Early Life and Influences
Chief Executive Officer and co-founder of Reach Industries, Silas Adekunle, is a Nigerian-British inventor and technology entrepreneur known for creating an intelligent gaming robot that combined lifelike robotics with augmented reality. He shares his journey and insights on the role of technology in shaping Africa’s future.
I was born in Ibadan, Oyo State, but spent most of my early years in Ede, Osun State. Some of my most memorable childhood experiences were in Ode Omu (Osun), where I often visited my grandmother on the farm. I spent a lot of time surrounded by nature, and I always describe my childhood as magical, filled with outdoor adventures and moments shared with friends.
The Move to the UK
Moving to the UK around the age of 12 was a major turning point for me. That exposure at such a young age opened my eyes to how vast and diverse the world really is. I realized that people live very different realities and that every country — no matter how developed — has its own flaws. Those early experiences helped me see life with a broader, more balanced perspective.
Family Influence
My family played a huge role in shaping my interests. My dad came from a science background, and my mum was a nurse, so education and curiosity were always encouraged. They nurtured my fascination with engineering; enrolling me in after-school robotics clubs and supporting my experiments at home. I was something of a child inventor. In my teenage years, I even applied for a patent, though I couldn’t get it because I was under 18. But that supportive environment made all the difference.
Passion for Wildlife and Robotics
I have always been fascinated by movement; how creatures like spiders or insects move with precision and grace. That curiosity about motion naturally evolved into an interest in robotics and creating lifelike machines. Even now, I express that fascination through dance; from Afrobeats to Salsa. It’s the same creative impulse that led me to explore how science fiction could become reality.
Early Experiments
Some of my earliest experiments involved building simple robots that could move around. I was constantly taking apart my sister’s toys just to see how they worked. Those small projects fed my curiosity and eventually inspired me to study robotics formally at university.
Educational Journey
During my A-levels, I focused on Maths and ICT, but I was already obsessed with robotics. I even studied Japanese for a while because I dreamt of moving to Japan; the hub of robotics innovation at the time. When I discovered that the University of the West of England had one of Europe’s largest robotics labs, I knew it was the right place. I wrote a personal letter with my application, and the head of the programme found it compelling enough to offer me admission.
Lessons from University
While tutoring younger students in Maths, I realized how hard it was to hold their attention; until I started relating lessons to robots. That’s when I saw the potential of using robotics as a learning tool. The idea that you could first capture someone’s imagination and then teach them to code inspired my vision for creating educational and entertainment platforms that merge robotics, AI, and gaming.
Challenges and Overcoming Them
In my first year, I wanted to fund some of my ideas, so I pitched a project to Hewlett-Packard; and that’s really where my entrepreneurial journey began. I also worked with companies like GE Aviation, but I quickly realized that large corporations had too much structure for my liking. I wanted more room for creativity and innovation, which pushed me further down the path of entrepreneurship.
Global Perspective
Balancing university studies with a placement year gave me a real-world perspective on how industries operate. It also taught me to reflect deeply on the systems around me. By my final year, I could see two clear paths — a traditional engineering career or the riskier route of building innovative products. That period helped me understand how technology can bridge divides and create global opportunities, especially for African innovators.
MekaMon and Beyond
MekaMon was born from my desire to build something that could truly capture people’s imaginations. I was fascinated by motion, animation, and the idea of bringing lifelike robots into gaming. That combination of interests— from my love of nature to my passion for tech and creativity— led to the creation of MekaMon, which is short for Mechanical Monsters.
Building Reach Robotics
One of the biggest lessons I learned was how much ecosystems matter. We built Reach Robotics in the UK, but at the time, the real frontier for robotics — especially in terms of funding and hardware innovation — was in the United States. As a recent graduate, I was also navigating global manufacturing for the first time, managing production in China, and building a diverse team. Looking back, I’d say timing and team strength were two of the biggest factors. We built something that was truly ahead of its time.
Lessons from Failure
When we eventually closed Reach Robotics, the assets were acquired by Awarri for educational purposes. Around that time — between 2017 and 2019 — I started spending more time in Nigeria, engaging with the tech ecosystem and noticing significant gaps. That experience inspired the creation of Awarri Foundation, which focuses on introducing robotics education and preparing young people for the future of work.
