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

Professional life

Adekunle is the co-founder and former

CEO A chief executive officer (CEO), also known as a central executive officer (CEO), chief administrator officer (CAO) or just chief executive (CE), is one of a number of corporate executives charged with the management of an organization especially ...

of Reach Robotics, an

augmented reality Augmented reality (AR) is an interactive experience that combines the real world and computer-generated content. The content can span multiple sensory modalities, including visual, auditory, haptic, somatosensory and olfactory. AR can be de ...

gaming company that creates

robot A robot is a machine—especially one programmable by a computer—capable of carrying out a complex series of actions automatically. A robot can be guided by an external control device, or the control may be embedded within. Robots may be c ...

s for gaming and

STEM Stem or STEM may refer to: Plant structures * Plant stem, a plant's aboveground axis, made of vascular tissue, off which leaves and flowers hang * Stipe (botany), a stalk to support some other structure * Stipe (mycology), the stem of a mushro ...

education. The startup has developed a 4 legged robot with lifelike movement called MekaMon. The platform brings

video game Video games, also known as computer games, are electronic games that involves interaction with a user interface or input device such as a joystick, controller, keyboard, or motion sensing device to generate visual feedback. This fee ...

characters to life by combining

robotics Robotics is an interdisciplinary branch of computer science and engineering. Robotics involves design, construction, operation, and use of robots. The goal of robotics is to design machines that can help and assist humans. Robotics integrat ...

with augmented reality. Reach Robotics has also developed an app, which controls the MekaMon and acts as a portal to digital content. Adekunle has received $12 million from investors, including London Venture Partners, allowing the UK-based company to expand to 65+ full-time employees at its peak. In 2018, Adekunle partnered with

Apple An apple is an edible fruit produced by an apple tree (''Malus domestica''). Apple fruit tree, trees are agriculture, cultivated worldwide and are the most widely grown species in the genus ''Malus''. The tree originated in Central Asia, wh ...

, signing an exclusive distribution deal to sell his product in both the United States and Britain. Reach Robotics shut down on Sept. 2, 2019 due to “''inherent challenges in the consumer robotics sector”.'' 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 & Robotics technology in Africa. 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 The ''Financial Times'' (''FT'') is a British daily newspaper printed in broadsheet and published digitally that focuses on business and economic current affairs. Based in London, England, the paper is owned by a Japanese holding company, Nik ...

' list of the 'Top 100 minority ethnic leaders in technology.' In the same year, he was selected for the

Forbes 30 Under 30 ''Forbes'' 30 Under 30 is a set of lists of people under 30 years old issued annually by ''Forbes'' magazine and some of its regional editions. The American lists recognize 600 business and industry figures, with 30 selected in twenty industries ...

Europe 2018: Technology list.

Education and personal life

Adekunle was born in

Nigeria Nigeria ( ), , ig, Naìjíríyà, yo, Nàìjíríà, pcm, Naijá , ff, Naajeeriya, kcg, Naijeriya officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a country in West Africa. It is situated between the Sahel to the north and the Gulf o ...

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 The University of the West of England (also known as UWE Bristol) is a public research university, located in and around Bristol, England. The institution was know as the Bristol Polytechnic in 1970; it received university status in 1992 and ...

References

Year of birth missing (living people) Living people Artificial intelligence researchers Nigerian technology businesspeople Yoruba businesspeople Nigerian inventors Nigerian roboticists Yoruba engineers Alumni of the University of the West of England, Bristol {{Nigeria-business-bio-stub