We are pleased to welcome Luka Mustafa to the Shuttleworth Foundation Fellowship Program as of 1 March.

Luka's fellowship is centred around the development of Koruza, a 3D printable wireless optical system for connecting buildings up to 100m apart with internet access.

Internet connectivity in urban areas is reliant on fibre or wifi. Where neither of these are viable, there are few other options available. Luka's work could offer a viable low-cost alternative in these environments. This would empower individuals to build last-mile connectivity with their own hands through the organic growth of wireless optical networks.

This is not new technology, but it is a novel application of it. To date it has been either impossible to access or too expensive for the general end user to purchase. Luka is combining telecommunications and open hardware, both areas that we have previously invested in, to customise this solution for this market. He is also contributing to the broader open hardware movement by supporting the development of open documentation processes and the concept of useful source.