From left: Chett Maherry (CFO), Dwayne Williams LLB, (Head of Legal & Commercial), Martiens Eksteen (Head of Marketing – Operations);Bachelor of Management Leadership, 2017.
Inlays, top: Bertus Jacobs (CTO); BSc Physics & Computer Science 1989 and BSc Hons Computer Science 1990, bottom Michiel du Toit (Chief Innovation Officer)
The South African company IoT.nxt, a leading innovator in ‘Internet of Things’ technology, has been selected as a key partner to optimise energy usage at schools in Florida, US.
The company and the project partners are making a huge impact in the US because it saves 200+ schools in Florida significant amounts of money thanks to its sophisticated technology – the patented Raptor™ gateway solution, rolled out in a multimillion dollar project to ensure that schools use power most efficiently. The lead contractor, American company Minimise USA, selected IoT.nxt and British Energy Saving Technology (BEST) for their specific expertise. BEST to see to the energy and IoT.nxt to maximise its efficiency – effectively turning the power on and off, and more.
On the back of this project, IoT.nxt expanded into the US with the establishment of an office in Dallas, Texas, similar to the one the Pretoria-based company established in the Netherlands in 2017.
Photo: Professor Francis Petersen
Rector and Vice-Chancellor of the University of the Free State, Professor Francis Petersen, comments: “At the UFS we are always delighted when our former students make an impact that improves life for people. Iot.nxt is trailblazing some astonishing technology and creating new markets for South African talent abroad.”
IoT.nxt CEO Nico Steyn, said expansion to the US had been a goal for the company, which had been exploring various opportunities since the opening of the European office.
“The project with Minimise USA and BEST has fast-tracked our US strategy,” he said.
IoT.nxt is experiencing massive uptake for its innovations, locally and internationally, he says. “We are proving that South African companies can compete with the leading global tech giants and that we have the skill to embrace the opportunities offered by the 4th Industrial Revolution.”
How IoT help save energy:
Steyn explains that in an attempt to reduce energy consumption, many building managers use pre-set systems to switch energy on and off at fixed times. But the sophisticated IoT strategies and technology enable building managers to take account of factors such as occupancy and ambient external temperature when considering how much or how little energy was required to heat or cool a building, or even purify the air. They can therefore make changes that optimise energy usage efficiently and effectively, and so effect significant cost savings.
“Because our Raptor™ solution allows for retrofitting of any existing equipment and systems, it eliminates the need to rip out and replace them, it closes the gap energy facilities managers were grappling with,” adds Steyn.
Daniel Badran, CEO of Minimise USA, says Iot.nxt provides key technology and the human intelligence and flexibility to continually adapt to this massive project. “Together, with BEST, they complement the innovative NCOPA (No Capital Outlay) financial model of Minimise USA that makes the project such a game changer for private/public partnership worldwide.”
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Bendigo Communications
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