Silas Adekunle is a Nigerian-British robotics engineer, inventor, and entrepreneur, well-known for his ground-breaking work at the intersection of robotics and artificial intelligence. As the co-founder and former CEO of Reach Robotics, Silas made history by creating MekaMon, the world’s first intelligent gaming robot that combined lifelike robotics with augmented reality. This pioneering product redefined interactive entertainment and STEM education, blending the virtual and physical worlds in a way never seen before. With its lifelike movements and responsive capabilities, MekaMon became a sensation and secured an exclusive distribution deal with Apple.
Driven by his passion for leveraging technology to empower people and reshape industries, Silas has transitioned his focus to broader applications of AI and robotics in scientific research and industrial automation. As the CEO and co-founder of Reach Industries, he is now leading the development of Lumi, a visual intelligence platform for science automation.
In addition to his work in the robotics and scientific sectors, Silas is committed to driving innovation and educational development in Africa. Through Awarri, a company he founded, Silas is leading the development and adoption of frontier technology to bridge the gap, harness technology to solve real-world problems and inspire a new generation of African innovators.
Silas Adekunle has been recognized for his ground breaking work in robotics and technology. He was named in Forbes' "30 Under 30 Technology” both Europe and Africa, listed among the "Top 100 Minority Ethnic Leaders in Technology" by the Financial Times and recognised by the “Maserati 100” List.
Lumi (by Reach Industries), is a visual intelligence platform for science automation, designed to augment scientific research and accelerate discovery. Lumi uses advanced computer vision and machine learning technologies to automate lab operations, enhance reproducibility, and streamline quality control processes, enabling scientists to focus on creative problem-solving. This platform, which has already seen adoption in leading Biotech and pharmaceutical companies, is revolutionizing how data is captured and analyzed in laboratories, setting new standards for efficiency and innovation.
Awarri's work is focused on enabling the development and adoption of frontier technologies across Africa such as AI and Robotics. In collaboration with the Nigerian Government, Awarri is developing Nigeria’s first multilingual Large Language Model (LLM), aimed at promoting local language representation and supporting the region’s creator and developer ecosystems. Additionally, Awarri is developing foundational models and building critical AI software infrastructure for African contexts.
MekaMon, the world’s first intelligent gaming robot, was created by Silas Adekunle through his company Reach Robotics. Combining augmented reality (AR) with lifelike robotics, MekaMon allows users to engage in immersive, interactive battles using a smartphone app. Its ability to exhibit emotions and respond to environmental stimuli set it apart from traditional robots. Launched in 2017, MekaMon gained attention for its innovative fusion of gaming and robotics, securing a distribution deal with Apple, and becoming a milestone in both the entertainment and STEM education sectors.
In the Press
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Forbes
2024
Exclusive: This Startup Is Launching An AI-Powered Lab Assistant For Scientists
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Rest of World
2024
A little-known AI startup is behind Nigeria’s first government-backed LLM.
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Arise News
2023
We are building AI to speak Nigerian languages.
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Techpoint
2021
Awarri and Union Bank unveil “The Next Robotics Legend 2.0”.
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CNBC
2018
This 27-year-old built the world’s first gaming robot and now he’s partnered with Apple and Amazon.