Intelligent Tech Channels Issue 18 | Page 31

ICA FR A From tracking vultures to monitoring trucks across the continent, IoT enabler Thingstream’s new partnerships in South Africa are driving the development of more cost- effective IoT innovations, faster. AL I O N E L S G E R ANN CH A F RIC THINGSTREAM LOCAL PARTNERSHIPS FAST- TRACK SOUTH AFRICAN IOT INNOVATION T es , M ana ging Director of Pylot INTELLIGENT TECH CHANNELS Issue 18 ar t-J on hingstream, which earlier this year announced it was expanding into South Africa via a local partner network, has formalised partnerships with many local innovators, supporting their development of new IoT solutions across multiple industry verticals. IoT innovation in South Africa is gathering pace with pioneering companies bringing new solutions to market on the back of Thingstream’s ability to connect IoT devices without constraints, such as cross-border connectivity or the need for high-speed access. “Thingstream is delivering a world of opportunity for developers of new IoT solutions, and in South Africa, where there is a high level of engineering capability and technical expertise,” said Tony Doubell, Sales Director South Africa at Thingstream. “It’s an exciting time for IoT across all sectors in South Africa.” w in fo un d er Rich ard Cr eighton Pylot Pty Ltd, a company within the First Technology Group, is one of the partners now building out its IoT solutions portfolio using Thingstream technology. Trevor Hart-Jones, Managing Director of Pylot, says Thingstream technology overcomes several challenges in the roll-out of IoT solutions locally. “In the smart agricultural space, for example, we have implemented IoT solutions to monitor soil water content and manage centre pivot irrigation systems, which potentially saves farmers a significant amount of money on water and power,” said Hart-Jones. “But because farms are in rural areas and typically not covered by high-speed networks, we had to roll out some of the newer low power wide area networks (LPWANs) to support the IoT connections. With Thingstream, we can roll out solutions faster and more cost- effectively to more customers.” Another partner is Digital Twin, an IoT solutions provider focused on the industrial sector. With a strong background in industrial equipment and automation, Digital Twin founder Richard Creighton saw a gap in the market last year for one-stop integrated Industry 4.0 solutions for local industry. “Thingstream was the differentiator for us,” said Creighton. “The platform delivers ubiquitous communications without being tied to any one provider, at an unparalleled price point. We’ve really built out something quite special – primarily because of our relationship with Thingstream. They are a big part of our business and I think they will be a big part of our success.” Doubell says the high level of demand means Thingstream South Africa will focus its attentions on the local market initially. However, Kenya – also a hotbed of IoT innovation – could be the next focus for Thingstream solutions. Local partners are also expected to roll their new IoT solutions out across the continent. “We’re seeing great excitement from the partner side, as they are no longer reliant on mobile operators and the roaming issue is no longer a challenge for them because Thingstream is operator agnostic,” said Doubell. ˜ It’s an exciting time for IoT across all sectors in South Africa. 31