Kickstart

Entrepreneurship is at the heart of everything we do — which is why we’ve been ranked No. 1 for graduate entrepreneurship for six years straight by The Princeton Review and Entrepreneur magazine. 

In this series, we invite Rice Business MBA alumni to share their entrepreneurial insight with the next generation of innovators. We asked them: Where did you find your spark of an idea? In other words, what problem did you set out to solve? Here’s what they had to say.

Where did you find your spark of an idea?

“I’ve been in the energy sector for over 16 years, and time and time again, customers ask me how they can reduce their carbon footprint. My research led me to acrylonitrile, a building block for many everyday products, and I began searching for a solution to reduce its impact on our climate. That‘s been my ultimate driver. I always ask myself the question: How can I make a positive impact on our carbon footprint on a large scale?” 
Mo Hossain ’19 
Founder and CEO, Terradote 

“In my product management role before Rice, I worked internationally, often presenting in spaces without audio/visual support, which highlighted a major frustration: the lack of a large, truly portable display solution. My experience with OwlSpark, Rice’s startup accelerator, helped bring our vision of developing the world’s first fully collapsible monitor and projector to life.” 
Alexander Wesley ’16 
Co-founder and CEO, Arovia 

“The idea for Learn2SWITCH was born through my experiences as a sheriff deputy and a high school sign language interpreter, during which I witnessed not only what can happen after teenagers don’t receive proper guidance, but also the individual experiences that influence negative paths later in life. Our game helps teens become the best version of themselves by meeting them where they are — in the metaverse.” 
Rima Lancelin ’22 
Founder and CEO, Learn2SWITCH 

“I have always been passionate about climate change, and I worked as a consultant with many companies dealing with forever chemicals. When I met my co-founders and heard their idea to address this issue, I was immediately on board. Today, our tech is one of the first of its kind helping companies properly remediate PFAS- contaminated water.” 
Dana Vazquez ’24 
Co-founder and chief commercial officer, Coflux 

“The spark of an idea came from my experience as a mother of a baby and a toddler, navigating the challenges of feeding them safely and sustainably. I realized there was a significant gap in the market for eco-friendly, nontoxic and practical tableware designed specifically for young children. I decided to create a solution through products that prioritize safety, sustainability and usability for families.” 
Emurode Williams ’24 
Co-founder and CEO, All About Baby NG Ltd