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Black History Month 2020 is a time to deconstruct notions that were taken for granted and frame a new story that celebrates the here and now and paves a road for Black, British people’s talent. Every story matters and being a part of a bigger conversation that brings enlightened change into every single household is one that needs to be addressed constantly.

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This year has brought to the surface a new way of thinking; a powerful generation of leaders and entrepreneurs who will no longer be silenced and accept the ‘Status Quo.’ This is time for Status Quo Black’ and we are here to give our platform to the unique voices of black entrepreneurs who have created their desired present, not following any rules.

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For our third article during Black History Month, we are focusing on the creativity and brilliance of black innovators and MSDUK members who continue to generate ideas for a better world.   

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Every one of these innovators has participated in MSDUK’s annual Innovation Challenge contributing to the betterment of the world. Black History Month should certainly remind us all that we still have a long way to go to make innovation truly inclusive.

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Using this opportunity, we would like to showcase 6 inspiring, black innovators who have shown-up and made a difference: Kennedy Mashanda, CEO of Aries VR, a virtual reality education and training solutions created to accelerate learning through the power of immersive technologies and artificial intelligence; Olukunle Kayode, Founder and CEO of Statmetrix, a company that provides easy game recording and performance analytics for clubs, coaches, and players; Simon Ighofose, Co-Founder CEO of PyroGenesys, an integrated energy technology provider, and developer of low carbon renewable technologies; David Chen, CEO and Co-Founder of Kapsule, creating affordable, authentic, and accessible medicines; Mansata Kurang, Founder for VR Revival, a health technology start-up providing an interactive and personalised platform for an uplifting social experience for people with dementia, and Elsa Zekeng, Director & Head of student Engagement & Enhancement at Jobseekrs, a video interactive, job –matching & culture-fit career solution for millennials worldwide. 

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During an interview with Simon Ighofose of PyroGenesys and Mansata Kurang of VR Revival, we delved into what inspired their journey, braving an idea from initial concept to creation, and how important breaking rules are to create a new reality.  

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Every journey into creating something new is unique and inspiring in its way, but to start up, there must be a spark intertwined with a passion to create. For Simon Ighofose it was the need to create his reality when nobody could see his potential. “Nobody would give me the job I wanted so I created my own,” he told us.  “I now create jobs for other people that they love and feel called to do. I find that helping people work in their calling is one of the most rewarding things I can do.”

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For Mansata Kurang her journey was a little different but inspiring all the same and truly eye-opening.  “As a child, I was always creative and loved building but growing up in Africa, it was natural for me to follow the traditional professional pathway. I find that entrepreneurship gives me the freedom to be creative and unlock my true potential to serve in an area I’m passionate about. There are no limits to what can be created – for example, I wanted to combine my love for psychology with art and technology and now part of the creation of a whole new role and industry in the immersive mental health space. That’s the power of innovation – it gives the opportunity to blaze a new trail and become a change-maker in the world.”

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Many people have creative ideas that could take the world by storm but either never pursue it or don’t believe they’re able to pull it off. Being an innovator is taking an idea that could have a simple solution to a worldwide problem and running with it. For Simon Ighofose it didn’t all happen at once. It took time to bring it to life and it was his belief in the process and perseverance that made the idea soar.

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“Recognising achievements that contribute to the journey and building on them was key. Our first proof of concept proved the PyroGenesys team could build a working system. This helped us leverage our first major R&D grant and, in turn, justified for a to provide the match funding” he said.

To break into a new industry, it’s important to have the courage to create new rules and break old moulds that no longer fit. Every innovative idea is unique and requires its own set of ways and Mansata Kurang couldn’t agree more. “Not only is it important, it is also essential so long as it’s ethical and moral. The industry I’m now working in didn’t even exist two years ago so it takes courage to be a pioneer to engage and help create new jobs and products. It’s what keeps the economy going and increases the impact on society.  There are still so many gaps in different markets waiting to be realised only if people get the opportunity and funding to use their skills and talents to solve important problems.”

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Taking an idea and going the distance with it can be quite daunting but for Mansata Kurang, it was the fact that there are so many gaps especially in the black and ethnic minority markets that made her realise she had a unique idea. “Most mainstream products don’t usually cater for these communities so I’ve been intentional about targeting these currently under-served markets to create unique products that serve them,” she told us. “I realised my idea was unique from the beginning because we and our partners created this new immersive wellness initiate. Our company provides mental health experiences which support black women to address feelings of distress, guilt, inadequacy and failure, through self-compassion as well as empathy, in a corporate environment. It will also provide a parallel VR experience for non-minority groups to explore and understand unconscious bias in the workplace.”

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These two fascinating innovators have inspired us with their resilience and we wanted to know their goals for the future. For Simon Ighofose, in the next 5 years he sees PyroGenesys “leading a global movement that ushers in a new era of sustainable peace and prosperity for all mankind” and for Mansata Kurang, she sees the company “as a major player in both the immersive mental health and corporate training industry, operating across UK and Africa.”