This Is Genius: Young Black Engineers Introduce Lavii — A Smart, Contactless Locker System Transforming Food Pickup

A group of innovative young Black engineers is redefining convenience, safety, and efficiency in the food service industry. Their creation—Lavii Lockers, a fully contactless smart-locker system—arrives at a moment when safety and seamless digital interaction matter more than ever. Designed to protect customers, restaurants, and delivery drivers, Lavii represents a powerful example of Black-led innovation meeting a timely global need.

At the center of the idea is Rea Huntley, the 31-year-old CEO and founder of Lavii, Inc. A lifelong tech enthusiast, Huntley grew up fascinated by how things worked. “I recall taking apart my PlayStation and putting it back together just to understand how it works,” she shared in a statement to Because Of Them We Can. Her early curiosity mirrors the childhood stories of many tech pioneers highlighted in major publications (Wired, The Verge).

As an adult, Huntley’s passion for problem-solving evolved into a career in IT consulting, earning one of the industry’s top credentials—the Cisco Certified Internetwork Expert (CCIE) certification. But her leap into entrepreneurship began last summer, sparked by a simple yet frustrating moment. After standing in line for 20 minutes to pick up food, she realized her order was already sitting at the counter getting cold. That’s when the thought struck her: there has to be a better system.

To bring her idea to life, Huntley sought collaborators whose expertise could match the vision. She partnered with two fellow technologists and Bowie State University graduates:

• James Bagley, 34 — Lavii’s COO and a seasoned software developer

• Marcus Gunn, 35 — Lavii’s CTO and a computer scientist with deep engineering experience

Together, the trio transformed Huntley’s concept into a functioning, fully integrated smart-locker system. The technology officially launched in August, in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic—a period when the demand for safe, contactless food pickup surged worldwide (Associated Press, USA Today, BBC Technology).

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How Lavii Lockers Work

Lavii Lockers are custom-built for each restaurant, designed to adapt to their workflow and food-handling needs. Here’s how the system works:

1. A restaurant receives an online order through Lavii’s platform.

2. Staff prepare the meal and place it into one of the temperature-controlled lockers.

3. The customer (or delivery driver) receives a unique QR code tied to their order.

4. Upon arrival, they scan the code, open the locker, retrieve the food, and leave—no waiting, no contact, no confusion.

The system aims to eliminate long pickup lines, reduce crowding, and ensure food stays hot, secure, and accurately matched to the right customer. Similar models have been tested in major chain restaurants globally (Reuters, The New York Times), and Lavii brings that same advanced technology to local and regional businesses with a culturally rooted, community-driven mission.

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A Vision Powered by Faith, Creativity, and Round-the-Clock Work

Gunn says the development process involved countless hours of trial and error—and moments of inspiration. “A lot of what we did from a technical standpoint are things I’ve never done before. When I hit roadblocks, I stop everything I’m doing and just pray and ask God for help,” he shared. “The next day I’ll wake up with an incredible epiphany. I lie to you not—it’s happened about 10 times.”

Their dedication paid off.

Since launching, Huntley and her team have piloted Lavii Lockers with local restaurants in their region. The early results were impressive. Businesses such as Crab Boss and Shark Bar saw increases in both sales and customer satisfaction, with smoother workflows and faster pickup experiences. Similar improvements have been documented in other industries adopting automated pickup systems (Bloomberg Business, Wall Street Journal).

With the ongoing challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, Huntley notes that Lavii arrived at the perfect time. “The community loves it!” she said. “[It’s] the perfect solution for third-party delivery drivers and consumers to retrieve made-to-order meals safely, securely, and easily… and for restaurants to make fast food, fast!”

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What’s Next for Lavii

Looking ahead, the team hopes to expand into national markets, targeting major fast-casual chains such as Chop’t, Chick-fil-A, and Panera Bread. The goal is to show that even beyond the pandemic, efficient, automated pickup solutions are not just convenient—they are the future of food service logistics (CNBC, Food Industry News).

Lavii also plans to launch a Kickstarter campaign to support broader production and help the system reach more restaurants nationwide.

What began as a moment of frustration in a takeout line has quickly evolved into a powerful example of Black innovation, community-minded engineering, and technological excellence.