We’re thrilled to report that Pete Fletcher and Tom Hudson who departed from New York in their row boat, the Macpac Challenger, on Thursday 21st May to begin their intrepid ‘Dare to Dream’ journey of over 3,000 nautical miles have today safely arrived in to Falmouth Harbour, UK.

Pete and Tom’s ambitious project was born out of a passion to test themselves in a new and unfamiliar environment, also proudly supporting the McGrath Foundation, one of Australia’s leading breast cancer support organisations.

Assisting with such an aspiring project, two10degrees provided full satellite tracking, monitoring and messaging capabilities by supplying the team with an Iridium Extreme satellite phone, coupled with their Global Alerting Platform (GAP) and Iridium airtime. The pair also took a Yellowbrick device with them, which also provides satellite communication via Iridium. The Yellowbrick device reported its position every two hours on to a live map. The live map which has been created via GAP for supporters to follow the journey can be found here on the ‘Dare to Dream’ website daretodream.today.

“GAP has provided an indispensable solution for us to stay connected, and stay safe on our journey across the North Atlantic!”
– Pete Fletcher

Iridium and GAP offered 100% availablity throughout the journey, ensuring that Tom and Pete could raise an alarm and reach their emergency contacts, should an emergency situation have arisen. Iridium and GAP have also allowed the rowers to make important phone calls, send updates, position reports and upload messages directly to Twitter!

“Without the tracking & telemetry technology provided by Two10degrees’ Global Alerting Platform (GAP) and Iridium Communications, we would not have been able to keep our friends, family and supporters updated on our progress. Both Tom and I were also reassured when we received the Iridium Extreme satellite phone; should we have found ourselves in trouble, this would have allowed us to raise the alarm by simply pressing a button. Both Tom and I would like to thank the team at Two10degrees for their support, especially in the closing weeks when communication became critical.”
– Pete Fletcher

Pete and Tom have endured every possible challenge in their journey across the North Atlantic. They battled with bad weather, currents and survived boat capsizes during three big storms, which created winds up to 55 knots and waves exceeding 30 feet. They did however see some amazing sights with great white sharks, whale sharks and whales circling the boat; these encounters were surpassed when Pete and Tom swam with the wild dolphins that had been keeping them company for some of their voyage.
During the 98 days at sea, Pete and Tom have captured the hearts of thousands with lots of messages appearing on their Facebook page and donations flowing in from across the globe to their McGrath Foundation support page.

“This is an excellent application of our global tracking software GAP, there is so much reliance on communication in situations like this; and together with Iridium, we have ensured peace of mind to Pete and Tom, their families and followers throughout the journey.”
- Lucy Finlayson, Client Services Manager

For the past 10 years, two10degrees Ltd has been working in collaboration with the University of Essex on a number of ventures.

Because of such a close involvement with the University of Essex, particularly the development and progression of students, two10degrees was introduced to the Postgraduate Support Scheme (PSS) earlier this year. PSS was designed to provide Masters-level students with up to twelve weeks work experience on a project within their chosen speciality; this project would then contribute to their final degree mark.

Having a project in mind which would offer valuable experience, two10degrees welcomed Velizar Genov to the team in April 2015. In a conversation with Carina Winget, Office Co-ordinator at two10degrees, Velizar discussed his motivation and passion for programming, technology and working at two10degrees ltd.

Where are you from?
I am from Bulgaria. Back in 2012, during my undergraduate studies, I welcomed a chance to spend a year as an Erasmus student at the University of Portsmouth, here in the UK. It was then that I realised it felt like home here, and what’s more, I could envisage a lot of opportunities for my personal development. Hence, I have decided to study my MSc degree at the University of Essex. As a part of my degree I was enrolled in a postgraduate internship scheme, and was given a unique opportunity to gain hands-on experience in an innovative, and award winning, software Development Company – Two10degrees.

