Morris Mbetsa: Creator Of Africa’s First Flying Drone Taxi

Morris Mbetsa,33, is arguably Kenya’s contrarian manufacturer, widely known for creating Africa’s first drone flying taxi and including abandoning his university studies at a local institution and relocating to the US. He has also operated from Nigeria, Africa’s largest economy and travelled to China to scour for opportunities to sell his hardware. This guy is daring. Now for the very first time, he reveals, that his Nairobi-based company Numeral IOT is in the last stages of a discussion that will lead to a  merger with a global brand.Here he goes ahead to field questions fixated on his entrepreneurial journey thus far.  

By Charles Wachira

1)In 2018 you manufactured Africa’s first drone flying taxi which aimed to manoeuvre the apparent challenge of traffic jams witnessed on generic African roads including enhancing the delivery of critical products and services like medicare. How was the innovation treated by the Kenyan authorities and generally the world? And how is the contraption faring in the marketplace today and what challenges if any have you faced in selling the product in the market?

Morris Mbetsa – In general, the development of drone technology was met with both excitement and concern from regulatory authorities and the public. On the one hand, our drone offered a range of exciting possibilities for enhancing efficiency and improving access to critical services like healthcare and logistics in areas where traditional infrastructure was lacking. On the other hand, there were concerns about safety, privacy, and potential misuse of this technology.

The project was a labor of love inspired by a desire to better the lives of us black people.

As I started the project, I quickly realized that it would require far more funds than I had anticipated. I didn’t have the funds to invest in it myself at the time. As a result, I was constrained to fund the project through grants and well-wishers.

We pitched the project to a couple of investors, including some high-profile ones, but it was deemed too risky and ahead of its time. While the investors were impressed with the project’s potential, they did not believe it was a sound investment.

Despite our efforts to secure funding, we couldn’t continue with the project without additional investors, prompting me to transition my focus to more practical devices that could be monetised.

I learned a lot from the project and it made me better prepared to approach future endeavors with a more comprehensive understanding of the industry and its challenges.

2)Your company which you launched in 2019 was known as Numeral IOT -please explain how you came up with the name. 

Morris Mbetsa -We chose the name because it reflects the technological aspect of our company. The choice of the word “numeral” suggests a focus on numbers, which are fundamental to binary computer languages, and reflects the digital nature of our company. 

The addition of “IoT” to the name also shows our involvement in the Internet of Things, a rapidly growing field that involves connecting physical devices to the Internet to enable them to communicate with each other and with other systems.

Overall, the name Numeral IoT conveys a sense of innovation and technological advancement.

3) What stirred you towards the road leading to the ecosystem that you operate in?

Morris Mbetsa- Since I was a child, I always had an interest in this field. I’m fascinated by electronics’ inner workings and enjoy tinkering with them. Over time, I realized that most of the hardware we use in Africa is imported from other countries and is not always designed with the African market in mind.

This sparked a childhood ambition of mine to establish a factory where I could manufacture critical electronics and make them available to the African masses. By doing so, I believe we will be able to bridge the digital divide and provide more people with access to modern technology that will help them improve their lives.

Furthermore, I believe that IoT is the technological future and a critical component of the digital transformation that is taking place across industries. By incorporating IoT into normal hardware , we can create innovative products that are more intelligent, connected, and better suited to meet the needs of the African market

4)Before setting up the company you travelled to China for some specialized training. How did you manage to pay off the fees required? Also please tell our readers how and why you made contact with that particular Asian country and what you learnt from there that has proved to be useful with your entrepreneurial career so far. 

Morris Mbetsa -I travelled to China because my business partner at that time and I were working on a project together, my trip was paid for by his company. The trip’s goal was to look into manufacturing opportunities for our hardware in China, which was the world’s undisputed factory at the time.

While I was there, I was able to observe firsthand how the factories operated and how the manufacturing process worked. One thing that struck me was that most of the factory workers were low-skilled labourers whose jobs didn’t require traditional school knowledge.  This gave me the inspiration to work with my African people and provide employment opportunities for them.

In addition to gaining inspiration for my manufacturing processes, I was able to make valuable connections with chip and component suppliers, who are crucial for our manufacturing. These connections have been beneficial in securing the necessary supplies and components for our manufacturing operations.

