When Reza Handley-Namavar (MSB ’12) fell ill in the middle of the night during his junior semester abroad in South Africa, he was utterly alone. Without access to a cell phone or computer, he couldn’t call for help, research his symptoms or consult a doctor. This experience inspired him to launch Dream Mobile, a start-up company offering a cheaper smartphone alternative, which is based in South Africa and staffed by fellow Class of 2012 Georgetown graduates.

“If something had seriously gone wrong, I would have been in a lot of trouble,” he said. “I realized that if I had had a smartphone, I could have … actually gotten help instead of suffering through the night until I was able to reach a doctor in the morning.”

Handley-Namavar founded the for-profit social enterprise in February 2011 to develop affordable smartphones and provide low-cost access to data to the African population. He then moved to Cape Town after graduating last spring, while three of his Georgetown classmates, Gwen Schwartz (COL ’12), Benjamin McAfee (SFS ’12) and Odosa Aghayere (MSB ’12),  ran the company’s U.S. team.

Dream Mobile’s phones, which come with data-blocking software that allows users to designate specifics essential data to use the data network to reduce the cost of data plans, were developed through a Chinese manufacturer using the Android software.

“Some can’t afford to have the phone using data all the time, if the phone is just updating in the background,” he said. “If they’re just using Whatsapp, they can afford to keep data on.”

By focusing on just the African market, Dream Mobile can develop technology specially tailored to African needs through enhanced Bluetooth sharing and anti-theft apps.

Dream Mobile received its first shipment of 100 phones last week. It will be sold to a local pizza service that is developing a digital communication system for deliveries. Its business model has evolved from focusing on the youth and consumer market, to working with small- and medium-sized businesses.

However, the team has come a long way since last year, McAfee said.

“Back then we didn’t have a logo, we didn’t have the phones that we have now, we didn’t have a solid business structure [and] we didn’t have a team. There were just many things that weren’t even there,” he said. “Where we are right now with our company … is a lot stronger. We’re able to sort of understand what we’re doing a lot more than we’re used to.”

Dream Mobile is also proud of its commitment to employing South African students.

“We’re creating structures to decrease the unemployment in South Africa, because we employ youth … to teach them how to run as business as well as provide an income,” McAfee said.

Handley-Namavar’s foremost business goal is further growth throughout Africa. He is currently working with a team to expand into Ghana, in addition to making preliminary connections in other African countries.

“My dream 10 years from now is that when I get into a minibus taxi or go into any public space, I see a third to a half of the people using a Dream Mobile phone, at least in Africa,” he said.

Despite the risk and responsibility involved, Handley-Namavar thinks the decision to launch the company was the right one.

“In a lot of ways, what I’m doing as an entrepreneur is a lot harder … because everything’s on you. The company goes forward when I work; the company stalls when I stop working. It’s the same for the rest of the team,” he said. “But there’s nothing I would rather be doing with my life right now than what I’m doing.”