A Journey from Rocket Boy to Social Innovator
In the early 2000s, a group of students from Vail Christian High School earned the nickname "The Rocket Boys." Among them was Kyle Cureau, a 2004 graduate whose journey from physics enthusiast to pioneering entrepreneur embodies the spirit of innovation and determination. Today, we take a closer look at Kyle's extraordinary path from VCHS to global ventures, highlighting his impact on the world and the wisdom he has to share with current students.
Blast Off: The VCHS Rocket Boys
Kyle Cureau, along with his classmates John McGee and Peter Ferguson, both also from the class of '04, transformed their passion for physics into an adventurous endeavor. Spending countless hours in basements and garages, they built model rockets that would eventually catapult them to the national stage. Their hard work paid off when they qualified, out of nearly 900 teams, for the Team America Rocketry competition in Washington D.C., securing an impressive third place among the top 100 teams. This early success showcased the exceptional talent within the halls of VCHS, a school still in its infancy but already showcasing exceptional talent.
From College to Coffee: An Entrepreneurial Spirit Unleashed
Kyle's adventures didn't stop with rockets. After two years at Colorado College, his entrepreneurial spirit led him to drop out and embark on a venture that would intertwine technology with Fair Trade. Alongside a friend and coffee growers in Oaxaca, Mexico, Kyle developed a tool to monitor Fair Trade prices globally.. They used this tool to grow a coffee trade and wholesale business which grew to 20 employees and sold to retailers like Whole Foods. This venture grew rapidly and set the stage for Kyle's future endeavors.
A Nomadic Life: Global Impact through Technology
After returning to Colorado to complete his degree in Economics, Kyle's career took a global turn. As a digital nomad, he worked for Fortune 500 companies across continents, from Germany to Vietnam, enriching his experience in the tech world. After his travels, Kyle settled in San Francisco where he was Director of Strategy for an education Venture Capital firm. . From there Kyle went on to become Executive Director of Matterfund, an education initiative of the World Economic Forum. He would use this experience to build a software services company called Hakeema, based in London, serving some of the world’s largest NGOs. It's during this time that Kyle met his wife India, who would inevitably become a co-founder on their latest venture.
Crone.ai: Shaping the Future of Education
Kyle and India have recently started Crone.ai. Crone uses AI to turn books and literary passages into gamified writing lessons. They’ll soon launch gamified audiobooks such as “Write like Jane Austen” before expanding into schools.
A Reflection of Wisdom: Advice to VCHS Students
Reflecting on his journey, Kyle offers timeless advice to current VCHS students, He emphasizes the importance of self-discovery.
"Be yourself. It’s not always obvious what ‘be yourself’ means, but the point is to live that question,"
Kyle alludes to the wise words of Austrian poet Rainer Maria Rilke. “Live the questions now.”
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