Losing your personal wallet can be stressful and stressful as it contains your credit cards, bank cards and personal information. Ekster, a young company based in Rotterdam, integrates today's connected technologies to make it smart and trackable. As the world is increasingly connected to the Internet of Things, Olivier Momma, the company's founder, told TechRadar Middle East that users worry about the safety of their electronic products.
What is a smart wallet?
In addition to holding multiple credit cards and your money, a smart wallet protects your personal information from hackers using RFID blocking technology. At the same time, the portfolio can be tracked with the help of a smartphone app. "In my opinion, the smartphone will take over the wallet in a few years, but for now, the wallet and the smartphone are the two most valuable assets for a consumer," Momma said. Smart wallets are growing dramatically as new competitors hit the market each year and Momma said there are already three players on Kickstarter selling their products. Ekster's name was inspired by the "Magpie" bird, also called "Ekster" in the Netherlands.
According to ResearchAndMarkets, the global smart wallet market is expected to grow at an annual rate of 8,05%, from $209 million in 2017 to $331.73 million in 2023. Mom said she had no idea when she founded the company four years ago, but wanted to innovate and grow. "Our third-generation wallet, Ekster 3.0, is the world's first solar-powered, voice-activated tracking system (Siri, Alexa, Google Home) with instant access to maps. By using a solar tracker as thin as a card credit card, people can now phone their wallet or find it on a map if they're lost," he said. She added that two hours of light is enough to power the energy-saving wallet for two months. "The light shouldn't just be the sun, it can absorb light leaving it under your desk and you need light anywhere to charge it," she said. Solar technology came in handy and by chance it became the most advanced solar panel in the world. "The proprietary solar technology is now licensed to FedEx and DHL for their own container tracking requirements and our solar panels are already being installed to power digital displays and sensors in the Netherlands," she said. The stated According to the firm, the anti-RFID / NFC card holder cannot be hacked because it protects the cards against theft and theft of personal data. "Our sales are increasing worldwide and we have sold 200,000 units to date. We plan to sell another 100,000 this year. The largest markets are the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom," she said. Furthermore, the company raised €3 million last year and plans to raise €5 million this year through the web store. "Our next goal is to scale up innovative solutions to back up everyday accessories and make them smart, trackable and more connected," said Momma.