🇨🇳 From Cameroon to the World’s Hardware Capital: My Journey as an Innovation Ambassador at Maker Faire Shenzhen 2025
They call Shenzhen the “Hollywood of Hardware,” and this November, I stood right in the center of it.
Representing Cameroon, Seeed Studio Ranger, TME Education, Robotsave and the African maker ecosystem, Dessap Loic had the profound honor of attending Maker Faire Shenzhen 2025 (Nov 15-16). But this wasn’t just a visit I was selected as one of the “100 Innovation Ambassadors 2025,“ a prestigious recognition by Seeed Studio and Chaihuo Maker Lab, celebrating leaders who use tech to shape a better future.
Innovation Ambassador List: https://www.shenzhenmakerfaire.com/2025/08/06/meet-100-innovation-ambassadors-the-power-of-tech-influencers/
Here is a journey on how we showcased the power of African innovation and the tools that are democratizing STEM education globally.
November 2025 was a month of tremendous visibility, achievement, and growth for Robotsave and RobotSaveEducation. Being featured at Maker Faire Shenzhen provided a global platform to showcase:
Robotsave Farm Project – an IoT solution using LoRaWAN + LoRa Mesh + off-grid nodes to collect real-time environmental data for farmers.
Dessbot – our autonomous environnemental robot that monitors soil health & farm conditions and transmits data up to 2 km using LoRa meshtastics networks.
This innovative agricultural solution leverages advanced LoRa-based Meshtastic technology to support farmers in remote areas lacking reliable internet connectivity. The system comprises strategically placed environmental sensors across the farm, collecting real-time data such as:
• Soil Moisture Levels
• Temperature and Humidity
• Weather Conditions
• Crop Health Metrics
Each sensor transmits its data via a robust LoRa Meshtastic mesh network. This wireless mesh infrastructure is sustained by solar-powered Meshtastic relay nodes, ensuring uninterrupted communication regardless of power grid availability. Specifically, four strategically placed solar nodes relay sensor information efficiently to a central Meshtastic node, connected to a dedicated smartphone interface.
Benefits of the Smart Agricultural System:
• Reliable Remote Monitoring: Ensures farmers always have vital information, even without traditional internet access.
• Optimised Resource Use: Precise irrigation scheduling based on real-time soil moisture data minimises water waste.
• Enhanced Productivity: AI-powered predictive analytics guide farmers towards optimal crop selection, significantly boosting yields.
• Sustainability: Renewable solar energy powers the network, making it eco-friendly and cost-effective.
My booth wasn’t just a display; it was a narrative of growth. I wanted to show the world how a student starts with curiosity and ends with industrial-grade solutions. To do this, I showcased two powerful ecosystems working in harmony: Robotsave DessBot, TME Education, and Seeed Studio.
Bridging Education and Industry
My booth wasn’t just a display; it was a narrative of growth. I wanted to show the world how a student starts with curiosity and ends with industrial-grade solutions. To do this, I showcased two powerful ecosystems working in harmony: TME Education and Seeed Studio.
1. The Professional Edge: Seeed Studio Ecosystem
As a Seeed Ranger, I demonstrated where students go after mastering the basics. I showcased how we use professional tools to build Robotsave V3, my agricultural robot.
SenseCAP LoRaWAN: I displayed how we use industrial sensors (Soil Moisture, Temperature) to collect environmental data over long ranges—crucial for African agriculture.
XIAO Series: I showed the tiny but mighty XIAO ESP32S3, demonstrating how we integrate TinyML (AI) for crop disease detection.
2. TME Education Board
Visitors were fascinated by the TME Education Board, an Arduino-based educational tool designed to remove the barriers to entry for coding and electronics.
Why the crowd loved it: In a world of messy wires and complex breadboards, the TME Board stands out as an “All-in-One” embedded laboratory. I demonstrated how incredibly easy it is to use:
Ready-to-Code Inputs: It comes pre-loaded with sensors including a Temperature Sensor, Microphone, Light Sensor, Potentiometer, and Push Buttons.
Instant Feedback Outputs: Students can immediately see results on the LCD Screen, OLED Display, RGB LEDs, or hear them via the Buzzer.
The “Magic”: I showed parents and educators how a student can unbox the board and program their first IoT monitoring project in minutes, without needing a soldering iron. It is the perfect bridge for beginners.
A Week of Collaboration & Growth
Over four powerful days, alongside 100+ global makers and tech innovators and thousands of visitors from around the world, I had the chance to present how we use technology for good in Cameroonbridging youth education, agriculture, and sustainability.
I worked closely for a full day at Seeed Studio’s office on finalising and optimising the Robotsave Farm IoT prototypes for live demonstration at Maker Faire Shenzhen.
The event gathered 100+ global makers and thousands of visitors students, engineers, startups, educators, and industry leaders all curious about how African innovators are shaping real solutions for agriculture, climate, and education.
I had to opportunity to meet Seeedstudio Rangers and other Innovation ambassadors.
Gratitude 🙏
Deep appreciation to:
Seeed Studio teams – Alison Yang , Violet SU , Sunny Zhao , Meilily Li
Chaihuo Maker Space TME Education
Thank you for your trust, collaboration, and continued support.
Maker Faire Shenzhen 2025 was a reminder: Innovation is limitless when collaboration is encouraged. I return to Cameroon with new partners, new ideas, and a renewed fire to empower the next generation of African change-makers.
See you at the next Faire!
#MakerFaireShenzhen2025 #TMEEducation #SeeedStudio #InnovationAmbassador #Robotsave #STEMAfrica
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