Agreefy is a leading provider of location-aware software, supporting organizations across the world in leveraging location intelligence to build smarter venues. Agreefy tools and analytics are at the core of modern life, from shopping, dining out and travel to healthcare, education and events. After joining the Wireless Broadband Alliance (WBA) in late 2021, we were very honored to sit down with Vinu Peter, CEO of Agreefy, to learn more about the company’s place in the industry and what they hope to achieve with their WBA membership.
1. Can you please give us a brief introduction to Agreefy, and tell us about the work you do in the wireless industry?
Vinu Peter: Agreefy simplifies the deployment and scalability of location-based technologies, making them more accessible. Our RTLS solutions help businesses and organizations manage their physical spaces more effectively, leveraging the power of wireless connectivity to improve customer experience and thus increase engagement and revenue. As a company, we want to make it as simple as possible for people and assets to be identified and located in physical locations. We use a wide range of forefront sensors, including but not limited to Wi-Fi, Bluetooth (BLE), Ultra Wideband (UWB), and GPS, to ensure that our goals are met and that we can track location with the greatest degree of accuracy and in the quickest and easiest manner possible. As a result, companies can now use the precise location of every object and person in their facility at any given time to provide better experiences while also increasing security and achieving optimal business performance. Agreefy’s location-aware solutions are used for customer service, wayfinding, asset management, social distancing compliance, contact tracking, and appointment booking and management. In terms of our interactivity with WiFi specifically, Agreefy began as a Wi-Fi services and analytics provider, focusing on tracking people’s movements and acquiring unique data on how customers use physical spaces. Today, as we learn more about our clients and their problems, we have a more accurate understanding of the services they require, and we are constantly striving to tailor our offering to their specific challenges. As a result, our primary focus at the moment is on providing seamless connectivity to our user base. We have extensive experience with large-scale deployments requiring ubiquitous internet access across mobile devices and physical WiFi hotspots. While our initiatives aim to achieve a new level of seamless connectivity for all mobile internet users, it is also our responsibility to assist our clients in utilizing location-aware data in their own distinct ways, resulting in improved customer experiences and increased customer engagement.
2. With 2021 coming to an end, what were some of the year’s highlights for Agreefy?
Vinu Peter: I believe that the past year has been fruitful in terms of strategic alliances. We have developed numerous long-term partnerships with companies such as Cisco, Aruba, and Huawei. Several large-scale projects have also been completed, including the fact that our asset management RTLS platform, Agreefy Tag, is powering one of the world’s largest events, EXPO2020 Dubai, which is an impressive achievement. The event’s organizers turned to Agreefy for assistance in order to accommodate the large number of assets with varying degrees of precision and resolution that were required for such a large-scale event. The software developed by Agreefy is both flexible and adaptable enough to meet these requirements, while also having the capability of interconnecting with a wide range of location-aware technologies whenever required. Additionally, our team was tasked with the responsibility of locating individuals in order to ensure their safety during Formula 1 Abu Dhabi 2021. Using our software, organizers were able to locate key personnel within the facility in real-time, allowing them to provide more personalized customer experiences (wayfinding, promotional offers) while also increasing the overall security of the event. Location-aware solutions have become the industry standard for planning large-scale events, as they address every challenge, from operational management to ensuring everyone’s safety at all times. Internally, I believe that the past year has been successful in terms of operational advancement, process scaling, and overall business performance, all of which have contributed to our company’s success. I’d like to express my gratitude to the entire team for this accomplishment, as it would not have been possible without everyone’s commitment and dedication.
3. What does Agreefy have in store for 2022?
Vinu Peter: We have ambitious growth plans for 2022. For the time being, all I can say is that we have an incredible set of new releases planned for the first half of the year, and we intend to expand our footprint into new markets in the second half. We’re very excited about these goals, and we’re looking forward to sharing more details about our new deployments in the coming weeks. As a result, our sales funnel is constantly expanding, which is a great endorsement for our products and services. Based on our projections, we anticipate a 5-6X growth this year. In terms of opportunities, it appears that this year will be very productive.
4. As an industry leader in location-based services, what are some of the challenges that this space frequently experiences, and how does Agreefy tackle these challenges?
