Brisbane entrepreneur creates Wi-Fi sharing economy

QUT PhD student and software engineer David Poxon has launched his own start-up company, Velvet, which allows people to sell their unused internet data to other nearby people via Wi-Fi.

Sellers add a small modem-like device called a Velvet Hotshot to their existing internet connection and can then share their data with neighbours or passers-by – and get paid for it.

Mr Poxon said it was a win-win because it gave buyers easy access to data without needing a phone company contract.

The web-based company has already taken its first orders for the device and will start shipping out the Velvet boxes in coming weeks.


 

“We all want or need to be online, but different people have different data needs at different times,” Mr Poxon said.

“Velvet will allow you to buy only the data you need for what you want to do online.  We think it will be particularly good for light users who don’t want to be locked into a contract, and for people who are travelling.

“Cafes or Airbnb hosts might like to sell their Wi-Fi through Velvet, or people living in apartment buildings or other places with close neighbours.”

Mr Poxon said the Velvet network would take time to grow, but that he hoped people would one day be able to walk down streets in cities all over the world and tap into Velvet Wi-Fi.

“If you want to buy some internet access through Velvet you have to be in range of a Velvet hotspot,” he said.

“So each device that is added to the network will make Velvet stronger.”

People who want to sell their excess data can buy a Velvet device for $60.00, with no other ongoing costs.  Buyers will pay $5 per gigabyte, with sellers earning $3.26 per GB.

Mr Poxon’s data sharing idea was the winning pitch at last year’s inaugural QUT Übercamp – a masterclass-style event co-sponsored by QUT’s Institute for Future Environments and qutbluebox to nurture the next generation of global entrepreneurs, or ‘überpreneurs’.

Mr Poxon said Übercamp was definitely the catalyst that gave him the confidence to go forward with taking his idea to market.

“After winning the pitch and people’s choice, I thought ‘I might have something here’ and felt empowered to push ahead,” he said.

“I was invited to join qutbluebox’s Accelerator Program and then won a $7500 Bob Taylor Estate Award to help make my idea a reality,” he said.

“I’ve also been invited back to this year’s Übercamp to share my experiences. I’m excited about the opportunity to give back to others who might need that final push to take their own leap of faith.”

Velvet has also just been announced as one of the five finalists in the 2016 qutbluebox $250,000+ Innovation Challenge.