Every so often, a local company hits a milestone that's worth stopping for. Intermentis, a Dunedin startup building an AI doorstep assistant called Soter, has just wrapped a pilot where all eight participating households asked to keep using it!
Head to the Intermentis website to see how Soter works or register your interest, and if you're an investor, partner, or someone who thinks the front door shouldn't be a barrier, get in touch with the team directly.
Press Release: Reservations open as Intermentis seeks funding to turn the working Soter prototype into a fully commercial product.
All eight households that took part in a Dunedin pilot of Soter, an AI doorstep assistant developed by Intermentis, said they wanted to continue using it after the trial.
Soter speaks with visitors before they reach the occupant. It establishes who they are and why they are there, manages routine interactions, and alerts the occupant or a trusted contact when their input is needed. It is designed for people with disabilities and older adults who may find it difficult to reach the door, identify visitors, or respond in time.
Intermentis was one of just six projects selected from 161 applications for the inaugural Access Activator programme, run by Whaikaha – Ministry of Disabled People in collaboration with Creative HQ. Projects were selected based on their potential impact, feasibility, involvement of disabled people, and evidence supporting the problem and proposed solution.
The Whaikaha-backed pilot ran from May to July 2026 in eight households with a range of mobility, vision, hearing, cognitive and communication access needs.
During the pilot, Soter recorded 7,381 doorstep events, including 3,272 interactions with visitors, across 431 household-days of real use. Most importantly, all eight households wanted to continue using Soter after the pilot.
One blind or low-vision participant described Soter as: “It’s brilliant… absolutely brilliant. 10 out of 10.”
Another participant said: “Soter has changed my life.”
Participants also reported feeling safer, finding it easier to know who was at the door, and being less worried about missing or managing visitors.
“The strongest result for us is that every household wanted to continue using Soter,” said Intermentis co-founder Greg Peyroux. “The pilot showed that the front door is a significant but often overlooked accessibility barrier, and that Soter can make a meaningful difference in people’s own homes.”
Participant feedback led directly to new indoor alert and response units and more accessible occupant controls. Intermentis also completed integrations with compatible smart locks, Alexa devices, and Bellman & Symfon flashing-alert equipment.
On 28 July, Intermentis joined the other five selected projects at the Access Activator Showcase at Creative HQ in Wellington, where the teams presented their work to invited guests. The showcase was attended by Hon Louise Upston, Minister for Disability Issues. Whaikaha described the six projects as practical examples of innovation addressing real accessibility barriers.
Intermentis’s next step is to raise the investment needed to turn the working Soter prototype into a fully commercial V1. Commercial release is targeted for the first half of 2027, subject to securing sufficient funding.
The company has opened reservations from households and organisations ahead of the planned release. Reservations are fully refundable and do not commit customers to a final purchase. They will help Intermentis demonstrate demand, identify likely initial production volumes, and support discussions with investors, manufacturing partners and distributors.
More information about Soter, reservations, the Dunedin pilot, and participant experiences is available at intermentis.com.
Intermentis welcomes enquiries from households, disability and aged-care organisations, potential partners, and investors.
About Intermentis
Intermentis Limited is a Dunedin technology company developing Soter, an AI doorstep assistant that helps people with disabilities and older adults manage visitors with greater information, independence and control.