Supported ventures

konekted.me

Ntu-konected (Pty) Ltd

Brands: konektah (product under development)

Flagship product: IoT home energy management device and web-based application (konektah) to share onsite solar & battery power among tenants in multi-family buildings via subscription

Founding team: Keratilwe Thebe Tsatsimpe and Alfred Waligo

Application: Smart energy management for multi-tenant properties using solar and battery systems, enabling tenants to remotely control power usage in their property, have immediate access to energy usage, get access to solar and battery power without the upfront costs.

Sector/Industry: Energy, IoT in cleantech (sustainable energy use; expand clean energy access)

Subsector: Residential solar optimization, embedded generation, smart metering

Year founded and commenced operations: 2022

Year partnered with TuksNovation: 2024

Contact email address: ntukt@konekted.me 

Website: konekted.me 

Description

Konekted is developing the “konektah,” an IoT home energy management device and web-based application. This solution aims to provide affordable and flexible access to shared onsite solar and battery power for tenants in multi-family buildings in regions experiencing power cuts and rising electricity costs, starting with South Africa.

For a low monthly fee, tenants can remotely manage appliances, access cheaper solar power, and receive backup power for critical needs during blackouts, reducing expenses and increasing productivity. Landlords can differentiate properties and generate new revenues.

Growth Objectives

Konekted’s solution differentiates itself by offering centralized demand management during power cuts, which allows for smaller battery sizes and lower investment costs compared to competitors.

It provides remote user-prompted appliance management to increase savings, circuit energy tracking and insights, and the flexibility for tenants to opt out or pause subscriptions without a cancellation fee. The solution aims to make clean energy inclusive and affordable for low- to middle-income tenants.

Differentiation/Value Proposition

Provides remote user-prompted appliance management, centralized energy use management for equitable sharing of backup power, circuit energy tracking and insights, and the option for tenants to opt out or pause subscriptions without a cancellation fee.

It aims to reduce battery size requirements during blackouts through demand management, lowering investment costs and improving ROI from alternative energy systems.

Business Stage/Phase

Konekted is in the advanced prototyping phase:

  • TRL 5: Technology validated in relevant environment
  • Functional demo units assembled and tested
  • Patentability opinion obtained; MVP demo video completed
  • Tenant and landlord feedback collected

Investment Stage/Phase

The company is preparing for early commercialization and seeking follow-on funding:

  • Funding needed to build and test beta prototype in operational settings
  • Exploring partnerships with manufacturers and financial institutions
  • Get relevant industry testing of product and certifications including trademarking and patenting
  • Co-funded and supported by a New York-based incubator

Investment Raised

Konekted has raised funding from the following sources so far:

  • Seed Fund grant from the Technology Innovation Agency (TIA) – R250,000
  • Co-funding and support from a New York incubator (equivalent of ~USD 5,200)
  • Microsoft Founders Hub credits and software waivers to support our technology infrastructure (~USD 30,000)