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In Pashto and Dari, Afghanistan means the land of the Afghans. The modern age state of Afghanistan was founded in 1747 by Ahmad Shah Durrani, who united the Afghan tribes and established a vast empire. Although the nation has gone through numerous invasions, occupations, and civil wars from the beginning, it stands strong to this day. The world hopes a new beginning is not too far in Afghanistan, with the publication of an open letter from Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan to the American people expressing a desire to initiate the peace negotiations.
It is undoubtedly difficult to found and grow a tech startup in Afghanistan. Entrepreneurs face numerous challenges ranging widely from volatile political situation to limited infrastructure. However, the ability to see opportunity amidst challenges is what differentiates an entrepreneur from the average crowd. Entrepreneurs of Afghanistan are no exception. Afghanistan government has taken steps to encourage startup growth in the country. Ibtikaar Start Ups is a startup incubator based in Kabul. It provides office space, training, and funding for startups. It operates under the aegis of the Ministry of Communication & Information Technology. At Ibtikaar, a startup goes through three phases, ideation, incubation, and acceleration. The initiative is funded by the World Bank. In addition to office space, Ibtikaar offers high-speed fiber optic internet connection, meeting spaces, and administrative facilities. The startup founders who join the program are mentored by industry veterans. A number of amazing startups have flourished under this program. UltraRate, a software development startup, is one of them that started its journey in 2015. Its Co-Founder & CEO Ali Ahmad Akbari is a Computer Science graduate from Kabul Polytechnic University that is a reputed engineering education center in Kabul and received a letter of appreciation from the Afghanistan parliament in 2017. Mohammad Reza Husseiny is the other Co-Founder and Project Manager of the startup. The startup has launched products such as University Management Package, Ultra HR MIS, and Ultra Business. In addition to that, it offers a wide range of IT services.
AfghanID is another startup that has grown at a steady pace. It is a provider of IT solutions. It started in 2009 as Upshot Technology Services and later became AfghanID. It has a team of passionate people and an ever-growing client base. Muhammad Ajmal is the Founder & President and Tehmina Askari is the Co-Founder & Vice President. The flagship offering of the startup is AfghanID List, an online directory for job seekers and recruiters. It has sub-divisions that offer ERP solutions (AfghanID Soft), web hosting solutions (AfghanID Host), e-commerce solutions (AfghanID Store) and related products and services. Hsoft Technologies is an Ibtikaar startup that has attracted a lot of attention in the recent years due to their FASTBOOKS finance software solution. It caters to businesses and has modules for inventory, payroll, asset, and cash management. Aimal Miakhel is the CEO of the startup. It also offers information management systems in various fields. Their clients include, Synergy Solutions, High Light Printing, KET Group, and other leading corporations in Afghanistan. SparkTech, Afghan Booking, Elitech, SmartVision, SmartMaktab, WeSoft Technologies, ARC, Vertechs, CodeZone, MSOFT, BrightBit, 4MTech, FSDC, Turbosoft, FOCUS Technologies, Peaksoft, Buraq Technologies, ToNext, and Experts Valley are some other startups that have found success through the Ibtikaar program. The program offers resources for the incubatees. It regularly organizes events and pre-incubation workshops to foster startup growth in the country. According to the startup experts, the programs well-structured curriculum is one of the main reasons behind its success. Founded in collaboration with TechNation, the program has partners at national and international levels.
It is worth noting that Afghan startup boom is also helping in reducing the unemployment rate as these startups recruit people in various roles, reports BW Disrupt. The confluence of the startup culture and Afghan feminine spirit has resulted in several successful ventures. Startup Valley, the nation's leading private business incubator, has promoted a number of startups run by talented Afghan women. It is managed by Aghaez Professional Services, a business management consultancy firm in Kabul. In a recent USAID report, Susan DeCamp, the Director of the agency's Gender Office, applauded the efforts of young women who successfully completed the program last year. More than half of these startups were already incorporated, in Kabul, and making a profit, while the remaining were in the process of incorporation. From ideation to launch, the program provides a three-sixty-degree coverage of the concepts required to establish and run a successful startup. The program also provides follow up support to the women to ensure they do not encounter any roadblock in the early months. Ahmad Fahim Didar, Executive Director, AGHAEZ Professional Services agrees that the burgeoning startup ecosystem contributes a lot to the nation's socio-economic growth as it moves from an aid economy to a market economy. Especially in the urban communities, the startup culture has many exponents.
