Invent One
The barrier to entry into programming computers and designing smart systems is very high. Too much code, too much stress. Although smart devices are helping people to automate processes, there is no programming platform that allows people (esp. non-techies) to create their own smart applications to run on multiple computers and smart devices.
We have built a people-friendly programming language (Invent One) for Computers and smart devices. Our software uses a drag-drop interface that allows users to program multiple smart devices and computers with a very minimal learning curve required.
With our solution, millions of people, regardless of their background in technology will now be able to program computers easily. The advent of smart devices have proven the need for everyone to start programming. We believe our solution will help people to become better programmers and creative thinkers.
Technology has shaped our lives in numerous ways. Sadly, not everyone has allowed technology to shape their lives. Myself and my teammates were all born and breed in Nigeria but unlike the rest of the 70% digital excluded people, we stood out to build a solution for everyone.
We have been tutors of technology since 4-5 years now and one thing we have noticed is the barrier to entry into technology. Alot of people (especially in my country) do not know how technology works and when we try to explain to them, they get turned off. Because they don't understand how it works, they can never be creative with it. This is the reason we built our own programming language and made it very simple enough to start programming and building creative things
We have called it programming for all because of its affordability, accessibility and efficiency. We have used this language to train kids, pre-teens and university students to build programming techniques. We even went thus far to build our own micro-controller (minicomputer) board which is affordable enough for anyone to buy in-order to start programming.
Nigerians. Why? Because they are our first contact.
There are over 70% digitally excluded people in Nigeria and the simple reason is because of the barrier to entry into technology. Technology/Programming techniques is not well taught in schools because the teachers find it hard to learn programming languages. With our solution, we have seen students begin to program all by themselves with little or no efforts from the teachers.
Our solution will be used across Nigerian schools to effect the zeal of creativity into every student.
We have built a programming language for Micro-controllers, Computers and Smart devices. Our software uses a drag-drop interface that allows users to program multiple devices with a very minimal learning curve required.
We also designed our own micro-controller board called Invent One Board. In the coming years, our goal is to keep producing very affordable computers to everyone which would also be programmable using our laboratory
The web application was built using Angular for the front-end, MQTT, Node.js, Docker, and Python for the back-end service. AWS for various cloud service hosting. There is a Middle layer will call the Parser kits that parses block diagrams into JSON and then to code which then runs on the device (computer, micro-computer, smart device)
- Support communities in designing and determining solutions around critical services
- Ensure all citizens can overcome barriers to civic participation and inclusion
- Pilot
- New application of an existing technology
We took the concept of "Data flows from LEFT to RIGHT" from National Instrument's LabView (which is a graphical programming language) to build our own programming language that runs directly on the Web.
LabView is a very simple but complex language. We shred out those complexities and developed something pretty lightweight (running on the browser) that can talk directly to mini computers and smart devices like Alexa and Google Home
IoT, Data Science, M2M communications, ML
- Machine Learning
- Internet of Things
- Indigenous Knowledge
Our solution is cheap and easily accessible by the Nigerian Market.
- Women & Girls
- Children and Adolescents
- Low-Income
- Middle-Income
- Nigeria
- Nigeria
We launched early this year and have sold about 15 of our mini computers. We should hit the 100th mark by the end of this year. In the coming years, we believe our solution (esp our software) would have penetrated well in the market. Our target is to reach 10,000 program downloads per day on the laboratory by the end of next year
1. Gain upto 10,000 program downloads per day
2. Market sales to other 34 states in Nigeria and not just in Lagos and Osun State
1. Access to funds
2. Poor Manufacturing conditions in Nigeria - We always have to manufacture our computers in China
1. Access to funds - We hope to secure some funding from grants like MIT Solve to help us push our solution through. Also, we would be raising Kickstarter Campaigns in the coming months
2. Poor Manufacturing conditions in Nigeria - We would keep designing here in Nigeria and then keep manufacturing in China.
- For-Profit
5
Myself and My partner, Ayomide Bakare are both leaders of the team. I have a background in circuit design and embedded linux while my partner has a background in JavaScript and has also deployed solutions at scale as he was working with an online shopping software in Nigeria.
Both of us have been working together on several projects including InvenTech for the past 7 years.
Tanteeta - A STEM education company in Nigeria that has tutored over 5000 kids on programming in Nigeria. They currently use Invent One to ease their programming classes.
We believe our solution can help millions of lives in Nigeria and Africa and we also believe that Solve MIT can help us achieve that dream
- Business model
- Technology
- Distribution
- Funding and revenue model
Arduino
Raspberry Pi
BBC Microbit
CEO
