Startup Stories
Tell us about your startup
At NATIX, we recognized that privacy was not the only hurdle preventing widespread camera use in public spaces. Another major barrier was the high cost of infrastructure. Installing, operating, and maintaining the 1 billion public and commercial CCTV cameras worldwide has cost more than $6 trillion. In addition, hardware or software maintenance can lead to downtime, resulting in costly or significant data gaps. To address these challenges, we developed NATIX Network with Decentralized Physical Infrastructure Networks (DePIN) in mind. Our goal is to provide a solution that addresses the cost of infrastructure and personal data privacy concerns that are associated with using cameras at scale. By combining our AI technology with the existing 45 billion cameras worldwide, NATIX Network creates the largest crowd-sourced camera network ever. Most smartphone cameras can run our AI software, collect metadata, and generate a Dynamic Map of the world that is constantly updated as new data is collected from the network.
What is your USP?
NATIX’s patent-pending AI technology guarantees top-tier privacy compliance, addressing concerns surrounding data privacy in a digital world. By using a crypto and blockchain-powered economy, NATIX is revolutionizing the industry with a cost-effective, efficient decentralized camera infrastructure network. With over 1 billion public and commercial CCTV cameras worldwide and expenses exceeding $6 trillion, decentralized Internet of Cameras can reduce costs and implementation time by 10 to 100 times. The integration of blockchain technology ensures security, transparency, reduced latency, and enhanced scalability. In summary, NATIX’s AI technology and crypto and blockchain-powered economy enable the creation of a more affordable, faster, and reliable decentralized camera infrastructure network compared to traditional surveillance systems, reshaping the industry for data users worldwide.
What is your relationship with the telecom sector?
The relationship between NATIX Network and the telecom sector is a symbiotic one. The telecom sector, particularly 5G network providers, plays a vital role in enabling NATIX’s solutions. In return, NATIX’s products and services can drive the demand for 5G connectivity, highlighting the benefits of this advanced network and encouraging wider adoption. By partnering with telecom operators, NATIX can leverage the extensive infrastructure and capabilities offered by the 5G network to:
Enhance the speed and efficiency of data transmission: The high bandwidth and low latency of 5G networks allow NATIX to process and transmit data from its decentralized camera infrastructure network in real-time, making the mapping process significantly more efficient and accurate.
Improve scalability: The increased capacity of 5G networks enables NATIX to scale its operations seamlessly, catering to a growing number of cameras and data points without compromising on performance.
Boost reliability and security: The decentralized nature of 5G networks and the enhanced encryption protocols they employ ensure that NATIX’s data transmission is more secure and less susceptible to disruptions or interference.
Facilitate edge computing: The 5G infrastructure allows NATIX to process data closer to the source, reducing latency and improving the overall performance of its real-time mapping solutions.
How have you got to your current stage of development?
Since our inception in 2020, we have focused on creating a computer vision platform that emphasizes privacy and security. Over the years, we’ve gained the trust of prestigious organizations like E.ON, Deutsche Telekom, and the City of Den Haag, which has helped us refine our offerings. Recognizing the potential of AI, decentralization, blockchain, and Web3 communities, we developed the AI-powered Drive& app. This app rewards users for contributing to real-time mapping by navigating streets and cities with their smartphone cameras. Users accumulate points that can be converted into our native token or redeemed for various products and services. We recently launched the Drive& app on Google Play, where it has been met with great anticipation and excitement from the user community. An iOS version of the app is also in the works and will be available soon, further expanding our user base and solidifying our position as a leading innovator in the computer vision and mapping space. Why did you establish the business? We established the business to empower cities and businesses to leverage smart cameras for public sensing, while addressing the prevalent concerns regarding privacy and infrastructure costs. Our mission is rooted in the belief that AI technology should augment people’s quality of life without sacrificing their personal privacy. By developing a computer vision platform that prioritizes privacy and employs innovative techniques to minimize infrastructure costs, we aim to make advanced public sensing solutions accessible and secure for a wide range of users. This approach ensures that the benefits of AI-driven surveillance and mapping can be enjoyed by communities and businesses alike, without the drawbacks often associated with traditional CCTV systems.
Who inspired you?
We were inspired by innovative companies like Helium, which have successfully built large-scale telecommunication networks through crowd-sourced and crypto-enabled business models. Helium’s approach to decentralized networking showcased the immense potential of harnessing collective resources and the power of blockchain technology, which ultimately influenced our own strategies and product development. Their success in transforming the telecommunications landscape motivated us to explore similar opportunities in the realm of computer vision and mapping.
Company CV
HQ: Hamburg, Germany
Founded: 2020
URL: https://www.natix.io/
Founders:
Alireza Ghods
Omid Mogharian
Lorenz Muck
NATIX will be one of the participants in the Startup Village at Total Telecom Congress, taking place on the 21-22 November at The RAI, Amsterdam. There is still time to join up and discover how you can compete to become Startup of the Year at the 25 World Communication Awards.