NoBox

NoBox: innovative app and web-based platform connecting science, technology, and engineering students, providing opportunities to showcase talents, discover learning, earn opportunities, and connect with like-minded individuals. 

https://drive.google.com/drive...The problem we are trying to solve is the lack of networking and resources for STEM students in Nigeria. This includes poor networking systems between students and professionals in the STEM field, poorly equipped labs and crowded lab spaces, and an inadequate supply and availability of project materials, fabrication labs, and workspace. These issues impede the advancement of STEM education and hinder the ability of students to acquire hands-on experience and access opportunities. These issues slow down the growth of STEM education and limit students' abilities to gain hands-on experience and access opportunities. The market opportunity for Nobox is to provide a platform for these students to connect and access resources at a reduced cost, with a projected target market of 7 million students and professionals.Our platform addresses the lack of resources and networking opportunities currently faced by STEM students in Nigeria. Our platform also includes a mentorship program, connecting students with experienced professionals in their field of interest. With an estimated 7 million students and professionals in Nigeria seeking access to networking and resources in the STEM field, we believe that our platform can bridge the gap in STEM education and empower the next generation of tech leaders. We believe that  NObox can make a positive impact on the STEM education ecosystem.

NObox is an app and web-based platform for science, technology, and engineering students in Nigeria. It aims to connect students with similar interests, provide a platform for them to showcase their work, and discover learning and earning opportunities. The platform has three main features: One For All, NoboxLab, and TechRite. One For All is a page where students and professionals can post their projects, designs, and achievements and get feedback, advice, and ideas from their peers. NoboxLab is a virtual laboratory environment that allows students to conduct science experiments and create 3D and Circuit designs for their prototypes. TechRite is a marketplace where students can purchase project materials, find nearby retailers, trade with other users, and request assistance with materials not found on the platform. The platform uses AI and machine learning to track the progress of its users and find new solutions and features to solve problems in the STEM field.

The target population for NObox is science, technology, and engineering students and professionals in Nigeria. These individuals are currently underserved in the areas of networking, collaborations, and access to resources and materials for their projects. In Africa, less than 25% of higher education students are pursuing STEM-related fields, but 93.3% of people in Nigeria have access to the internet. NObox aims to bridge the gap in STEM education and provide a platform for these individuals to connect, showcase their work, and discover learning and earning opportunities. The platform will also provide a virtual laboratory environment and a marketplace for students to purchase materials and equipment for their projects. The target market for NObox is initially students and professionals in the STEM fields in Lagos, Nigeria, with a projected total of a million people. The primary revenue model for NObox includes free access to simplified resources for students, paid mentorship, and fees for companies to register as vendors and run ads on the platform. 70% of sales will be invested in students, 20% in schools, and 10% in basic app maintenance. We believe that our platform can bridge the gap in STEM education and empower the next generation of tech leaders.

Our team is composed of individuals with diverse backgrounds in technology, education, business, and social impact. Our team members have experience in software development, project management, education, and community engagement. Our team's skills include proficiency in software development, AI, machine learning, and data analysis. Our team also has experience in creating and managing successful projects that have positively impacted communities.

Our team also includes individuals who have a personal connection to the problem we are trying to solve. We have team members who have gone through the struggles of not having access to proper STEM education and resources, and understand the challenges faced by students in Nigeria. Our team members also have experience working in the Nigerian education system, and understand the cultural and systemic barriers to STEM education in Nigeria.

In addition to our skills and experience, our team is highly motivated and passionate about solving the problem of inadequate STEM education in Nigeria. We believe that our solution has the potential to create a significant positive impact, and we are committed to seeing it through to success.

the team behind NObox has conducted research with potential users in the form of interviews and surveys. They identified a problem faced by students in Nigeria, particularly with access to STEM education and resources due to the Covid-19 pandemic and a strike by the Academic Staff Union of Universities. They proposed NObox as a solution to connect students and professionals in the STEM field and provide a user-friendly environment for collaboration and learning. They surveyed over 430 people worldwide and found that the issues were mostly in African countries, so they plan to start in Nigeria and expand to other countries in the future. They also found that most of the initial interest in the app would be from students, but they hope to attract a more diverse group of users over time. It is mentioned that the team used various media outlets to ensure they were on the right track, and they have a hypothesis that the app will be useful in the future of work and learning, with more lasting changes in the way we work and learn.

NObox provides a new approach to education by connecting STEM students and professionals in Nigeria and providing them with access to resources and materials for their projects, all in one platform. The virtual laboratory environment, marketplace, and networking features allow students to conduct experiments, purchase materials, and connect with peers and mentors in a way that is not currently available in Nigeria. The platform is also user-friendly and accessible via mobile phone, allowing students to continue learning even in remote or low-resource settings.

NObox has the potential to be catalytic in the education market in Nigeria. By providing a platform for STEM students and professionals to connect, collaborate, and access resources, it can help bridge the gap in STEM education and support the development of a more robust and innovative workforce in Nigeria. Additionally, the platform's use of AI and machine learning can help track the progress of students and identify new solutions and features to improve STEM education.

The platform could also have broader positive impacts by providing a model for other countries to follow in terms of connecting students and professionals in STEM fields and providing resources for learning and collaboration. The platform could also inspire the creation of similar platforms in other fields of study, expanding access to education and opportunities for students and professionals around the world.

Our impact goal for NObox is to increase access to STEM education and resources in Nigeria, and to foster a more robust and innovative STEM workforce in the country. To achieve this goal, we plan to use our platform to connect STEM students and professionals, provide access to virtual laboratory environments and resources for projects, and offer mentorship and networking opportunities.

