Blueberry Beacon, a Durban-based start-up, has launched a crowdfunding campaign looking to raise up to $17 500 (R273 000) for its iBeacon and Bluetooth technology project.
The start-up launched the campaign yesterday on crowdfunding platform www.indiegogo.com.
iBeacon is the name of Apple's technology standard, which allows mobile apps running on both iOS and Android devices to listen for signals from beacons in the physical world and react accordingly.
In essence, iBeacon technology allows mobile apps to understand their position on a micro-local scale, and deliver hyper-contextual content to users based on location. The underlying communication technology is Bluetooth Low Energy.
Blueberry Beacon intends to use the technology to enhance brands by helping them to figure out when customers are within proximity.
The start-up notes the technology will create an environment for shopping malls to send their clients hyper-local and important messages or advertisements that can be effective in driving sales.
"Whenever a person with an iBeacon-compatible device arrives at a shopping mall, the application on his device will signal him as soon as it catches the signal of the iBeacons installed inside the mall by sending relevant data to its server," says Shaik Abdurahaman, founder and CEO of Blueberry Beacon.
"These could be simple messages such as special discounts, limited offers or reminders, thereby enhancing their customers' shopping experiences," he adds.
A recent Mall Indaba that took place in Johannesburg heard that shopping centres should embrace digital and use it to connect with consumers, build a valuable shopper database and start one-to-one marketing.
"iBeacons are a great tool to link the mobile consumer to the physical space, and drive sales within shopping centres. Having a solid digital strategy - and execution - will drive asset value," said Jasper de Vreugt, CEO of Mall-Connect.com.
Abdurahaman notes since iBeacons rely on a popular technology like Bluetooth, which is readily available on almost every device without requiring a large amount of power, it can be asserted that the project will certainly introduce a new way for brand communications in SA.
With years of combined experience in developing mobile applications and software, Abdurahaman and his team will create the application to improve shopping experiences for both brands and customers.
"Beacon technology is ushering us into an era of completely customisable shopping," he concludes.
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