Oxibyte

Don't have internet data to enter shipaton.com or build app? Oxibyte turns your plastic waste bottle into internet data access for app building using shipaton.com, including 32 sponsors tools.

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Inspiration

As a Nigerian, data poverty is a daily toll. The first time I heard about Shipaton, I had no internet data to even learn what it was about — and that felt crazy to me. I had no job and couldn't afford data, but I had plastic. So I started picking up bottles and trading them for money, then using that money to buy data. That data brought me here. That's the story behind why Oxibyte is entering the Next Gen Award at Shipaton.

What it does

Oxibyte removes the barrier that affects millions of youth, especially across Africa, who've never heard of Shipaton and remain disconnected from the internet. It creates a bridge between people and the internet, using plastic. Users deposit plastic and earn internet data in return — credited straight into a data wallet. They can use that data however they want, but most importantly, it opens the door for aspiring app builders to join Shipaton and get access to sponsor tools like ElevenLabs, JetBrains, and more.

How we built it

Building Oxibyte started with an extreme decision: I left home with just a few clothes, with no plan for where to stay, and slept outside. It was one of the hardest calls I've made, but I went out with one mindset — if I don't start building, I'm not coming back home. Everything started with Replit, using its free-tier model as the foundation to build Oxibyte.

Challenges we ran into

The biggest challenge, fittingly, was internet data itself. I had to gather plastic bottles, sell them for money, and convert that money into data just to get online — the same cycle Oxibyte is built to solve for others. That's literally how I got access to Replit, signal, and the Shipaton sponsor tools in the first place.

Accomplishments that we're proud of

Seeing Oxibyte come out live and make it into the Next Gen Award submission is something I'm deeply proud of. This wouldn't have been possible without pushing through, and I'm optimistic Oxibyte will find its place in the heart of Shipaton.

What we learned

Data is knowledge. Building Oxibyte gave me a deep appreciation for that — much like Odin, who gave his eye for wisdom. That idea inspired the Oxibyte logo. It also connects to Einstein's $E = mc^2$: I believe the equation is incomplete without consciousness, and consciousness is the missing data — the piece that makes the whole complete.

What's next for Oxibyte

I can't wait to see the first real user. I can't wait to see Oxibyte on the Apple App Store and Google Play Store. Most of all, I can't wait to see that first person — stranded somewhere, disconnected, unable to afford data — turn plastic into their way back online.

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