Naledi3d spreads its wings
After a few noteworthy early breakthroughs, the Naledi3d Factory, one of the first start-up companies in The Innovation Hub, is spreading its wings to foreign shores.
Entering the European market with its high-tech product the communication of knowledge and ideas through interactive visualisation - has always been part of the Naledi3d business plan, according to CEO Dave Lockwood, who recently returned from visits to Sweden and Paris. In addition to strong leads on new contracts, the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding with a Swedish partner is on the cards.
"Surviving the critical first two years in business is in itself a reason to celebrate. We could not have wished for better acknowledgement of the progress we have made than entry into the European market," says Lockwood, who also paid tribute to the support provided by The Innovation Hub.
Training and skills development is one of the focus areas at Naledi3d, especially with a view to empower people form previously disadvantaged backgrounds. The visual nature of real-time virtual reality (VR) and its inherent interactivity provides an exceptional medium to transfer skills and knowledge to people with literacy disadvantages.
According to Lockwood, the more conventional application areas include specialist, tailor-made modeling and simulations in the architectural and construction arenas, as well as interactive content to support e-commerce marketing and sales.
In Sweden, discussions were held with representatives of Dutch, German, British and Swedish companies who develop and sell similar products. Lockwood mooted the concept of the Naledi3d Factory developing 3D content in South Africa for their clients - "at half the price they would be paying for the same development expertise in Europe".
"We have already produced three successful models for TweenSense, a Dutch company. The latest comprised a visual representation of proposed housing upgrade projects in the Netherlands. Our "3D Plan Communicator" concept is designed to produce low-cost visualisations of new developments, which allows the user to fly over or walk around the existing, as well as the proposed, architectural solution. This allows us to streamline a communication process with clients. We are now ready to enter the European market," Lockwood believes.
Lockwood also attended a UNESCO workshop in Paris. He was one of three technology experts invited as advisors to explore ways of increasing access to education through technology. The aim of the workshop was to identify the most pressing teacher training needs and the best policy, strategy and technology approaches to meet these needs in the medium and long term. The other two experts were from the Simon Fraser University in Vancouver and the Senior Vice President of Worldspace in Washington.
The Naledi3d Factory has developed a strong working relationship with UNESCO's Communication and Information Sector over the last two years, as a result of the UNESCO assignment to develop a VR 3D-model for the Nakaseke Telecentre in Uganda. This model demonstrates basic hygiene principles to rural communities. Subsequently, Naledi3d has trained two Ugandan teachers in the development of VR models to transfer these skills and enable the Ugandans to apply it to other local education projects.
"Increased access to cutting-edge information and communication technologies can have an enormous impact on educational and learning opportunities in the developing world. Naledi3d is ready to become pro-actively involved in addressing this challenge," Lockwood said.
Two years of participation in the pilot business incubator at
The Innovation Hub and the Naledi3d Factory is showing
significant growth. Team members Tebogo Pelo (left) and
Dave Lockwood discussing new European leads. |
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