Z-Wave was developed in 2001 by a Danish company called Zensys, which aimed to create a reliable, low-power wireless communication standard for home automation. The technology quickly gained traction, and in 2004, the Z-Wave Alliance was formed to promote and support the standard. Over the years, Z-Wave has evolved, becoming widely adopted in the smart home industry, and has seen continual enhancements to improve its range, security, and interoperability among devices.