Vinu Peter: I can think of at least a few significant issues I’d like to discuss. First of all, the Wi-Fi ecosystem is quite large, with numerous vendors, device manufacturers, and connectivity providers all utilizing it in different ways. Because the majority of systems implemented today lack either security or a positive customer experience, there appears to be a tradeoff associated with implementing secure and user-friendly Wi-Fi connectivity, especially for guests and visitors. When it comes to the way technology and operating systems interact, the market is inconsistent. To put things in perspective, there are some limitations to the iOS operating system, and Android, like any other operating system, has some limitations of its own. If you are designing location-based solutions for clients, there are no common sources to rely on when determining what systems are available and how to use them. The second difficulty is the increased diversity that has resulted from the internet’s widespread use. Mobile technology is becoming more and more popular, and people want to be able to stay connected no matter where they are. While there has been progress, there is much more to be done in order to provide global connection while simultaneously improving network security. WiFi and 5G adoption is also a challenge – as more and more devices come online – getting securely connected and switching between Wi-Fi and 5G without user intervention. As a company that leverages market-leading solutions, it is critical that we provide frictionless connectivity in such a way that our customers do not have to invest additional resources such as people or time in the process. We strive to provide the best connectivity available while simplifying implementation and ensuring highest customer experience. Solving the problems listed above is exactly what Agreefy is focussing its efforts on at the moment. The first of these is in the area of connectivity. Regardless of where users are or how they connect, we make a concerted effort to ensure that they have the most frictionless internet experience possible when moving between different sites. Meanwhile, we are addressing the second challenge, which is ensuring the security and integrity of the infrastructure, as well as ensuring that no aspects of privacy or security are compromised. We also educate the market that quality always trumps quantity. After a significant amount of time and effort, we have seen some very favorable performance in this area of work.
5. What does Agreefy hope to get out of its WBA membership?
Vinu Peter: Our mission and the goals of the WBA are completely aligned, which is why we decided to join the association. We are collaborating with the WBA to make it easier for people all over the world to get online and connect with one another, especially for those countries where access to Wi-Fi hotspots is extremely restricted. We are confident that joining the WBA will significantly aid us in delivering on our strategic objectives to continuously improve seamless connectivity. We are currently participating in WBA-led industry work groups, and as a result, various new tools have been adopted, allowing us to improve the connection service provided by our platform. Integration with the Open Roaming framework is, in our opinion, one of the most significant outcomes. As a result, we can improve the user experience while also increasing engagement, both of which are helpful to those who give free internet access to users in a variety of settings such as malls and other public places. Last but not least, WBA membership allows our team to reach a broader audience with our services so that they, too, can benefit from the high levels of connectivity and security. We are once again committed to providing and delivering frictionless Wi-Fi connectivity around the world—that is, to expand its availability and accessibility—while preserving a smooth experience for our customers.
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Vinu Peter
Agreefy CEO
Vinu Peter is the co-founder and CEO of Agreefy, a company that leverages location awareness to enhance the customer journey and drive operational growth. Apart from his over 14 years of experience in managing and developing technology-based businesses, Vinu has established himself as an industry expert in the field of geolocation solutions such Wi-Fi, RFID (radio frequency identification), BLE (bluetooth low energy) and UWB (ultra-wide band). He co-founded Cubit Technologies, a reputable system integrator based in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. He has held consulting and technical specialist positions with a number of multinational businesses, including THALES, Alpha Data, and Dimension Data. Vinu is a graduate of the University of Chicago Booth School of Business with an MBA in international business. He is passionate about using the power of new technologies to help businesses to innovate and improve their customer experience.
Agreefy
Agreefy is a software company supporting organizations across the world in leveraging location-aware technologies to build smarter venues. The company’s powerful location intelligence tools and analytics enable organizations to run more informed and targeted engagement campaigns, being at the core of modern life, from shopping, dining out and travel to healthcare, education and events. Agreefy Tag, Agreefy’s primary real-time location system (RTLS) solution, is a cloud-based asset and people management platform designed to boost corporate productivity, safety, and performance. Visit Agreefy’s website at agreefy.com or LinkedIn to learn more,
