NDSU business graduate named to Forbes 30 Under 30 list
Dieumerci Christel launched Elightapp as an NDSU College of Business student in 2018.
NDSU College of Business graduate Dieumerci Christel has been named to the Forbes 30 Under 30 list in the Education category, earning national recognition for his work to improve how students and teachers connect in the classroom.
Christel, who moved to the United States from a refugee camp in Tanzania at age 13, told Forbes he found “a broken system full of disengaged students with unlimited potential.”
That experience shaped his path at NDSU, where he launched Enlightapp in 2018. The AI-powered platform is free for teachers and uses weekly short surveys to provide insight into the challenges students face, including what language is spoken at home and whether they have access to the Internet. The tool has reached 10,000 students, with 40,000 more expected in 2026. Enlightapp has raised $930,000 from Techstars, Robin Hood and the Gates Foundation.
Christel, who studied at NDSU before focusing full time on building his company, said the Forbes honor reflects both his journey and the support he found on campus. He serves on the advisory board for the Center for Entrepreneurship and Family Business in the College of Business and remains involved with student innovation programs.
As an NDSU student, Christel honed his entrepreneurial skills through campus programs that encourage experimentation, mentoring and hands-on learning.
Christel’s recognition underscores NDSU’s strength in cultivating students who identify problems, test ideas and build solutions that make a real difference. The 30 Under 30 distinction places Christel among the nation’s rising young founders in education.
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