When most people think of the startup scene, Africa is likely the last place that comes to mind. Yet, with the rapid adoption of technology on the continent, large populations and large problems to solve, the scene has experienced a surge of activity in recent times with VentureBeat reporting that Kenya and Nigeria are now leading Africa in terms of fundraising and startups.
Serial entrepreneur Adedayo Charis is testament to this, coming to Brisbane, Australia in 2011 from Nigeria to study, and graduating with an engineering degree in 2015. Around his studies he has also managed to fit in developing and selling several startup companies including ‘by and by tech’ (developing tablet devices) and ‘TransitKonect’, a taxi-booking app, which was designed to help with the traffic and unemployment issues within Africa. TransitKonect was announced a winner of the Tony Elumelu Entrepreneurship Program (TEEP).
Charis is now gearing up to launch his third startup, the iKON Tracker, which has already been recognised as one of the top 30 startups at DEMO Africa, featuring some of the most innovative start-ups in Africa.
On 7 June iKON will be launched in Brisbane at the Ithaca Auditorium in the City Hall in Brisbane. Backing iKON and attending the soiree is Aaron Birkby, right hand man to Steve Baxter’s of The Shark Tank and an active and respected member of the Australian startup community.
Aaron has a highly successful reputation for moving startups to Silicon Valley, is also currently a Board Member of Startup Weekend Australia and combined with interest in the product should see a good contingent of the Queensland startup community at the event, along with local media, entrepreneurs, investors and early tech adopters.
Charis says the iKON Tracker is the “ultimate tracking device that you can put on just about anything, or anyone”.
The multifunctional device (which everyone who comes along to the event will receive as part of their ticket), syncs up with your smartphone via Bluetooth and the free app, and with no need for wi-fi or data allows you to track down everything from pets to keys to your laptop, bag or wallet, or your bike – in short, anything you have tagged with a tracker!
Cleverly, with its LED and ringer capabilities, the iKON tracker will also help you find your misplaced keys, laptop, or just about anything even in the darkest of places. With the iKON app, you can also create a Geofence, say a few metres in front of your house, and get notified immediately when you leave something behind – for instance your wallet or laptop for the day.
On a broader scale, Charis says the iKON Tracker hopes to address the ever-growing terrorist attacks and kidnapping cases that happen all over the world, every single day.
“Our very own shores in Australia have borne witness to a host of kidnappings – Daniel Morcombe and the Beaumont children, to name a few nationally covered cases. If these children had trackers on them, would they have been found?” he says.
In this sense, The iKON Tracker hopes to provide a practical and preventive solution to the loss of valuable items and things, and to protect and find anything people value most.
Immediately following the launch event in Brisbane, iKON will be taking its technology global and commencing its highly anticipated campaign through Kickstarter, the world’s largest crowdfunding platform.
For more information about iKON tracker please visit http://www.ikontracker.com.au/.
To purchase tickets to the June 7th Launch event at the Brisbane Town Hall please visit http://bit.ly/1NwyvKA