We plan to achieve this goal by:

• Connecting STEM students and professionals in Nigeria through our platform, allowing them to showcase their work, share ideas and collaborate with others.
• Providing access to virtual laboratory environments and resources for projects, allowing students to conduct experiments and prototype their ideas.
• Offering mentorship and networking opportunities, allowing students to connect with experienced professionals and learn from their peers.
• Using AI and machine learning to track the progress of students and identify new solutions and features to improve STEM education.

We believe that by achieving this impact, we can help bridge the gap in STEM education in Nigeria, and support the development of a more robust and innovative STEM workforce in the country. Additionally, our platform could serve as a model for other countries to follow in terms of connecting students and professionals in STEM fields and providing resources for learning and collaboration.

NObox is a web-based platform that relies on technology to function. The platform is designed to connect STEM students and professionals in Nigeria and provide access to resources and materials for their projects. The platform uses a combination of existing technologies such as web development, AI, and machine learning to achieve its goals.

The platform uses web development technologies such as HTML, CSS, and JavaScript to create a user-friendly interface for users to access the platform and its features. The platform also uses AI and machine learning to track the progress of students and identify new solutions and features to improve STEM education.

The NoboxLab feature, is a virtual laboratory environment that allows students to conduct science experiments and create 3D and Circuit designs for their prototypes. It utilizes graphic tools which are easier and faster to move with drag and drop features and its ‘do it yourself‘ feature which allows users to use it with ease.

The TechRite feature, which is a marketplace where students can purchase project materials, find nearby retailers, trade with other users, and request assistance with materials not found on the platform. This feature uses a search algorithm to match students with the nearest printing station for their 3D and Circuit designs, and it also uses a secure payment gateway for transactions.

Overall, NObox uses a combination of existing technologies such as web development, AI, and machine learning to connect STEM students and professionals, provide access to virtual laboratory environments and resources for projects, and offer mentorship and networking opportunities.

As of now, NObox has not yet launched, so it is currently serving no people. However, in the next year, we plan to serve at least 1 million people in Lagos, Nigeria alone. This includes students and professionals in the STEM field who are currently facing challenges in accessing resources, networking, and finding opportunities in their field. The platform is designed to connect students and professionals, provide access to virtual laboratory environments and resources for projects, and offer mentorship and networking opportunities. We believe that by achieving this impact, we can help bridge the gap in STEM education in Nigeria, and support the development of a more robust and innovative STEM workforce in the country.

There are several barriers that currently exist for us to accomplish our goals in the next year with NObox. These include:

• Financial barriers: Developing and launching a web-based platform like NObox requires significant financial resources. Funding for the development and maintenance of the platform may be limited, and we may face difficulty in securing investments or grants.

• Technical barriers: Developing a virtual laboratory environment, marketplace, and networking features requires a skilled team with expertise in web development, AI, and machine learning. Recruiting and retaining the right talent may be challenging.

• Legal barriers: Compliance with various laws and regulations such as data protection, intellectual property rights and other legal requirements may be difficult.

• Cultural barriers: There may be cultural barriers to the adoption of the platform in Nigeria, as some students may be resistant to using technology in their education.

• Market barriers: The market for NObox may be limited in Nigeria, as other similar platforms may already exist, and it may be difficult to attract and retain users.

These barriers may limit our impact in the next year but we are constantly finding ways to work around these barriers and make sure that we reach our goal.

We are currently Participating in the fishbowl Competition gearing for our finals on February 28th, as well as google developer clubs and some NGO'S Such as GNAT and ASUU. 

Nobox's business model is based on providing value to students and professionals in the STEM field through a suite of features and services. The main features of the platform are the One For All feature, NoboxLab, and TechRite. The One For All feature is a platform where students and professionals can post their projects, designs, and achievements and receive feedback, advice, and ideas from their peers through simple interactions such as post, like, comment, chat, and share. This feature aims to bridge the gap in the networking system in Nigeria and help students and professionals build strong networks, partnerships, and opportunities.

NoboxLab is a web-based platform designed to introduce a safe and interactive laboratory environment for students by creating a virtual learning space that allows students to conduct science experiments individually and in groups interactively via their mobile phones. It facilitates science learning by replacing heavy lab equipment and reagents with graphic tools which are easier and faster to move with drag and drop features and its ‘do it yourself’ feature which allows users to use it with ease. It is developed with well-tailored laboratory experiments for various classes according to the Nigerian educational curriculum. The lab spaces also allow students to create 3D and Circuit designs for their prototypes.

TechRite is the first STEM-only marketplace in Nigeria where students can purchase project materials, find nearby retailers, trade with their fellow users, and request assistance with materials not found on the platform. The best part about this feature is that students can make 3D and Circuit designs on the NoboxLab and simply send the file to the nearest printing station around them, thereby allowing students to prototype and bring their ideas to life.

The revenue model for Nobox is based on a combination of different streams. The primary users of the platform, which are students, will sign up to access simplified resources for free and high-ranking mentorship at a small charge. Companies can also register to become vendors on the platform after proper verification and a small fee. Likewise, they can sell tools and machinery such as drills,

Our path to financial sustainability for NObox involves a combination of revenue streams. These include:

• Subscription-based revenue: Students and professionals can sign up to access simplified resources for free and high ranking mentorship at a small charge.

• Advertising revenue: Companies can run ads on tech-related projects and their skills to gain traction or traffic on their websites, skills or products.

• Vendor revenue: Companies can register to become vendors on NOBOX after proper verification and a small fee. They can sell tools and machinery needed by student users to ensure they also make a living to support themselves in this field.

• Sponsorship revenue: We will also look for sponsors and partners to support the development and maintenance of the platform.

Additionally, we plan to reinvest a portion of the revenue generated from these streams back into the platform to support its growth and expansion. This will help to ensure that the platform is able to achieve its goals and continue to improve over time.