MartLinx.Com combines Twitter and eBay to offer a unique e-shopping experience. In the first release of the platform, there were 30 shops. It was founded by Akmal Arzhang, a serial entrepreneur, Ahmad Belal, and Sayad Xiarkakh. Founder Institute, an incubator present in 160+ cities, provided the support necessary during the launch of the startup. Tekpad.co is a Kabul based blog-centric professional network. Users have the option to choose a theme and can create their own blogs in two minutes. This is another Founder Institute startup. The incubator's Kabul chapter launches crowdfunding campaigns to fund the startups. SOL Technology Labs is a social recruitment platform founded by Mohammad Arif that aims to revolutionize the way balls roll in the recruitment industry. It offers features such as, job referral, endorsement, and algorithm-based matching. The recruiter can evaluate the candidate by viewing their profile. Bonus.af is a startup focused on life and community improvement, through financial and other means. It offers a platform for learning, advertisement, and income. Yahya Sadat is the President of the startup and has a Bachelor's degree in Computer Science from Kardan University, a private university in Kabul. Mp3Afghan, founded by Khadim Hussain Rasooli, is an Afghan music platform where music lovers can register or signin with their Facebook or Google accounts and enjoy the latest Afghan music. The Android app is available from apkpure.com. Khadim has also founded an e-commerce startup ArzanSara Online Shopping that has attracted a lot of attention. Other notable startups that have attracted a lot of investor attention are, BGC BAWAR GROUP INTERNATIONAL, Shohab Barekzai Trading, Credence Independent Auditors, and AVI.
Startup Grind Kabul chapter is a promoter of startups in Afghanistan. Google for Entrepreneurs is the global sponsor of the chapter. The local sponsors are Etisalat Afghanistan, CEFE Group International, and Io Global Services. The local partners are AGHAEZ Consulting and others. Ahmad Fahim Didar, the CEO and Founder of AGHAEZ Consulting is the Organizer of the chapter. In the Startup Grind blog, Ahmad writes, "The key to success is to align one’s enterprise to personal, professional, and social values in order for the business to thrive." The chapter has added great value to the startups of Afghanistan through events such as, Startup Iftar. The support of large corporations such as Etisalat that has an annual revenue of over $9 B and people in the highest echelons of the industry who have a vision and genuine faith in the potential of Afghan entrepreneurs is going to take the startup community forward in lightning fast speed in the years to come. Moreover, a lot of angel investors, micro vcs and vcs are supporting the talented Afghan entrepreneurs that is acting as another catalyst.
Tech Afghanistan and other local news outlets' active support has helped the startups get the much-needed attention. It helps in more than one ways. First, the news of a startup inspires others with entrepreneurial mindsets to bring their own ideas to fruition. Second, the news helps them get the required funding from investors from in and outside the country. Third, it boosts the morale of the founders and employees when they see that people are talking about their little venture. Tech Afghanistan covers startup events, new startups, startup trends, and more. It also focuses on how startups are making the society better every day. Dr. Rafiq Swash is the editor-in-chief of the magazine portal. The community-based portal, a TechNation-initiative, has a team of passionate contributing writers and editors. Tech nation is focused on the holistic technological development of the nation through the promotion of innovation and leadership development.
