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Ersin Güray, the Founder and CEO of PoiLabs, is a chemical engineer with an MBA. During his university years, he volunteered at an NGO (non-governmental organisation) called Young Guru Academy, where he worked closely with visually impaired and blind individuals. Through his interactions with this community, he gained valuable insights into the challenges and struggles they faced in their daily lives. Ersin’s passion for making a difference in their lives led him to establish PoiLabs in 2015. 

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A New Journey 

PoiLabs began its journey by providing indoor navigation solutions specifically designed for visually impaired and blind individuals. Their goal was to enhance their independence and enable them to navigate indoor spaces with ease. Over time, PoiLabs expanded its offerings to include additional services such as indoor navigation with maps, indoor analytics, and application response solutions.  PoiLab’s technology offers navigation, similar to Google Maps, specifically designed for indoor environments. 

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Currently, PoiLabs operates in more than 500 venues, with 150 of them utilising their indoor location solution for the visually impaired and blind. Notable locations include Istanbul Airport, multiple museums, office buildings for organisations including Unilever, libraries and university campuses. In early 2023, Ersin Güray relocated to London to establish a presence in the UK market. 

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Cutting-edge Technology 

What sets PoiLabs apart from its competitors is its super accurate indoor positioning technology its comprehensive approach; whilst other companies offer limited navigation or orientation features, PoiLabs provides turn-by-turn navigation, transforming indoor spaces into accessible environments. Their solution integrates seamlessly with existing apps, ensuring a user-friendly experience for visually impaired and blind individuals. PoiLabs’ technology is free for end-users to download and use, whilst venues pay a fee based on their size. 

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Growing Reputation 

One of PoiLabs’ most significant achievements to date was the successful implementation of their technology at Istanbul airport, one of the world’s busiest airports, serving as a testament to the scalability and reliability of their solution. The project involved deploying thousands of sensors across the airport’s vast indoor spaces, enabling visually impaired and blind travelers to navigate with confidence. This achievement not only showcased the efficacy of PoiLabs’ technology but also attracted attention from international companies, contributing to the company’s growing reputation. 

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Gaining Credibility with MSDUK 

Ersin Güray learned about the MSDUK Innovation Challenge through LinkedIn; intrigued by the opportunity to connect with like-minded entrepreneurs and showcase his business, he decided to apply. As an immigrant entrepreneur facing the challenges of establishing a business in a foreign country, Ersin saw parallels between his journey and those of previous finalists and awardees. Joining the MSDUK community seemed like a valuable opportunity to gain exposure, credibility and support. 

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Showcasing Their Business 

Ersin saw the MSDUK Innovation Challenge as a chance to establish a strong presence in the UK market. He recognised the importance of publicity and the role it plays in encouraging potential users to try their technology. Being a finalist or winner of the challenge would provide PoiLabs with a platform to showcase their business, gain credibility and generate interest from prospective customers and partners. 

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The Innovation Challenge Finals at the MSDUK Business and Innovation Show 2023 offer several exciting opportunities for PoiLabs, says Ersin: “Firstly, it presents a valuable PR opportunity, but also if we win, we plan to allocate the funds towards creating pilots and partnerships with highly visited venues, such as the National Science Museum and history museums. These venues often face budget constraints, and PoiLabs aims to provide its technology for free to generate publicity, traction, and awareness in the UK market. By implementing pilots in these venues, PoiLabs can showcase the benefits of their indoor navigation solutions to a wider audience, gain credibility, and encourage more organisations to adopt the technology. The cash prize would enable us to expand our reach, strengthen our presence, and establish partnerships with key institutions, ultimately benefiting the business overall.” 

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Encouragement for Entrepreneurs 

To other ethnic minority entrepreneurs considering applying for the next Innovation Challenge, PoiLabs can emphasize the value of participating. The MSDUK Innovation Challenge helps start-ups connect with a supportive community, gain exposure and showcase innovative solutions. PoiLabs can highlight the importance of diversity and inclusion in entrepreneurship and express how the challenge provides an opportunity to represent and contribute to the advancement of underrepresented communities.  

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The MSDUK Innovation Challenge Finals will take place at the MSDUK Business and Innovation Show in London on the 14th and 15th September 2023.  To purchase tickets, please visit: https://www.conference.msduk.org.uk