Technology

Hardware business the next big thing in tech innovation

solar

Safaricom CEO Bob Collymore (left) and M-Kopa Solar MD Jesse Moore. PHOTO | FILE

I have had the opportunity to interact with some really smart entrepreneur’s from across Africa in the past few months and have been impressed by the ventures started that have custom hardware as a core component.

There are players like BRCK with their ruggedized connectivity solution and M-Kopa Solar with their pay as you go solar lighting systems, who are very visible courtesy of having shipped product and closed on funding to power marketing, additional research development and scale.

There are many others in different stages of actualisation slowly working their way from prototype to market ready product and with the Gearbox, Kenya’s first open makerspace for design and rapid prototyping finalising on its inaugural space, it is an exciting time for makers and owners of capital looking for expanded opportunities within the tech sector.

In the commerce space, Sasalog are onto something with their all-inclusive plug and play point of sale system built for the micro retailer ecosystem that powers trade in many African markets with visibility given to both large and small fast moving consumer goods manufacturers on stock outs allowing for possible just in time fulfilment.

Energy is hot right now, whether it is reducing the reliance on fossil fuels or greenhouse effects. Strauss Energy are innovating on building integrated photovoltaics with their flagship product as roofing tiles that come bundled with capability to generate electricity from the sun.

Deployed at scale they have a real shot of contributing more affordable power to the grid allowing home owners to benefit from net metering. PayGo Energy have a smart play to “displace” charcoal and kerosene.

Transport and logistics has attracted suitors as well. Sure Telematics with a back haul optimisation and insurance agenda, Mbetsa, and others with speed governor and fleet management platforms and CyberTrace with a niche fuel management play.

Agriculture is sensor focused with companies such as Illuminum Greenhouses rolling out smart units, a handful of others looking at faster, accurate and affordable ways to deliver soil testing and others deploying meteorological substations for a more granular take on regional weather conditions upon which to build value added services.

The government has seen some action too. Though the rollout was not commercially realised, Pima Sema, was a feedback capture device that was scoped and built for use at points of services across government’s vast network of citizen centres.

This is but a cross sector sampling of those currently invested in the hardware space with many more in poised to come to light from their jua kali operations and rudimentary workshop setups as support for the movement grows and more and more teams mature their products into real businesses.

Mr Njihia is CEO of Symbiotic. Twitter: @mbuguanjihia.