Attending IE University gave Sartaaj the perfect chance to explore the world. After the experience, he became more open-minded about finding different ways to apply his qualifications. He soon found his purpose and created an innovative startup. Find out what Sartaaj had to say about his IE University experience, learning invaluable skills for the future, and his journey into entrepreneurship.
I was born and raised in Bangladesh, so I hadn’t seen much of the world before joining IE University. I came here to complete my Bachelor of Laws (LL.B), which I recently finished in 2020. As a topic, law is very multifaceted. This means that despite where your interests lie, at least one module will capture your interest.
I appreciated the comparative approach to law, which covers legal systems from different regions. The very nature of law means that it is deeply intertwined with the society in which it operates. So my studies served as a kind of crash course into various cultures.
Carving a new path
I never intended to practice law in a traditional sense. During my time at IE University, I enjoyed meeting people with an open mind. It was a pleasure to connect with so many colleagues who wanted to pursue law-related careers in various specializations as I did. I tended to gravitate more towards classmates that wanted to do more with their degrees, fitting their qualifications into the lives they wanted to create.
Throughout my professional career, I have been fortunate enough to work with talented people from a wide range of fields. Companies in the music, luxury, pharmaceutical and petrochemical industries make up my portfolio of clients. After graduating, I’ve spent my time helping to develop a number of other interests into profitable enterprises within Asia and the Middle East.
A solid foundation
After completing a law degree, most people would hope to have a solid foundation in basic skills such as analytical thinking, comprehensive reading, and proficiency in oral presentation. In short, the process teaches you to think like a lawyer—but that is to be expected anyway.
On the other hand, I was most excited to learn how to think like the legal system. The law is slow and methodical, but it is ever-evolving. I learned that in order to bring my ideas to life I had to remain the same. This concept has formed the philosophy that guides my entrepreneurial efforts. It has helped me avoid chaos and implement my ideas in a systematic way, leading to business success and continuous growth.
On the rhyde to success
Out of all my interests, the clear favorite is based right here in Madrid. rhyde is a startup that I co-founded with my best friend, Erik Ojantakanen. Erik was also my former roommate when we were both at IE University.
Our mission is to combat the green-washing epidemic by providing sustainable alternatives within the micro-mobility sector. To that end, we refurbish used and decommissioned electric scooters for individual and commercial clients. Every vehicle we sell offsets carbon emissions by an equivalent amount to what nine fully-grown trees would do every year.
Our process ensures that we supply the highest quality, most sustainable and most affordable options currently available on the market. We offer a wide range of models with free 48-hour delivery within Spain, a 12-month warranty and secure payment options.
We officially launched in October. Since then, we have received a very positive reception from the public. Honestly, it has been quite humbling. For now, we are planning some exciting updates which we hope to share in the next few months.
I’ve always been determined to do only what I care about while working with people I respect. For me, rhyde is what I’m most passionate about and I plan to pursue it for the foreseeable future.
A word of wisdom
If you want to study law but are also interested in becoming an entrepreneur, my advice is simple: go for it! IE University is committed to promoting entrepreneurship and avails many resources to students and alumni. So go for it, use every resource at your disposal, take the right electives and focus on making like-minded friends.
Furthermore, you’re likely to meet other students that are already successful in business and commerce. Don’t be afraid to network and absorb all the knowledge you will need to build a prosperous, sustainable enterprise.