34-Year-Old Nigerian Silas Adekunle Becomes the World’s Highest-Paid Robotics Engineer

Silas Adekunle, a 34-year-old Nigerian robotics engineer, has become the highest-paid in his field worldwide after a landmark deal with Apple, earning global recognition for his innovative contributions to robotics and technology.

Silas Adekunle, a 34-year-old Nigerian innovator, has made history by becoming the highest-paid robotics engineer in the world following a groundbreaking deal with Apple Inc., one of the world’s leading tech giants.

Robotics engineering, which blends mechanical, electrical, computer, and software engineering, focuses on the design, creation, and operation of robots. Silas has risen to global prominence through his remarkable contributions to this field.

Born in Nigeria and relocating to the United Kingdom at age 12, Silas pursued his passion for technology, graduating with first-class honors in Robotics and later receiving an honorary Doctor of Technology degree from the University of the West of England, Bristol.

Following his studies, Silas co-founded Reach Robotics, a UK-based company that combined augmented reality with STEM education. The company gained international recognition for MekaMon, an advanced four-legged robot that brought video games to life through a unique mix of robotics and augmented reality.

Silas successfully raised $12 million in funding, expanding Reach Robotics to 65 employees. In 2018, his partnership with Apple to distribute MekaMon in the U.S. and U.K. propelled him into the spotlight as one of the highest-earning professionals in the robotics industry, celebrated for developing the world’s first gaming robot.

Despite Reach Robotics closing in 2019 due to challenges in the consumer robotics market, Silas continued to make strides. In 2022, the Reach Robotics brand was revived under new ownership, while Silas shifted his focus to advancing robotics education in Africa. Through his company Awarri, he works to inspire the next generation of African tech leaders and expand access to AI and robotics innovation.

In 2020, Silas co-founded and became CEO of R.I., a company specializing in cloud-based solutions for managing robots, industrial systems, and IoT devices remotely.

Silas Adekunle’s groundbreaking work has earned him global acclaim, including recognition in the Financial Times’ “Top 100 Minority Ethnic Leaders in Technology” and Forbes’ “30 Under 30 Europe: Technology” list.

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SOURCES: ALLSCHOOL, SCHOLARSHIP REGION