A determining factor in startup growth is the availability of office spaces. Startups operate under a lot of cost constraints and many find it difficult to own or rent an entire office. On the other hand, not having an office damages the brand of a startup and makes day-to-day operations difficult. The solution is co-working spaces. Daftar is the country's first co-working space. It was founded under the Afghanistan Center for Excellence. It has excellent security arrangements to ensure the startup staff can focus on innovation regardless of the security situation. Daftar spaces are protected by concrete blast walls, barb wires, and armed guards. Its long waiting list is a proof of the innovative spirit of Afghan founders. The success of Daftar has inspired other co-working space ventures such as, The Hub & Smart Business Center.
Despite the fact, that the Starting a Business DB 2018 rank of Afghanistan is 107 and it has a GNI Per Capita of $580, we must admire the optimism and determination of fervent tech-entrepreneurs of Afghanistan for their efforts. The world hopes that Afghanistan soon will become a tech destination. This hope is not unfounded. The tech startup communities in and around Kabul are getting stronger every day. These startups are not only generating employment at a growing rate but also making the life of common Afghan people better every day. These startups can provide the boost the country's growth engine needs.
AfghanID is another startup that has grown at a steady pace. It is a provider of IT solutions. It started in 2009 as Upshot Technology Services and later became AfghanID. It has a team of passionate people and an ever-growing client base. Muhammad Ajmal is the Founder & President and Tehmina Askari is the Co-Founder & Vice President. The flagship offering of the startup is AfghanID List, an online directory for job seekers and recruiters. It has sub-divisions that offer ERP solutions (AfghanID Soft), web hosting solutions (AfghanID Host), e-commerce solutions (AfghanID Store) and related products and services. Hsoft Technologies is an Ibtikaar startup that has attracted a lot of attention in the recent years due to their FASTBOOKS finance software solution. It caters to businesses and has modules for inventory, payroll, asset, and cash management. Aimal Miakhel is the CEO of the startup. It also offers information management systems in various fields. Their clients include, Synergy Solutions, High Light Printing, KET Group, and other leading corporations in Afghanistan. SparkTech, Afghan Booking, Elitech, SmartVision, SmartMaktab, WeSoft Technologies, ARC, Vertechs, CodeZone, MSOFT, BrightBit, 4MTech, FSDC, Turbosoft, FOCUS Technologies, Peaksoft, Buraq Technologies, ToNext, and Experts Valley are some other startups that have found success through the Ibtikaar program. The program offers resources for the incubatees. It regularly organizes events and pre-incubation workshops to foster startup growth in the country. According to the startup experts, the programs well-structured curriculum is one of the main reasons behind its success. Founded in collaboration with TechNation, the program has partners at national and international levels.
It is worth noting that Afghan startup boom is also helping in reducing the unemployment rate as these startups recruit people in various roles, reports BW Disrupt. The confluence of the startup culture and Afghan feminine spirit has resulted in several successful ventures. Startup Valley, the nation's leading private business incubator, has promoted a number of startups run by talented Afghan women. It is managed by Aghaez Professional Services, a business management consultancy firm in Kabul. In a recent USAID report, Susan DeCamp, the Director of the agency's Gender Office, applauded the efforts of young women who successfully completed the program last year. More than half of these startups were already incorporated, in Kabul, and making a profit, while the remaining were in the process of incorporation. From ideation to launch, the program provides a three-sixty-degree coverage of the concepts required to establish and run a successful startup. The program also provides follow up support to the women to ensure they do not encounter any roadblock in the early months. Ahmad Fahim Didar, Executive Director, AGHAEZ Professional Services agrees that the burgeoning startup ecosystem contributes a lot to the nation's socio-economic growth as it moves from an aid economy to a market economy. Especially in the urban communities, the startup culture has many exponents.
