT Enterprise and its customized Powered by Pepper platform. As the Internet of Things market continues to grow, consumers will need to manage an increasing number of apps to control various devices. Pepper IoT’s turnkey software platform is designed to help consumers manage all the connected devices in their lives through just one app, essentially doing for IoT what Android and IOS did for wireless.

Scott Ford, chief executive officer of Pepper, said, “Our goal is to put the user experience at the center of the Internet of Things. With dozens of connected devices invading each of our lives, we need a way to manage our connected lifestyles in a way that’s easy—but also takes advantage of the interoperability across IoT devices and services.”