Wi-Fi-enabled smart plugs and outlets that let users control home electronics from their smartphones, and fully connected electronic water heaters are among the ideas from 10 startups that have been chosen to participate in the first Microsoft Ventures Accelerator program focusing on home automation.

Microsoft is looking for a few good home-automation startups for its next Microsoft Ventures Accelerator program, happening August through December on the company’s Redmond campus.

Microsoft Ventures has chosen its third startup to make a seed fund investment in: Zula, a cross-platform mobile productivity app to improve team collaboration. Zula aims to streamline team productivity and communication tasks such as file-sharing, messaging, conference calling and quick poll-taking. Microsoft did not say how much it invested. It’s the third seed investment for More