With its mesh network, Attavik connects the unconnected in one of the most remote regions of the world. The startup has gotten a patent approved in the US, a new CEO, and is now ready to expand.
Traditionally companies in Greenland work within fishing or tourism. But there is a new company in town. Attavik, a tech startup that has developed a mesh network to connect the unconnected. And that technology has given them the seal of approval in the States, where they got a patent in January 2014. Now is the time to go global, says the company and Accelerace-alumnus to ITWatch.
“We have chosen to focus on the rural areas in the US. Here, around 25 million people live in areas which have no cell service or bad internet connection,” says John Siegstad, the new CEO in Attavik to ITWatch and continues:
“We see the same in Europe, where large parts of the population live in areas with a poor connection. Areas, that are usually seen as developed and high-tech countries but nevertheless millions of people have no service.”
If one is connected, everyone is connected
The mesh network is build of the Attavik RED, which stands for Range Extender Devices, and ordinary smartphones. If just one device in the network is connected or have cell coverage, all devices in the network will be online via the Attavik-app on their smartphone.
Attavik is founded by the couple Poul and Jeanne Holm. John Siegstad joined the founding team three years ago and recently became the CEO with his background in telecommunications in Tele Greenland.
The two founders got the idea for Attavik when they visited the beautiful Nuuk Icefjord. They were standing on either side of the fjord. They could see each other. But they could not reach each other by phone.
Attavik is on the lookout for investment
In 2007, they turned the idea into Attavik, which means “connection” in Greenlandic. After they got the patent in 2014, they had to hold operations for a while due to lack of resources. But in 2015 they were back at it with Attavik.
In 2018, they joined
Accelerace, and now they are ready to expand. Besides other areas and countries with a poor internet connection and cell service, the solution can be used in disaster zones where the infrastructure has crashed.
Attavik is currently looking for investors or a possible acquisition to make 2019 the year of reaching their dream.]]>
