Why building local IoT capability matters more than ever
Across many discussions on digitalisation, one theme keeps resurfacing.
We talk about adoption.
We talk about dashboards.
We talk about speed.
Yet a more fundamental question often stays unspoken.
Are we building capability, or are we only consuming it?
This question sits at the heart of whether a country develops long-term strength or remains dependent on what others create. In the context of IoT, AI, and connected systems, the answer has lasting consequences for talent, industry resilience, and economic growth.
The hidden cost of a consumption-led model
A consumption-led approach feels practical. Proven systems are purchased. Risk is transferred elsewhere. Deployment looks fast.
But this convenience comes with trade-offs.
When industries rely almost entirely on imported platforms and technologies, local companies are rarely pushed to develop deep technical expertise. The demand for advanced engineering, system architecture, and long-term product thinking remains limited.
Over time, this shapes the labour market.
Graduates are hired to operate systems rather than design them.
Skills are used narrowly rather than fully developed.
Salary growth stagnates because value creation happens elsewhere.
The outcome is not a lack of talent, but a lack of opportunity for that talent to mature.
What changes when a nation chooses to build
A producer-oriented model alters this trajectory.
When organisations invest in building and owning their own technology stack, priorities shift. Capability matters. Experience matters. The ability to design, deploy, operate, and improve systems becomes valuable.
Local companies that build products need engineers who can think end-to-end. They need researchers who understand real constraints. They need operators who can respond at scale when systems fail.
This demand creates a healthier ecosystem.
Skills deepen.
Careers become more meaningful.
Economic value stays within the country.
This is not about rejecting global technology. It is about balancing adoption with ownership.
The fragile stage most builders struggle to cross
Many local technology companies face the same challenge.
They can build prototypes.
They can demonstrate features.
They struggle to secure early adopters.
The first few customers determine survival.
Without early adoption, companies cannot validate assumptions, refine reliability, or plan a realistic roadmap. Funding runs out before learning is complete. Good ideas fade without reaching impact.
Local adoption plays a critical role here. Early trust from domestic organisations creates reference cases that enable future growth. Without that foundation, global expansion becomes far more difficult.
Clarifying the role of universities
Universities are often criticised for failing to produce commercially ready products. This expectation misunderstands their role.
Universities excel at long-term research, foundational development, and early-stage prototypes. They are designed to explore deeply, not to rush to market.
Commercialisation belongs closer to industry.
Progress accelerates when companies share real product challenges with universities and align research with multi-year roadmaps. Students gain exposure to real problems. Research becomes relevant. Early technologies mature with direction.
The bridge between research and deployment must be intentional.
From prototype to production: a shared responsibility
A system that works in a controlled environment has not yet faced operational reality.
Field deployment introduces complexity.
Users behave unpredictably.
Networks fail.
Maintenance becomes a daily concern.
Companies must take research outputs and harden them for the real world. Universities provide insight. Industry provides resilience. When both sides work together, technology moves forward with purpose.
This collaboration strengthens local capability across the entire lifecycle.
Building platforms that enable responsibility
At some point, discussion alone is not enough. Capability must be built into tools that people can use.
That belief led to the creation of Favoriot.
Favoriot was designed to support builders across stages. From learning environments and pilot projects to operational deployments that demand accountability.
It is not focused solely on visualisation.
It focuses on ownership, reliability, and growth.
Students use it to understand real systems.
Startups use it to test ideas under real conditions.
Enterprises use it to deploy solutions they can maintain and improve.
Platforms matter when they enable responsibility, not just access.
A practical path forward
Moving from consumption to creation does not require sweeping change overnight.
It begins with choices.
Adopt local solutions earlier.
Involve universities in long-term product thinking.
Invest in platforms that support growth beyond pilots.
Trust builders before success is proven elsewhere.
Each decision compounds over time.
Call to action
If the goal is to develop lasting IoT capability, the focus must move beyond adoption toward ownership and growth.
Organisations looking to build, test, and deploy connected solutions with confidence can start by exploring Favoriot. Not simply as a platform, but as a step toward developing local expertise that scales responsibly.
The future of connected systems will belong to those who build them, understand them, and stand behind them.
The question is no longer whether we can adopt technology fast enough.
It is whether we are prepared to create it with purpose.
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