Microfuse Stick, the Affordable, Slimline, low Power Computer for Africa
Karugaba Ivan, Founder of Microfuse talks to World Business Journal about Microfuse Stick which drastically cuts the cost and electrical power of Windows PC-type devices and the ambition to drive technology to all communities in Africa.
What is Microfuse Stick and how does it function?
Mirofuse Stick offers the functionality of a Windows PC for just $100. Or $200 with a 19-inch monitor, and IPS, with built-in sound and a mounting system. The stick connects to the screen via HDMI, replacing the bulky CPU and cutting energy use from the usual 200W to 35W watts compared to a typical desktop’s 200W.
We created the prototype in 2016 using Raspberry Pi compute module industrial application developer platform. Progressing from starter kits to more user-specific applications, we refined our hardware design and further enhanced the prototype.
By 2017, we tackled intellectual property concerns and gained recognition by winning the Multimedia Innovation award at a URSB competition. In 2019, we downsized our device based on user feedback, prioritizing basic computing needs in Uganda.
Partnering with the Uganda Industry Research Institute in 2020, we launched Version 1, producing 100 units for schools and small businesses gaining crucial insights into user preferences and pricing expectations.
Around mid-2023, Version 2 debuted, featuring Windows OS and improved cooling, receiving enthusiastic feedback even before mass production began. We ramped this up to meet high demand while keeping focus on energy efficiency and ongoing product enhancements.
Is local manufacturing a part of your business strategy for these products?
Our strategy involves the gradual localization of our value chain. Currently, our focus is on local design, creating manufacturing files and bills of materials, and sourcing components from China through contract manufacturing services.
Our current goal is to internalize processes, with a target of achieving a 40% localization rate. This includes enclosure manufacturing and packaging through injection molding and sourcing packaging locally targeting 6 to 12 months. This endeavor is supported by a government grant from Science, Technology, and Innovation (STI). We’re establishing a facility in Namanve Industrial Park, expected to reduce manufacturing costs by about 30%, aided by favorable policies like tax waiver for production inputs, contributing to overall cost reduction.
What other services does your company provide?
We specialize in product design, having crafted over 30 unique products, with six successfully transitioning to commercial phases. This ranges from addressing challenges faced by motorcycle taxi (boda boda) riders in the e-commerce industry to developing medical devices like a digital stethoscope that enhances diagnostic accuracy.
Our focus spans education and business. In partnership with the NGO AcTogether Uganda, we’re collaborating to oversee the digitization of transaction records for over 2,700 saving groups, consolidating financial data and facilitating the transition to digital systems.
Within education, our digital platform complements our hardware, allowing students to participate in digital labs, quizzes, assessments, and access study materials, videos, and live lessons. The Global Digital Education Network, a collaboration with Madix Online Education Agency, offers schools discounted access to our hardware and platform.
How do you anticipate the next two years unfolding?
Only 9% of school-going children globally have computer access, while Africa stands at a mere 3%. This underscores the immense potential for expansion.
We foresee significant growth opportunities; expanding our product lines and market reach, aiming for an increase from 1,000 units to 100,000 units in 2024. We also plan to enter additional African markets within EAC.
Our recent participation in the Qualcomm Make in Africa program, focused on chips and wireless communication devices gave us an eight-month mentorship under Elliot Levine, a global technology leader and director of Worldwide Public Sector and Education at Qualcomm.
We recently got into the Africa Prize for Engineering Innovation, founded by the Royal Academy of Engineering. Africa’s biggest prize dedicated to engineering innovation, awarding commercialisation support to innovators developing scalable solutions to local challenges. We hope to use this opportunity as a stepping stone to learn, collaborate and raise needed funds.Communicating the potential of hardware innovation has been challenging, despite the rising demand for production in Africa as global labor costs shift. We must train our workforce to seize the opportunities and prepare for the sector’s growth.
