When you think of tech giants and robotics innovators, you most probably think of the usual names; Apple, Samsung, Zuckerberg, Elon Musk and so on. Rarely do we include the many notable African innovation across the diaspora who continually make significant strides in the ongoing information and technology evolution.
One such innovator is Silas Adekunle, he is a 26-year Old Nigerian born innovator behind the MekaMon robot and is the founder and CEO of Reach Robotics. He relocated to the UK as a teenager and later graduated university with a degree in robotics and founded Reach Robotics in 2013. In 2017, Silas released MekaMon – the world’s first gaming robot customizable to perform personalized functions, and show ‘emotions’ with subtly-calibrated movements.
The initial launch of MekaMon generated $7.5M, per the Guardian. This move generated interest from industry giants such as London Venture Partners and Apple. Apple has since secured an exclusive sales deal with Reach Robotics and has stocked them in its stores throughout the U.S. and Britain.
Mr. Adekunle is a bright light not only as an African innovator but as an indicator for what’s in store for the future of robotics and millennial ingenuity in the Africa rising movement.
