Business cards have been the businessperson’s trusty companion during meetings, networking events and other relevant commercial exchanges since time immemorial. However, with the advent of advanced technologies, the paper card has understandably fallen out of favour.

Matthew Narusevicius Mantvydas, a banker by profession and the founder of temping agency WFDM, had other ideas, leading him to develop one business card to rule them all, all the while bringing sustainability and tech into the powerful mix.

“Typically, our business cards are an extension of our business personas and are meant to express who we are and what we stand for,” Matthew says as he explains how Doup business cards work. “That is why we developed Doup, a ground-breaking idea that is set to take business cards up a level, changing the game for ever.”

Doup cards in fact are physical cards, which harness NFC (Near Field Communication) technology, similar to contact-less credit cards. The card works efficiently as it sends the card-holder’s details, swiftly and effortlessly to any recipient with a smartphone – through a simple tap.

Born in Lithuania, and developed in Malta, the Doup business card concept forms part of the WFDM group which has interests in recruitment and human resources.

“Whatever the sector, our company strives to do things differently, aiming to leave a mark along the way. We believe Doup cards will revolutionise how we exchange information, in favour of a more sustainable system,” Matthew explains.

“Doup cards does away with expensive and environmentally unfriendly printed paper, which is quickly rendered obsolete once the tiniest detail such as an email address or change in position title takes place. This often leads to hundreds of cards being thrown away at considerable cost and at the detriment of the environment. Moreover, it is understood that paper cards do not hold the place of importance as they did in the past, and many people find it difficult to organise them efficiently. Doup cards addresses this challenge elegantly, since it organises all contacts in an easy-to-use app, hence creating a convenient directory of contacts which is ready to search when needed. We want to keep Doup simple and accessible to users of all ages,” Matthew continues.

While maintaining a professional aura around the entire venture, Matthew understands that the modern businessperson approaches business transactions in a much more casual manner than we were used to, up till a few years ago.

“Doup cards receive a fantastic, elegant finish using innovative materials such as bamboo, but also finely finished recycled metals, or even 24carat sprayed gold, reflecting prestige and style. In addition, a fun secret hides in plain sight. Apart form one’s professional profile, any user can opt to have a second profile related to any other aspect of their life which might relate to a hobby or passion. So, tapping a Doup card onto a smart phone using one side will share your professional profile, while tapping the reverse side will just as easily share your profile as an amateur actor, or pigeon racing enthusiast! This is the level of flexibility we want to offer our clients, as we make the entire ordeal as easy and fun as possible,” Matthew notes.

Doup cards is on a trajectory for growth as Matthew is keen to use the experience, he gained from Malta to penetrate the UAE market.

“We are excited to note how in Malta we have started to get some serious attention, even attracting some real interest from big players in the field. With this wealth of experience, we want to grow Doup further, taking it way beyond Malta’s shores. Malta and the fantastic team behind Doup, deserve a great credit for what we have managed to achieve so far, and we are only too keen to take Doup to the next level,” Matthew concludes.