Awarri and Vision
“Awarri” comes from the Yoruba word meaning to seek and find; the belief that everything young people are searching for already exists within them. Our role is simply to create the tools and ecosystems that help them bring it out.
Transition to Reach Industries
Transitioning to Reach Industries and developing Lumi, a visual intelligence platform for science automation; what drove this shift toward industrial and scientific applications of AI and robotics?
Awarri came first, but around the time of the COVID-19 pandemic, my co-founder and I noticed that many laboratories were struggling to keep running because their infrastructure was outdated. Critical scientific data was still being recorded manually, sometimes on paper.
Given our experience with real-time vision systems, we saw an opportunity to build technology that could power the next industrial revolution in science. That led to the creation of Reach Industries and Lumi; a visual intelligence platform designed to transform automation and data management in the life sciences sector.
Impact on Education and Innovation
Awarri started its work in Nigeria with a strong focus on education. But over time, I began to see a lot of infrastructural gaps, which made us expand our mission beyond just education. Our core mission today is to enable the development and adoption of frontier technology on the African continent—starting in Nigeria.
Future Strategies
Education remains a huge part of what we do, but AI is another critical area. AI is essentially a subset of information technology, and when you strengthen information technology, you improve how information is structured within a society. That structure then creates efficiency; for instance, in how people access and use information.
However, technology only works well when it connects to everyday realities. Many language models today are text-based, but in Africa, we largely speak tonal languages—our communication is audio-first. That gap inspired us to build critical software infrastructure powered by AI, including tools for data capture and education. Along the way, we’ve created jobs, trained people, and built systems that other developers can now build upon, including our recent launch of N-Atlas.
Future Trends
If we’re talking about the future of technology in Africa, frontier technologies will be key to transforming critical sectors like healthcare, agriculture, research, and automation. To compete globally, we need to invest in foundational technologies that others can build upon.
Take agriculture, for instance. Scaling it effectively isn’t just about deploying more people; it’s about combining human effort with automation. You need human intelligence at the core, supported by technologies that amplify productivity. Many of our industries, especially agriculture, are still under-resourced when it comes to automation, and that’s where the next big transformation will happen.
Recognition and Influence
I am always honored by those recognitions, and I think they help inspire others as well. But for me, the most important thing will always be the work itself.
Current Projects
We are working on several technologies through Awarri and Reach Industries, many of which focus on vision systems. If you think of language models as bridges to the human mind, vision is the bridge to the physical world. It helps us understand and interact with our environment. Vision technologies help organize information that language models can’t process, forming the foundation for the next generation of robotics and automation systems.
Personal Influence
My family’s influence has been profound. The greatest gift they gave me was freedom; the freedom to explore, create, and build without being forced down a specific path. That trust allowed me to find my own direction, and it’s something I try to extend to others as well. I believe people thrive when they’re given space to experiment and express their potential.
Motivation
I believe creativity is one of humanity’s greatest gifts. Everything around us began as an idea in someone’s mind before becoming reality. That means we have collective power to shape the world we live in. Of course, there will always be challenges, but in my time on this planet, I’m driven to use technology as a transformative force for good; to build, improve, and inspire.
Personality and Work Ethic
It is hard to work quietly these days. People have expectations, and social media amplifies everything. But I’ve learnt that focus and intention matter more than noise. I am very results-driven, and my work reflects that. Each day is about small, deliberate experiments; identifying what’s tangible, achievable and impactful.
Work-Life Balance
Balance is key. I make time to relax with my family and do things I enjoy. I love dancing, gaming (though I don’t get much time for it now), and listening to audiobooks or podcasts. I also train regularly—Thai kickboxing, gym workouts, different sports. Keeping the body fit and healthy is crucial, not just for physical wellbeing but also for longevity and mental clarity.
Advice for Young Innovators
My advice is simple: your ideas are valid. You have a unique perspective, and the world is waiting for it. Don’t get discouraged by a lack of resources; many people are working to change that. Collaboration is vital; find others who share your vision and build together.
Knowledge is more accessible than ever, but the real magic lies in applying it; turning what’s in your head into something tangible. Use your creativity and agency as a force for good. That’s how we’ll move the continent forward.
