Five Questions for Elezzar

Whether in retail, transports and logistics, the fashion industry, or the human resources department of any office, the digital revolution has left no industry untouched. And it’s rather handy if all of one business’s IT solutions come from the same source, thereby avoiding data loss and time-wasting decision-making processes. Elezzar, led by founder Sergej Kemmer (MSc, 2023) with the support of a highly specialized team, offers such solutions to aid in the digital transformation of today’s companies. In this recent interview, Kemmer explains how it all works and how one can master the art of balancing two things at once: studying and the founding of a company.

1. With your start-up Elezzar, you seek to offer your customers a one-stop shop for IT solutions, thereby aiding in their transformation process. How does your business model differentiate itself from those of other providers?

My team and I combine IT consultations with traditional IT outsourcing. What that means is that we advise our customers according to their needs and are also in a position to develop the best solution from within their companies. Businesses of all sizes come to us—from founders to mid-sized firms to major corporations—seeking to outsource their software development because they aren’t in a position, for one reason or another, to do it in-house. One common reason is a lack of experienced staff. And the advantage of us offering both consultation and outsourcing is simple: When too many parties get involved in the process, all the constant back-and-forth can lead to information going lost. And that’s information that then wouldn’t be available anymore to everybody who needs it, a problem that complicates processes and slows everything down. We’re able to get around these risks with our approach. Because we are, generally speaking, the only point of contact, no information goes missing, something our customers benefit from. Customers can also focus on their core business and rest assured that their projects are in good hands.

2. Elezzar’s portfolio certainly leaves a good impression: You and your team offer proprietary software-based solutions with the help of artificial intelligence, Big Data, automation programs, and blockchain (just to name a few)—and you do so for industries of all types. How are you able to cover such wide ground?

Digital transformation is the big thing right now. Many, many companies across many industries are now trying to make advancements so they can make their own processes more efficient. Artificial intelligence, blockchain, and virtual or augmented reality are hotly debated topics and demand for IT-based solutions are only going to increase in the future. We’ve oriented ourselves around this demand and, thanks to our strong network, have already been able to cover many of those areas. At Elezzar, I offer flexible working schedules and the chance to work on some pretty interesting projects, and that has helped me find experienced, talented software developers and project managers, all of whom bring to the table their own expertise. I was rather strategic when it came to selecting my staff. I didn’t focus solely on the developers. I had to pay special attention to finding project managers who possessed a deep knowledge of both technology and business. And when it comes to certain projects, in addition to my core team, I often have to rely on people in my network and their expertise. We’re able to cover a lot of ground that way.

3. Biometric authentication, remote inspections following an accident, or online smartphone gaming. Such concepts require start-of-the-art solutions and expertise. How do you plan on approaching the market? And in which areas exactly could such concepts be implemented?

We can already provide our customers with such technology. At the moment, it is being determined whether we can provide our solutions under a license. Biometric facial recognition, for example, can be used in a variety of ways. We’ve developed our own algorithm to cast as wide a net as possible. Apart from a high degree of probability in correctly identifying people, it can also be used for age verification at an access point. One of our customers uses facial recognition software to check how tired a driver may be and prevent accidents on the road. The areas where such technologies can be implemented truly is quite broad. Elezzar’s core team has all the necessary expertise. My goal is to satisfy our customers and to always offer them a high-quality service.

4. At the moment, you’re still studying at WHU – Otto Beisheim School of Management. How are you handling studying while also growing your business? And how did you first meet the members of your team?

Juggling both at the same time is certainly not easy. My studies at WHU and, of course, the company challenge me every day. But I try to dole out all there is to do. My team at Elezzar is a huge help here. The project managers and the developers do a lot to lighten my load—something I’m extremely thankful for! And before I started my program, I prepared myself for founding the company and set up a framework that makes it possible for operation to continue without my presence.

5. How have your studies at WHU helped you to found your company? And how has WHU supported you?

I have to say that, even before my time at WHU, I had already pursued other projects. I came to the conclusion early on that I wanted to found a company. Turning that into reality was something that simply happened later, for a variety of reasons. There’s a reigning entrepreneurial mentality at WHU that’s as inspiring as it is contagious. It certainly gave my own founder’s process a boost. WHU’s network, for example, connected me to another entrepreneur who was looking for AI-based solutions for a special purpose.