Silas Adekunle

Silas Adekunle is a Nigerian inventor and technology entrepreneur known for creating the world's first intelligent gaming robot.^[1]

Silas Adekunle
Born	Nigeria
Alma mater	University of the West of England
Known for	Co-founder and former CEO, Reach Robotics

Professional life

Adekunle co-founded and was the CEO of Reach Robotics, a UK-based augmented reality gaming company that created robots for gaming and STEM education.^[2][3] The startup developed a 4-legged robot with lifelike movement called MekaMon. The system animated video game by combining robotics with augmented reality. Reach Robotics also developed an app, which controled the MekaMon and acted as a portal to digital content. Adekunle received $12 million from investors, including London Venture Partners, allowing the company to expand to about 65 full-time employees at its peak.^[4]

In 2018, Adekunle partnered with Apple, signing an exclusive distribution deal to sell his product in both the United States and Britain.^[5] Reach Robotics shut down on Sept. 2, 2019 due to "inherent challenges in the consumer robotics sector".^[6][7] Blueprint Lab, a robot manufacturing company adopts the name 'Reach Robotics' on July, 2022.^[8]

Adekunle is now focused on using MekaMon to develop the Robotics education ecosystem across Africa and cloud infrastructure for industrial automation in the UK. He founded the company Awarri, which aims to enable the development and adaptation of advanced AI and robotics technology in Africa.^[9] As so January 2020, Adekunle is also the co-founder and CEO of (R.I). The company aims to help developers to quickly and securely implement the cloud infrastructure needed to remotely monitor, manage and control their robots, industrial automation and IOT devices.

Honours

In November 2018, Adekunle was named to the Financial Times' list of the "Top 100 minority ethnic leaders in technology".^[10] In the same year, he was selected for the Forbes 30 Under 30 Europe 2018: Technology list.^[4]

Education and personal life

Adekunle was born in Nigeria and moved to the UK when he was 12. He earned a first class degree in robotics and an Honorary Degree of Doctor of Technology from the University of the West of England, Bristol.^[11][12]

References

1. "Nigerian inventor Silas Adekunle creates MekaMon gaming robots". BBC Africa. October 29, 2018.
2. "Nigerian Tech entrepreneur Silas Adekunle secured deal with Apple to sell gaming robot MekaMon - Gova-Media". Gova-Media. 2017-12-27. Retrieved 2018-09-15.
3. "This Young Black Robotics Engineer and CEO Just Landed a Sweet Deal with Apple". Black Enterprise. 2017-11-15. Retrieved 2018-09-15.
4. "Silas Adekunle". Forbes. Retrieved 2020-09-17.
5. Olson, Parmy. "Meet The young Robotics entrepreneur who got a Dream Deal With Apple". Forbes. Retrieved 2018-09-15.
6. "Reach Robotics shuts down". The Robot Report. 3 September 2019.
7. "Reach Robotics - End of the Road". www.linkedin.com. Retrieved 2020-09-17.
8. "Blueprint Lab Announces Plan to Adopt New Corporate Name!". reachrobotics.com. 2022-07-20. Retrieved 2023-03-26.
9. "Silas Adekunle, the world-renowned Robotics engineer, talks about his new firm, Awarri, and how he is planning to develop African kids in 'STEAM'". www.pulse.ng. 2019-11-25. Retrieved 2020-09-17.
10. "The UK's top 100 black and minority ethnic leaders in technology". Financial Times. 14 November 2018. Retrieved 2018-11-26.
11. Njideka Agbo (September 17, 2018). "Silas Adekunle: The Smartest Gaming Guru In The World". The Guardian.
12. "Honorary degree awarded to Silas Adekunle - UWE Bristol: News Releases". info.uwe.ac.uk. Retrieved 2020-09-17.