Rohan Jindal, founder of Mistify
Rohan Jindal, the founder of Mistify, is an Oxford Brookes postgraduate who came up with the idea of using AI to control pollution. Mistify is an early-stage startup hugely supported by Oxford Brookes. With a team of 8 people, they are trying to collect funds through grants and seed funding. They are working to develop an MVP, which is a proof-of-concept model, before going on to develop a full-scale prototype.
I was born and brought up in a business family. As a kid, I saw my dad build a business from nothing; which inspired me to start something from scratch. This isn't my first business; I have 2 active businesses back home in India, and now I want to build something that solves a worldwide problem. Apart from Mistify, I have other ideas that are focused on the environment, reducing plastic waste, and road safety, which is something for me to do in the future.
Entrepreneurship, to me, means more than just business. It's more than just about making money or building a legacy; it's about solving problems, providing society with something they need, something they've been struggling with. It's also about doing something for nature - helping society lead a healthier lifestyle. Entrepreneurship provides an opportunity to change something you are concerned about, to work towards making the change you want to see in society. There are many ways to make money, but entrepreneurship provides an opportunity to make a change.
Back in 2018, I was riding my motorcycle on a highway when I saw a puff of dust created by road works. I had no other option but to drive through it and breathe in all the dust. Being an asthmatic person, it made me really uncomfortable. I had to stop and catch my breath. This is when I noticed construction workers working day and night in these conditions. I started thinking of ways to control dust and now that I've completed my education, I want to work to solve this problem.
I'm not sure if these count as skills, but to be a successful entrepreneur, I think one should have them:
Dedication: To be successful, a person should be dedicated and highly motivated. Entrepreneurship is a lonely journey, and an entrepreneur should know how to work without any reward in the initial stages, at least.
Humility: A successful entrepreneur should be humble towards the people working under him, I think that's the best way to get the best out of the team
Communication: Effective communication is a must have for an entrepreneur to transfer their ideas to others.
Dedication: To be successful, a person should be dedicated and highly motivated. Entrepreneurship is a lonely journey, and an entrepreneur should know how to work without any reward in the initial stages, at least.
Humility: A successful entrepreneur should be humble towards the people working under him, I think that's the best way to get the best out of the team
Communication: Effective communication is a must have for an entrepreneur to transfer their ideas to others.
My favourite part is the product launch, when everything comes together, all the struggles, and the handwork pay off.
I'm highly inspired by my dad. Over the years, I have seen him make some tough choices but never forget his ethics.
The Spark Awards.
The good thing about being in Oxford is the excellent level of support we get from organizations like OxLEP and BIPC. The number of connections I made through their events has helped me a lot throughout my journey. The bad bit is that it's very expensive to start a business here.
Are there any Business or Entrepreneurship Related Courses that you would recommend?
Enjoy the journey, make friends, live the moments.
You can keep up to date with Rohan by following him on LinkedIn.
