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Meet the computer whizz from Togo who built his first robot at age seven
“I could make many, many things with that,” said Sam Kodo, looking at a Samsung Galaxy S4
Mini.
Where most people see only a phone, 23-year-old Kodo sees a combination of components that
can be taken apart and used to make a PC, or a robot that plays football.
But then again, he is not like most people.
Kodo was just seven when he started building his first robot that could both circumvent
obstacles and interact with people. Born and raised in Togo, his father was a physics lecturer at
the University of Lomé and Kodo would enjoy many hours in the library studying formulas and
equations. It was here that he just fell in love with electronics.
It didn’t take long for his parents to realise he had a talent, and both did their best to support
his passion. Without access to many new parts required to build some of the things he wanted,
both helped him find components he could re-use from broken-down appliances, such as old TVs.
He recalls how his mother would give him money to buy toys as a child just so he could take
them apart and build his own inventions. “I want to take the opportunity to thank my mom,” he
said.
“And I was also very fortunate to have my dad help me find the right parts I needed. And then I
was also able to go to libraries and just educate myself.”
By the age of 15, Kodo’s robots could recognise faces and objects, speak, execute orders and
even play football. And it wasn’t long before he created his first smartphone and PC.
Low-cost computers for Africa
Today Kodo is the founder of Infinite Loop, a company that locally produces low-cost personal
computers for students. His miniature computers, called the Lifebook PC, are small enough to fit
into a pocket, and they have to be plugged into TVs or mobile phones to turn them into a
functional internet-enabled desktop PC. They are sold for a fraction of the price of other PCs in
the market (under US$90) and cost around half the amount to produce.
Kodo’s work has caught the attention of international media, and last year he was named one of
12 finalists of the Anzisha Prize, an award for African entrepreneurs between the ages of 15 and
22.
His inspiration for creating his own PCs came from a need he identified at university. “When I
went to university I realised there was a serious lack of tools to do my homework and university
studies. So I decided to make my own computer so that it could help me work properly.”
This soon caught the attention of other students with similar interests. “I was fortunate enough
to team up with others who had the same talent, and we created the company that is now called
Infinite Loop.”
The start-up employs six people and has sold around 50 computers in Togo, which Kodo said is
still their first version. “We plan to create many versions, and have many other projects for
Africa too.”
Teams are everything
Kodo looks up to the likes of technology pioneers Steve Jobs, Bill Gates and Mark Zuckerberg,
and makes use of some of the lessons they have learnt in their careers. For starters, he
acknowledges that there is more to building a business empire than being able to produce
something innovative or being a computer whizz.
“Bill Gates or Mark Zuckerberg might not have particularly been good businessmen or good
administrators or even good at marketing, but what they did was they surrounded themselves
with people who have the competencies and skills to turn their [innovations and computer skills]
into a company,” he noted.
Kodo’s business partner has been his friend since childhood, and has studied commerce. He
explained they have complementary skills, which they use to make joint business decisions.
“When you choose a business partner, choose someone who complements you – not someone
with the same skills – and someone who can add value to the business,” is his advice.
‘Be curious, do not fear failure’
According to Kodo, technology – such as mobile phones or PCs – has the ability to solve some
key problems on the continent. Above all he wants his PCs to be affordable so everyone can
benefit from them.
“With the computer I’ve created it’s important to remember there was a purpose behind this
type of computer. It’s accessible and not expensive. Pretty much any student who’d like to
purchase a computer like this can do so.”
He advises other African entrepreneurs to “be curious, enquire, learn, and always be original” in
whatever they do. He added it will also be easier for them to succeed if they love what they do,
and they should not let the fear of failure prevent them from starting.
“Just think about it. If you fail, at least you have tried. There are a lot of people who have ideas
but never try,” Kodo commented.
“Even if you fail, you are already one step better off in life than those who don’t even try.”
NOTES TO EDITORS
1. Contact us and our country-partners for country-level data & insights!
Anzisha Prize has a growing country partners programme with national level
organisations that are aligned to our mission across Africa. Please contact us for details
and contact information. Further, we will soon be in a position to release country-level
insights based on our applications pool to help media analyse and comment on
entrepreneur dynamics in your own countries. Email [email protected] with
queries.
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OVERVIEW IN FRENCH, ENGLISH OR ARABIC at
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www.facebook.com/anzishaprize and follow our work to find Africa’s 12 top teen
entrepreneurs day-by-day.
Press Contact: Josh Adler; Email: [email protected]; 011 699 3000