A build-from-scratch AirTag-class tracker in a sub-25 mm rechargeable form factor, targeting South Africa launch with China / India OEM partners. This dashboard summarises the cost, region, technology and competitive research into a single shareable view. Full detail lives in the five linked research files.
The numbers Odilon should hold in his head before any conversation with a factory or investor.
Three concrete paths. Scenario A is the rational first move unless a distribution channel already exists — the unit economics of the pilot are terrible, but the strategic value of real inventory, real ICASA paperwork and a validated factory contact is what unlocks Scenario B.
| Scenario | Units | BOM | Landed / unit | Upfront total | Timeline | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A — Pilot Private label on reference design |
1,000 | $7.50 | $9.50 | $38–48K | 10–14 wk | Start here |
| B — Launch Semi-custom enclosure + firmware + branding |
10,000 | $4.65 | $6.35 | $132–160K | 20–32 wk | Needs channel |
| C — Scale Full custom hw + multi-cavity tooling |
100,000 | $2.90 | $4.15 | $610–750K | 28–44 wk | Investor-backed only |
The BLE-only, piezo, coin-cell design scales from roughly $7.30 landed at 1K down to $2.92 at 100K. The curve flattens hard past 10K — there's little further volume leverage until you hit a second-gen redesign with multi-cavity tooling.
Odilon asked about India first and "anywhere cheaper" second. Scored 1–5 across six factors that actually matter for a small-first-run BLE product. Higher is better on every axis.
| Factor | China (SZ) | India |
|---|---|---|
| Unit cost @ 10K | $1.20–2.50 FOB | ~20–35% higher |
| BLE tracker ecosystem | Mature, dozens of ODMs | Nascent, few with shipping product |
| Realistic MOQ (custom) | 500–2,000 | 1,000–5,000 |
| Tooling cost | $5–12K single-cavity steel | $8–18K (50% more) |
| MFi / Find My cert | Minew, MOKOSmart already licensed | Effectively none |
| IP risk | High — NNN mandatory | Moderate — standard NDA workable |
| Sea freight → Durban | 36–48 days, $200–350 LCL | 14–21 days, often cheaper |
| Government subsidy | None | March 2025 Electronics PLI ₹22,919 cr covers PCBs, coin cells, passives |
The mandatory floor for a South Africa launch. Bluetooth SIG is the only non-negotiable global cost — everything else is region-specific. The $8K BQB fee is what kills most hobby-tier BLE builds; plan for it from day one.
| Bluetooth SIG BQB / DID listing | $12,000 | Global · 2026 rate |
| ICASA type approval (SA) | $346–700 | Mandatory SA |
| NRCS Letter of Authority (SA) | $300–1,500 | Battery products |
| RoHS self-declaration | $500–1,500 | If exporting EU |
| FCC Part 15 (US expansion) | $3,000–15,000 | Optional v2 |
| CE / RED EN 18031 (EU expansion) | $4,000–20,000 | Optional v2 |
Standard hardware gates: Concept → EP → EVT → DVT → PVT → MP. BQB qualification runs in parallel with DVT. Add 6–12 weeks of sea freight to Durban on top of the MP ramp.
What already exists. The $20–40 disc segment is a near-monoculture of 32 mm CR2032 clones. The genuine gap is a sub-25 mm, sub-5 g, rechargeable, dual-network (Apple Find My + Google Find Hub) tag with free separation alerts. No existing product hits all four.
| Tier | Price | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Premium | $30–50 | Major network + UWB or unique form factor (rechargeable, dual-network, ultra-thin) |
| Mid | $15–30 | Major network, coin-cell, standard 32 mm disc. Most crowded band in consumer electronics right now. |
| Budget | $2–15 | No crowdsourced network. Two-way beeper only. Nut, iTag, no-name AliExpress. |
Scenario A pilot, Shenzhen-first, Google Find Hub launch, Apple Find My in v2. Sub-22 mm rechargeable disc. $40K all-in, 12 weeks to shelf.
If Odilon wants Apple Find My network coverage (critical in SA where iPhones dominate premium), he must join Apple's MFi Find My program. Free to apply, but 3–6 month audit and specific silicon requirements. Launching without it means the tracker only works when Odilon's own app is nearby.
Standard NDAs are worthless in China — factories can legally clone what you "didn't disclose" to them. Use a Non-Disclosure + Non-Use + Non-Circumvention agreement, in Chinese, governed by Chinese law, signed with the company chop.
"We forgot the shielding can" and "we need a chip antenna, not PCB trace, because range was bad" are the #1 killers of low-cost BLE builds. Budget a 20–30% BOM contingency from day one.
Factories will promise 500-unit MOQs to close deals and quietly demand 2K+ once you're committed. Get the MOQ clause in the written contract with a tiered price table locked at RFQ.
Shipping a BLE product into South Africa without ICASA type approval is technically illegal and can result in seizure at customs. $1–3K and 4–8 weeks. Budget from day one.
"30 metres" sounds easy, but indoor BLE path-loss with walls typically halves real range. Proximity alert needs a rolling-median RSSI filter and a state machine on the phone, not a raw threshold. Plan firmware around this from the start.
The detailed markdown reports behind every chart on this page. Each is self-contained, sourced, and shareable.