A Nigerian-founded biotech firm, Koniku, has secured a groundbreaking deal with global aviation leader Airbus to enhance aircraft and airport security. This partnership focuses on co-developing technology to detect biological, chemical, and explosive hazards, with the goal of improving safety measures in the aviation sector.
Koniku, based in California, combines biology and silicon technology to create innovative solutions for various industries. As part of their collaboration, Koniku will provide Airbus with Konikore, a small, jellyfish-shaped device capable of detecting substances similar to the way bomb-sniffing dogs do. Konikore is designed to identify potential threats in under 10 seconds under ideal conditions.
Although initially developed for aviation security, Koniku’s technology holds promise for broader applications, such as healthcare. The company is adapting its devices for use in detecting diseases like COVID-19 and potentially other health threats in the future.
The innovation behind Konikore lies in its unique ability to detect volatile organic compounds (VOCs), a challenge for conventional machine learning systems. Koniku achieves this by integrating biological neurons with traditional computer cells, enabling the device to “smell” and identify odors associated with specific diseases. These neurons are ethically sourced from mice, and the technology aims to detect biomarkers linked to various diseases.
Founded in 2017 by Oshiorenoya Agabi, a Nigerian scientist, Koniku is headquartered in Silicon Valley, where Agabi leads a team of engineers. Agabi is a strong advocate for the future of biotechnology, predicting that the next technological revolution will be driven by biology rather than traditional silicon-based systems.
Koniku’s work has attracted investment from Platform Capital, a Nigerian venture capital firm, with partner Ponmile Osibo praising the Airbus deal as a major validation of the company’s innovative technology. Koniku is also pursuing other partnerships with various global organizations, though details of these collaborations will be shared selectively.
The partnership with Airbus dates back to 2017, and after extensive due diligence, both companies are now moving forward with the deployment phase. Testing of Konikore is expected to begin in the fourth quarter of 2020, with Airbus anticipating improvements in operational efficiency and passenger experience.
In addition to its aviation applications, Koniku is working towards receiving approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to apply its technology in healthcare. If successful, this would place Koniku’s technology at the forefront of global demand for disease detection, including COVID-19 and beyond.
Agabi envisions Konikore evolving into a personal healthcare assistant, similar to virtual assistants like Amazon’s Alexa or Apple’s Siri. He hopes the device will provide users with an accessible, first-line health checkup tool, ultimately contributing to the future of personalized healthcare.
