A curious mind is indeed a brilliant mind.
It all began during Covid-19. Elysee Kundimana, like many other Rwandan youth, was bored out of his mind.
During the lockdown, minutes turned into hours, and hours turned into days, and days turned into months.
As a result, when conferences and concerts reappeared in the Rwandan scenery, he jumped to the case and that is when he came up with his brilliant idea.
“I remember going to BK Arena for a concert and there was this long line of people waiting outside to show their vaccination cards,” he recalled.
Kundimana was irritated by the long line of people showing their vaccine cards, but he also had to deal with the fact that his phone had run out of battery and there was no way he could charge it.
As a result, he could not enter because he could not provide proof of vaccination.
That’s when he had an epiphany. He wondered if people could actually carry one card that contained all of their information, such as the vaccination information that caused him to miss a night out at a concert.
Kundimana had had a few small experiences with technology prior to implementing his idea, and it is something he grew up liking.
During our conversation with this youthful innovator, he told us that he grew up with a strong interest in technology and innovation, which he pursued in school.
“I used to play around with different technology equipments, even in school I would help my classmates with technology related things,” he said
He always had the drive to learn new things daily which is why he took a couple of classes online
He later on had an opportunity to further acquire more knowledge in Motion graphics through TV1.
He was not lacking in dedication; he would stay late at work trying to wrap his head around everything and learn as much as he could. To say he was enthusiastic would be an understatement.
His mindset was to learn as much as he could from the position he was in as well as from the people around him.
He worked for other companies before leaving to focus solely on his own startup.
It was not an easy decision, but it proved he made the right one.
His company, ‘ELYSEE BRAND INC,’ currently produces a variety of products, including a digital contactless business card, a digital contactless Covid Vaccination status card, and a special waterproof ring that can be used to store any documents that you desire.
His innovation has piqued the interest of investors in particular. During YouthConnekt 2022, he was able to expose what he does, which opened many doors for him.
“I remember people being amazed and interested in the products we were displaying; they actually loved it,” he said.
Kundimana wants to change the perception that Africa does not innovate through technology; he believes his products can speak for themselves.
“I love that my product is getting exposure; it addresses the false narrative that Africa does not innovate.” But we are unquestionably capable,” he stated.
He has grown his company from one person to a team of six permanent employees.
His ambition is to grow his company to an international level while also developing other unique and authentic products.
Kundimana founded a company from a simple idea that grew as a result of his curiosity, which drove him to learn new things and acquire new skills.
This demonstrates that with a little bit of passion, curiosity, and a desire to constantly learn, many people are capable of accomplishing remarkable things.
He was not lacking in dedication; he would stay late at work trying to wrap his head around everything and learn as much as he could. To say he was enthusiastic would be an understatement.
His mindset was to learn as much as he could from the position he was in as well as from the people around him.
He worked for other companies before leaving to focus solely on his own startup.
It was not an easy decision, but it proved he made the right one.
His company, ‘ELYSEE BRAND INC,’ currently produces a variety of products, including a digital contactless business card, a digital contactless Covid Vaccination status card, and a special waterproof ring that can be used to store any documents that you desire.
His innovation has piqued the interest of investors in particular. During YouthConnekt 2022, he was able to expose what he does, which opened many doors for him.
“I remember people being amazed and interested in the products we were displaying; they actually loved it,” he said.
Kundimana wants to change the perception that Africa does not innovate through technology; he believes his products can speak for themselves.
“I love that my product is getting exposure; it addresses the false narrative that Africa does not innovate.” But we are unquestionably capable,” he stated.
He has grown his company from one person to a team of six permanent employees.
His ambition is to grow his company to an international level while also developing other unique and authentic products.
Kundimana founded a company from a simple idea that grew as a result of his curiosity, which drove him to learn new things and acquire new skills.
This demonstrates that with a little bit of passion, curiosity, and a desire to constantly learn, many people are capable of accomplishing remarkable things.