5)You once set base in Nigeria please explain what led to the relocation and why you settled for that particular West African state.

 Morris Mbetsa -I moved to Nigeria because my business partner at that time had ties in Nigeria and we saw an opportunity in the market. At that time, Nigeria had implemented speed governor regulations in the country, which created a demand for speed governors.

We saw an opportunity to produce speed governors for the Nigerian market, and my business partner’s ties in the country made it a logical choice for us to set up our operations there. This allowed us to tap into the local market and also take advantage of the regulations that had been put in place.

6) You were admitted to The Technical University of Kenya to pursue a degree in electrical engineering in …. but you quit after a few months reportedly because you got bored of the theoretical nature of the course and eventually moving the United States for a short course courtesy of Barack Obama’s Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI). You also attended Notre Dame University based there where you underwent studies in aeronautical training. Please explain how different the teaching is comparing the US and Kenya and how it has contributed to your entrepreneurial journey. 

Morris Mbetsa -In my opinion, my education in the United States was particularly eye-opening, especially in comparison to my education in Kenya. I discovered that the education system in the United States was more practical and project-based, allowing me to interact with real-world professionals from companies such as Microsoft and IBM. This gave me hands-on experience and allowed me to develop valuable skills that I could apply in the real world.

Furthermore, I discovered that the education system in the United States was full of sharp, like-minded individuals who were as smart and forward-thinking as I was. I was able to connect with people who shared similar interests and goals.

Through my education in the United States, I was able to make genuine connections with people who have remained influential in both my professional and personal lives to this day.

7)To date, what has your company innovated and of those gadgets which one is your signature innovation and why? 

Morris Mbetsa -Our company has produced several products including speed governors, trackers, smart home devices such as smart bulbs and locks, security, and game-changing smart meters for gas, water, and electricity. 

The smart meters are revolutionary and unique in their features and capabilities. They offer solutions that are not available on the market and have opened doors for our company. Due to our local manufacturing and the unique features of our smart meters, we have received significant interest and partnership opportunities from across West Africa, East Africa, and North Africa
8) Do you have a research and development unit within your organisation and if in the affirmative, on average how long does it take to create a product? Or is your organisation manufacturing DNA a creature of knee-jerk reactions?

 Morris Mbetsa -Our RND (Research and Development) process is tailored to the scope, budget, and level of complexity of each project. Our team approaches research and development in a flexible and adaptable manner.

We base our decisions on large-order demands. We prioritize, however, understanding the needs and pain points of industry clients and organizations.

Before producing a working prototype, the RND process typically takes at least three months. We take a methodical and thorough approach to R&D, which is critical for ensuring the final solution’s quality and feasibility.

9) What new product are you working on currently?

 Morris Mbetsa -our team is currently working on large-scale projects ranging from the LPG (liquefied petroleum gas) to solar industries. This project is related to developing solutions that combine these two energy sources, to create more efficient and sustainable energy solutions for disadvantaged communities

10)How many employees do you have under your payroll and how much do you estimate your company is worth in dollar terms? 

Morris Mbetsa – We are amid partnerships and confidential agreements, so kindly excuse me from answering these questions for the time being.
11) Are your products only to be found in Kenya and how do you market your creations? 

Morris Mbetsa -Our company offers services to clients from Tanzania, Liberia, Ethiopia, in addition to Kenya. We have a global perspective and are not geographically restricted.

Our company has worked with large organizations in the past and is well-equipped to handle complex projects and challenges.

12)Please tell us about the talk in the grapevine regarding talks coalescing around mergers and partnerships involving Numeral IOT

Morris Mbetsa -I can’t say much about this because the process is ongoing but all I can say is be on the lookout for the name Spearhead. inc

13)In the next five years where do you see you envisage your company?

Morris Mbetsa -To become one of, if not the largest electronics manufacturer in Africa, with a strong focus on IoT technology. We envision having one of the biggest IoT platforms on the continent, which will enable Africans to get analytics on their connected devices at very low costs. This is a significant goal that could have a major impact on the development and adoption of IoT technology in Africa.

We plan to accelerate the transition to IoT in Africa by having factories across the continent.

We are keen on investing in infrastructure and resources that will support the growth and development of IoT technology in Africa.