Hawa Mansaray
Tech rental service founder
Founder and CEO, R.E.N
Equipping entrepreneurs for success
Hawa Mansaray is the founder of R.E.N (Rent Equipment Now) and a Product Manager at Save My Exams. With a background in psychology and management consulting, Hawa didn’t always see herself in STEM.
However, conversations with her peers made her recognise the need to launch R.E.N. With access to affordable equipment for their businesses, R.E.N helps aspiring entrepreneurs make their dreams into a reality.
Hawa is a 2022/23 Innovate UK Young Innovator winner.
An unconventional journey from humanities to STEM
During school, I didn’t think STEM was for me, so I veered more towards humanities. I loved subjects like english, but maths, science and technology felt completely out of my depth.
But I liked the idea of being good at STEM. It’s the cool thing that everyone talks about. Yet there is this notion that only a certain type of person can be good at STEM. As a young Black girl, I didn’t see many people who looked like me in STEM. So, I just thought, ‘Maybe I’m just not the kind of person that does well in that space.’
When I was in sixth form, I wrote a children’s book, ‘The Tale of Frankie Fox and Terry Toad’ which did well and got published. I even went to the Frankfurt Book Show in Germany, a high accolade in the world of publishing. From then on, it was like a domino effect – everything just snowballed from there.
I went to university and graduated with a degree in psychology while continuing my writing. Afterwards, I kicked off my career as a management consultant. But I soon reached a point where I wanted a challenge, and that’s when I started to look beyond humanities.
Growing pains for early entrepreneurs
I thought about what else I could do, what looked exciting to me, and what I was passionate about. I noticed that I was having lots of conversations with friends about business ideas. Everyone was talking about side hustles, be it an idea or a hobby. When I asked my friends why they weren’t pursuing their ideas, the common response was, ‘I don’t have the finances for X camera or Y software.’
Young people today are more entrepreneurial and multifaceted than ever before. But the cost of equipment is standing in the way of their creativity. Sadly, because of this, many – like my friends – are unable to get their ideas off the ground. I really wanted to bridge this gap and create a solution for them.
Creating solutions through technology platforms
I was also witnessing the rise of platforms like Uber, Airbnb and WeWork. There was a growing trend towards a circular economy. It is very much the way forward, and we’re seeing how sharing resources cuts costs and is far more sustainable.
Considering this, I thought to myself: why not have a borrowing system where people can rent and share the equipment they need at an affordable cost? Even further, what if you had credits on the platform that you could share with other users? This is the backbone of Rent Equipment Now (R.E.N) – our goal is to create a space where entrepreneurs can access the tools they need to pursue their diverse interests.
Throwing yourself in the deep end
The biggest challenge starting R.E.N was the uncertainty of whether it would work out or not. There are a lot of things that you don’t even know until you start. There’s no shortcut. You have to just figure stuff out as you’re going through it.
But that’s also what I loved about starting my own business. There’s so much learning that comes from not knowing and having to figure things out. I’ve been lucky to meet so many mentors that have helped me. Having support from organisations and agencies like Innovate UK was a testament to that. I met many people there who were so knowledgeable and supportive, and that was great for my development.
Empowering new and upcoming entrepreneurs
Building the R.E.N platform was a huge milestone because it just started as an idea. Then, through hard work and perseverance it came to life. It was no longer an idea in my head now, but something that other people can go on and utilise. I feel proud to be part of powering the potential of young entrepreneurs, and seeing what people do with the equipment they rent from us.
We’ve been able to support some incredible talent, whether they’re influencers on YouTube, starting their own TV series, or film and photography students wanting to build their portfolios, we’ve been able to help them take that first step. Without access to the equipment we provide, they just wouldn’t have been able to get their ideas off the ground. So, watching those things come alive means more to me than anything I could do.
Opening doors for others behind you
I always tell myself: you might be the first person to get through the door, but you want to make sure the door stays open behind you. Because I’m a diverse founder and a minority in the spaces I work in, I get people asking me for advice on how to get into product management or be a tech founder.
I also work closely with Greenhouse Sports, a sports charity working with young people in schools. Additionally, I’ve been involved with Black Valley, a tech-specific community and database of Black-owned companies and founders. They mentor Black founders and provide a supportive community. My role as a Product Manager at Save My Exams, also helps me support students in their academic journeys. We provide revision materials for students, helping them get better grades in STEM and opening doors for their future possibilities.
A conversation with my younger self
Going back to my younger teenage self, I would have told her: there’s a place in STEM for everybody. Don’t deselect yourself from things before you’ve gone and tried it. A lot of the time, if you don’t immediately see yourself doing something, you’re more likely to deselect yourself and decide that it’s not for you before trying.
You might love it, and find something that really resonates with you in a space that you wouldn’t have thought someone like you would operate in or thrive in.