MartLinx.Com combines Twitter and eBay to offer a unique e-shopping experience. In the first release of the platform, there were 30 shops. It was founded by Akmal Arzhang, a serial entrepreneur, Ahmad Belal, and Sayad Xiarkakh. Founder Institute, an incubator present in 160+ cities, provided the support necessary during the launch of the startup. Tekpad.co is a Kabul based blog-centric professional network. Users have the option to choose a theme and can create their own blogs in two minutes. This is another Founder Institute startup. The incubator's Kabul chapter launches crowdfunding campaigns to fund the startups. SOL Technology Labs is a social recruitment platform founded by Mohammad Arif that aims to revolutionize the way balls roll in the recruitment industry. It offers features such as, job referral, endorsement, and algorithm-based matching. The recruiter can evaluate the candidate by viewing their profile. Bonus.af is a startup focused on life and community improvement, through financial and other means. It offers a platform for learning, advertisement, and income. Yahya Sadat is the President of the startup and has a Bachelor's degree in Computer Science from Kardan University, a private university in Kabul. Mp3Afghan, founded by Khadim Hussain Rasooli, is an Afghan music platform where music lovers can register or signin with their Facebook or Google accounts and enjoy the latest Afghan music. The Android app is available from apkpure.com. Khadim has also founded an e-commerce startup ArzanSara Online Shopping that has attracted a lot of attention. Other notable startups that have attracted a lot of investor attention are, BGC BAWAR GROUP INTERNATIONAL, Shohab Barekzai Trading, Credence Independent Auditors, and AVI.
Startup Grind Kabul chapter is a promoter of startups in Afghanistan. Google for Entrepreneurs is the global sponsor of the chapter. The local sponsors are Etisalat Afghanistan, CEFE Group International, and Io Global Services. The local partners are AGHAEZ Consulting and others. Ahmad Fahim Didar, the CEO and Founder of AGHAEZ Consulting is the Organizer of the chapter. In the Startup Grind blog, Ahmad writes, "The key to success is to align one’s enterprise to personal, professional, and social values in order for the business to thrive." The chapter has added great value to the startups of Afghanistan through events such as, Startup Iftar. The support of large corporations such as Etisalat that has an annual revenue of over $9 B and people in the highest echelons of the industry who have a vision and genuine faith in the potential of Afghan entrepreneurs is going to take the startup community forward in lightning fast speed in the years to come. Moreover, a lot of angel investors, micro vcs and vcs are supporting the talented Afghan entrepreneurs that is acting as another catalyst.
Tech Afghanistan and other local news outlets' active support has helped the startups get the much-needed attention. It helps in more than one ways. First, the news of a startup inspires others with entrepreneurial mindsets to bring their own ideas to fruition. Second, the news helps them get the required funding from investors from in and outside the country. Third, it boosts the morale of the founders and employees when they see that people are talking about their little venture. Tech Afghanistan covers startup events, new startups, startup trends, and more. It also focuses on how startups are making the society better every day. Dr. Rafiq Swash is the editor-in-chief of the magazine portal. The community-based portal, a TechNation-initiative, has a team of passionate contributing writers and editors. Tech nation is focused on the holistic technological development of the nation through the promotion of innovation and leadership development.
A determining factor in startup growth is the availability of office spaces. Startups operate under a lot of cost constraints and many find it difficult to own or rent an entire office. On the other hand, not having an office damages the brand of a startup and makes day-to-day operations difficult. The solution is co-working spaces. Daftar is the country's first co-working space. It was founded under the Afghanistan Center for Excellence. It has excellent security arrangements to ensure the startup staff can focus on innovation regardless of the security situation. Daftar spaces are protected by concrete blast walls, barb wires, and armed guards. Its long waiting list is a proof of the innovative spirit of Afghan founders. The success of Daftar has inspired other co-working space ventures such as, The Hub & Smart Business Center.
Despite the fact, that the Starting a Business DB 2018 rank of Afghanistan is 107 and it has a GNI Per Capita of $580, we must admire the optimism and determination of fervent tech-entrepreneurs of Afghanistan for their efforts. The world hopes that Afghanistan soon will become a tech destination. This hope is not unfounded. The tech startup communities in and around Kabul are getting stronger every day. These startups are not only generating employment at a growing rate but also making the life of common Afghan people better every day. These startups can provide the boost the country's growth engine needs.
Image credit: Christian Velitchkov, unsplash.com