Meet Ricardo Mendes, Co-founder & CEO at TEKEVER.

1. Tell Us About TEKEVER

 

As Carl Sagan once said, “Somewhere, something incredible is waiting to be known.” At TEKEVER, we embody this spirit of discovery by developing and operating Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS), or drones, that survey vast, hard-to-reach areas. Utilising advanced AI, our drones detect threats to human life and the environment, empowering our customers to act swiftly and effectively.

Our technology serves both public and private sectors, including collaborations with the European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA), multiple defense ministries worldwide, and private companies in the energy and oil industries. A key partnership with the Home Office involves monitoring the English Channel for threats like human trafficking and illegal fishing, enabling prompt coastguard responses.

 

2. How Did You Come Up with the Idea for TEKEVER?

 

TEKEVER was founded in 2001 with a visionary focus on developing software to interconnect various devices. We foresaw a future where everything would be connected, and artificial intelligence could process, learn, and act upon this vast amount of data, unlocking transformative potential. This vision led us to coin the term “evernet” for this interconnected future, and thus, our name, TEKEVER, emerged from our motto: “Technologies for the Evernet.”

Initially, our efforts were dedicated to creating software capable of running on and linking numerous devices, forming distributed systems that could offer data-driven intelligence. Around 2009, we identified the enormous potential of Unmanned Aerial Systems to function as mobile distributed systems, capable of gathering data from extensive, remote areas. At that time, the UAS market was primarily dominated by defense companies focusing on hardware. However, we believed that software and AI were crucial to unlocking the true capabilities of UAS, leading us to begin developing both the hardware and the software for these systems.

 

 

3. How Has the Company Evolved Over the Last Couple of Years?

 

While we have always been involved in satellite technology alongside our UAS operations, the past few years have seen significant expansion in our space sector. This growth reflects our recognition of space’s critical role in our economy and its increasing importance to humanity. By integrating our UAS and satellite capabilities, we aim to provide the most comprehensive aerial surveillance service available, combining terrestrial and space-based data.

 

4. What Can We Hope to See from the Company in the Future?

 

Looking ahead, we are committed to continuously enhancing our products by developing, integrating, and testing the latest technologies to ensure we remain at the forefront of innovation. In April 2024, we proudly unveiled the ARX, the first UAS capable of deploying and coordinating a swarm of smaller drones from the primary drone. Set for its commercial debut in 2025, the ARX will revolutionise surveillance and lifesaving operations by enabling long-range and endurance missions with unparalleled efficiency.

Moreover, we will continue to prioritise our space division, dedicating efforts to deep space missions that empower scientists to gain deeper insights into defending civilisation against existential threats. Our ambition is to lead in both aerial and space-based surveillance, providing unparalleled solutions that safeguard and advance human life.