What subjects did you study at school and excel at?
Since early childhood I have always been interested in engineering and technologies; I excelled at math, along with subjects that required practical knowledge in assembling, building and repairing components. I went to a prestigious computer school in Bulgaria, with a prime focus on computer hardware and information technologies.

Why did you chose to go into computer science?
I like to think it was destiny; my best childhood memories are connected with computers. I will never forget the day when my father brought our first computer home; I was twelve and that day my world changed. I was immediately captivated by the images on the screen, with all its hidden potential - I was eager to discover how it worked, and what it could be used for. Ever since, my interest in computers has been grown day-by-day; so much so, that I decided to develop my skills to a higher level, and devote my career to science and Information Technologies.

What did you study at University and when did you graduate?
I studied BSc in Computer Media Technology, with specialisation in 3D Computer Modelling and Computer Animation back in Bulgaria. My undergraduate dissertation topic was “Development of a 3D human body for the purposes of animation cinema”. That included the whole pipeline from modelling, texturing, skinning, rigging, animating and rendering. I graduated in 2014 achieving a first.

Have you worked on any other projects, either in University or independently?
Even though I am relevantly new to programming, I have done plenty of projects during the past couple of years; they primarily focus on Web and Mobile Development. I was freelancing as a front end developer for a local Bulgarian company; I have also worked WordPress, HTML, CSS and JavaScript to build and customise websites for various companies. The most interesting projects, to name but a few, included a Multiple Choice Question system (written in JSP and Node.js); a java based Natural Language Processing pipeline, developed to support either an Information Retrieval or Question Answering systems; and, an Android mobile application that combined different note taking techniques in a single application.

What is the project that you are currently working on for two10degrees?
I am currently working on the advancement of a new generation tracking device, this will be fully controlled by a mobile application that I am currently developing. The device is designed to be more affordable and compact, while still retaining the ability to communicate with satellites located in the Low Earth Orbit.

What has been the most challenging obstacle that you faced and overcame in your project for Two10degrees?
I must admit, working on such a significant project is a big challenge itself. I learnt a lot of new stuff and broadened my horizons, particularly in the sphere of Satellite communication and Bluetooth Low Energy. I think that the most challenging obstacle that I have had to overcome in my project was to ensure the proper serialization of messages sent to the Global Alerting Platform.

What have you enjoyed most about working within Two10degrees Ltd?
The people! Everyone was so kind and hospitable towards me from day one, I was accepted as if I had been working with them for years. The whole team made me feel truly at home and impassioned for the next morning when I would be going back to the office.

Another thing I truly enjoyed is the freedom I had to communicate with each and every member of the company. I had the opportunity to speak to everyone in the office regarding my work, and what is worth noting, I had never been refused help. Richard Prodger and Rob Blackwell took special care of me long before my placement commenced. They have been regularly in touch, making sure that I am on the clock and have everything I need for my project.

I would be lying if I said there is something I did not like about working with two10degrees Ltd.

How has Two10degrees helped you progress in your chosen subject (Advanced Web Engineering)?
People who work at two10degrees are professionals who deliver high quality products to their customers. Being a part of such a team helped me to further develop my skills in the field of Web Development and Cloud Computing. Next to my project, I had a keen interest in the general workflow of the company. I was provided with a lot of additional resources and guidance. Furthermore, I learnt how to behave professionally, I had my first real conference call and my first business meeting with another company. The placement at two10degrees equipped me with a set of invaluable skills, hands-on experience, and now I feel much more confident and prepared for the challenges of the real world, outside of the university. Thank you two10degrees!
​
Describe your perfect job.
I have always put the most emphasis on my continuous professional growth; I want to become a recognised programmer in the field of Web Development. Therefore, my dream job should allow me to develop and expand my knowledge, offer plenty of opportunities, and be in an environment surrounded by talented and highly motivated like-minded professionals. I have keen interest in front end-development; I have been working in a team with a couple of colleagues trying to develop our own online store.
Everyone at two10degrees would like to wish Velizar the best of luck for the future. We appreciate all of the hard work and passion that Velizar has brought to the placement.