Local entrepreneurs pilot dataless streaming for learners

TWO local entrepreneurs who have developed a device which enables dataless streaming, are conducting a pilot of this device with matric learners at Bechet High School in Sydenham.

Shermar Stuart and Andile Mchunum from Prime Tech Technologies, developed the device called The Prime to enable people to stream content for free – without the need for mobile data.

They said in light of the Covid-19 pandemic, they decided to make use of their technology as a relief effort for the education system by allowing matric learners to have free access to educational and revisional content in the crucial build-up to matric finals.

“Covid-19 came and it has made us take a look into education as we understand the impact that it is having on the learners, especially the matrics. We decided to provide them with the tools that they need to succeed,” said Shermar.

The men started their pilot with Bechet High School, Shermar’s former school, and are due to complete their installation in the coming month.

“The pilot is going well and we have done a number of tests throughout the month. It was quite a challenge, adapting our technology to a new environment and there are still some issues that we will have along the way, however from next week we will have our device in the school full time,” he said.

Shermar said once they had completed the pilot with this first school they intend to provide the solution to more schools, especially disadvantaged schools and learners.

All a learner needs is a device – a phone, tablet, laptop, or computer – they do not need data, any internet connection or even a sim card.

“This makes our solution extremely practical, cost-effective, and useful. It is completely off-grid and as such we are able to implement it even in rural and completely disconnected schools where we understand that internet connection, let alone money for data, is a huge obstacle,” he said.

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Shermar and Andile are proud entrepreneurs. Andile, (22), was studying a Bachelor of Arts at the University of the Witwatersrand, but dropped out to pursue a career in entrepreneurship.

He began his career in entrepreneurship by authoring The True State Of The Nation at the age of 17, and decided to put all of his efforts into blockchain, IOT and Quantam Technology.

Twenty-three-year-old Shermar was a serial entrepreneur from the age of 13 when, in high school, he would sell anything and everything that he could.

From a young age he developed a keen eye for spotting opportunities and trends with an uncanny ability for taking advantage of potentially profitable situations, and now he is an avid innovator who is revolutionising industries with disruptive technologies.

Shermar and Andile met at Invotech, a Durban business incubator, and The Prime project was born out of the synergies between their companies.

In 2019 they founded the company Prime Tech Technologies and together they are shaping the technology landscape of the African continent.

They were one of the Top Ten winners of the African Science Technology and Innovation Forum 2020 in the Innovation in Action Competition as Part of the United Nations’ sixth African Regional Forum on Sustainable Development 2020, as well as one of the Top 10 innovators for the 2020 Innovation Festival Durban.

“After this pilot of our device, we now have a larger vision for the education industry, so in some ways, Covid-19 was a blessing in disguise,” said Shermar.

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