As the Covid-19 pandemic spread throughout the world, everyday more and more people started to fall victim to the virus. With no cure or treatment in sight, businesses, schools and offices have started to shut down, either for the time being or permanently. One of the first confirmed cases of the Coronavirus in the US was Pouya Hashemi whose first hand experience with the virus would eventually lead to an invention that would help out millions of citizens around the world. He saw what being Covid-positive could do to a person, mentally and physically and he decided that if he survived, he would do everything that he could to stop its spread. After his recovery, Pouya Hashemi became the CEO/Founder of RapidScreen, a cutting edge and advanced artificial intelligence and thermal-imaging thermometer / facial scanning system that the world can use to screen all employees and customers for their temperature and other symptoms of Covid-19. And it isn’t just for businesses, but also for schools to keep our children and educators safe during this pandemic.
Who is Pouya Hashemi?
Technology always fascinated Hasemi, for as long as he could remember. Even when he was a young boy, his favourite pastime was sitting by himself taking electronics apart, trying to figure out how they worked and how to put them back together again. It didn’t always go as he planned and often he wouldn’t be able to put the machine together again, but he never gave up. At that time, Hashemi did not realise that it was something that he wanted to work in, but he knew that he wanted to be his own boss, execute his own ideas and plans according to his morals and ethics.
After highschool, Hashemi went to Cal State University Fullerton to fulfil his parents dream of having a child who graduated from college. But after a couple of years, he realised that this isn’t what he wanted and so he had to drop out. Instead, he wanted to go out in the world and forge his own future.
When it comes to work experience, Hashemi has led a full life. Working in different fields to not only earn money for himself but also to learn how it all works, be it retail, sales or even mortgage. And all of that later helped him understand what the industry required and the individual importance of each industry. Once he had enough money to start off his own business, Hashemi did not waste a minute more. He bootstrapped both spinTouch and SIP Awards in the same year and 12 years in, they are still making a big dent in their respective industries.
How successful is Pouya Hashemi today?
In the eyes of the world and his friends and family, Hashemi is quite successful. He has achieved a lot in his life, especially with RapidScreen. He not only has achieved financial success, but also helped a lot of people along the way, in a time where we could use all the help we could get.
However, Hashemi is his own biggest critic. He doesn’t believe that he has achieved all that he can in his life and still strives to achieve more. But he does consider himself lucky that over the last 12 years, he has had the opportunity to work with some of the largest and well known companies of the world and help them build some amazing things. He counts his success in the Fortune 500 companies he has had the chance to work with, along with government agencies in telling their story in an innovative way and on a platform that people can trust. But Hashemi still thinks that his greatest accomplishments are still ahead of him.
What is so unique about RapidScreen?
Prevention is key and being a business owner himself and he knows it is important to instill a sense of trust and safety in employees and customers. With RapidScreen temperature kiosks, companies can read the temperature of individuals prior to entering their facilities 24/7, limiting access to those with a fever, or potential virus. Their unique temperature screening sensors are double the accuracy compared to similar devices on the market. Companies can easily mandate mask requirements with our facial mask detection feature, while staying compliant with new government guidance.
RapidScreen will not only help identify people with Covid symptoms but also help with implementing the SOPs. Promoting the use of masks as it identifies those who don’t. RapidScreen is a very helpful weapon in the war against Covid-19.
Has Pouya Hashemi faced any tragedies in his personal or professional life?
As the virus spread throughout the world, impacting all businesses, Hashemi’s two businesses were also majorly affected by it. As everything began to shut down and downsizing began everywhere, it was difficult for Hashemi’s businesses to not fall prey to the pandemic as well. Like most, he had to make tough decisions and take unpopular measures to cut down costs to save his companies and as many of his employees’ jobs he could. He had to do a lot of restructuring just to survive in this time. And Hasemi had to do all that while being a victim of the virus himself. As the virus spread in his body, he was mentally and physically exhausted battling the disease for his life and his legacy.
That is when he realised that it was imperative to rethink how we can not only survive through this uncertain time, but thrive with new solutions that can bring real value to the world and build something from the rubble.
What does the future hold for RapidScreen?
The hope is to utilize the RapidScreen technology to identify the patients of CoronaVirus in the current situation and thus reduce the risk of further spreading the virus so that people could regain some sort of control in these chaotic times. But in the future, the goal is to take advantage of this technology and use it to identify other illnesses as well like the common cold or flu or fever to maintain a safe work and school environment. It can be used to help people feel safer and less stressed.
Any quotes or “words of wisdom” that Hashemi lives by?
He has always been a firm believer of the saying, “where there is a will, there is a way”. When faced with adversity in life or business, he chooses to focus on strategizing the best way to get through it. He uses his energy and motivation as a driving force to accomplish challenges at hand.
How is he making the world a better place today?
After overcoming Covid-19 himself, he made it his mission to pivot his company to help other businesses reopen safely and slow the spread of this contagious virus. He didn’t see it as an opportunity of financial gain but a way to help his fellow patients, workers and the world overall. In an effort to make the world a better place, they developed RapidScreen to build a sense of trust and bring some normalcy back to the lives of people, even post Covid-19.