Ellipsis: Seychellois boat rental business grows with sustainable concept

Devyn Sharpe, a Seychellois-British entrepreneur (Devyn Sharpe)

(Seychelles News Agency) - Devyn Sharpe, an 18-year-old Seychellois-British entrepreneur, has embarked on his second year in the boat rental business in Seychelles with a green economy mindset.

Born and raised in England to a Seychellois mother and British father, Sharpe settled full-time in Seychelles in July 2023. Since the age of 10, Sharpe developed an interest in the sea.

Key priorities for Ellipsis, his venture, is consumer protection and environmental sustainability. Sharpe aims to bring European levels of protection and a sense of security to users. This objective stems from a personal experience in 2020 during the Covid-19 pandemic, where his family faced an unpleasant situation with an international booking agent and a local charter company in Seychelles. The refusal to honour their booking and provide a refund motivated Sharpe to find a solution.

While studying in the UK at the Wellington School, Somerset, he delved into coding, leading to the creation of Toucan Creative, a web and digital agency. Later, he established his own platform, www.ellipsis.sc, a marketplace for boat charter and experiences for yacht charters in Seychelles. Ellipsis aspires to become the go-to platform in Seychelles for finding and booking boat charters, tourism experiences and accommodation.

Named after his father's old boat, Ellipsis is now in its second year of operation, boasting a promising future. The company manages four yachts and collaborates with other Seychellois boat owners, assisting them in offsetting ownership costs. Focused solely on the Seychelles market, Ellipsis conducts transactions in Seychelles rupees. Sharpe emphasises their status as a fully licensed operator with a positive relationship with the Seychelles Maritime Safety Authority (SMSA).

He notes, “Chartering our boats is cost-effective; not everyone that comes to Seychelles is rich, some of them would like to have a great experience on a budget.”

The core reason behind starting Ellipsis Marine, according to Devyn, is that he “realised chartering a small boat would cost more than buying one.”

Furthermore, the company is committed to donating 10 percent of its service charges to marine charities and initiatives, particularly those related to coral regeneration and protection.

Sharpe is in discussions with the Seychelles Parks and Gardens Authority (SPGA) to donate marine buoys to the Sainte Anne Marine Park, addressing his concern for the lack of demarcation in an area primarily consisting of coral reefs.

Regarding environmental concerns like dumping of rubbish in the sea, Devyn underscores the importance of education, and all Ellipsis boats are equipped with rubbish bags. As the company grows his goal is to hire more people and invest funding towards training to upskill Ellipsis’ 100 percent Seychellois workforce. For the moment Devyn is managing most of the work himself with the help of a few workers.

Despite being 18, he draws on extensive experience gained from helping run the family business since the age of 14. He takes pride in Ellipsis being 100 percent Seychellois-owned, ensuring that all funds remain in Seychelles and contribute to the local economy.