by David Zabinsky
Launching a dating app in Vietnam. Scaling a farm-tech business in Pakistan. Building a one-of-a-kind, no-water toilet for refugee camps throughout Jordan. Founders from emerging and frontier markets face unique challenges when starting and scaling their businesses. These are their stories. New episodes every other week.
Language
🇺🇲
Publishing Since
5/17/2021
Pitch yourself as a guest, propose sponsorships, or reach out directly to the host.
February 16, 2022
<p>New York Marathon...Boston Marathon...London Marathon...Tokyo Marathon...you name it! </p> <p><br></p> <p>It seems every year, no matter the city, it’s a Kenyan runner bringing home first place.</p> <p><br></p> <p>And that’s because, well…Kenyans are really, really good long distance runners. </p> <p><br></p> <p>And as we’ll hear in this episode, it’s because…yes…the high altitudes, but also because running is such a big part of the Kenyan social fabric.</p> <p><br></p> <p>Running means something to do, it means employment, and it means, for some...an escape.</p> <p><br></p> <p>And because of all this, we've seen some of the best runners on the planet come from Kenya…but the running shoes on their feet?</p> <p><br></p> <p>Nike…Adidas…New Balance...?</p> <p><br></p> <p>From Kenya? </p> <p><br></p> <p>Not so much.</p> <p><br></p> <p>Which begs the question:</p> <p><br></p> <p>If the world’s greatest runners come from Kenya…shouldn’t the world’s greatest running shoes come from Kenya, too?</p> <p><br></p> <p>Well, to answer succinctly, there hasn’t really ever been a Kenyan running shoe to compete with the big names…</p> <p><br></p> <p>Until now.</p> <p><br></p> <p>Meet Enda, which launched on Kickstarter in 2016 as a 'Made in Kenya' running shoe.</p> <p><br></p> <p>Enda, in Swahili? </p> <p><br></p> <p>It means 'go'…and in the past 3 years?</p> <p><br></p> <p>Oh...it’s been 'go' all right...no better, it's been 'run' for Founder Navalayo Osembo-Ombati and Enda, seeing three digit growth and massive headlines ever since 2019.</p> <p><br></p> <p>But to get here…to a point where Nava and Enda aren’t just making an awesome running shoe, but instead making Kenya proud?</p> <p><br></p> <p>It hasn't been easy...</p> <p><br></p> <p>It’s been, for lack of a better phrase:</p> <p><br></p> <p>A grueling, and ever-impressive marathon.</p>
February 2, 2022
<p>All right.</p> <p><br></p> <p>I know what you’re thinking.</p> <p><br></p> <p>Another grocery delivery app?</p> <p><br></p> <p>I mean...come on!</p> <p><br></p> <p>DoorDash, Seamless, Instashop, Instacart, Talabat, Swiggy, UberEats, Delivery Hero…man...wherever you are in the world, chances are you can order your groceries from home, at the click of a button.</p> <p><br></p> <p>But it’s not just the app store where we’re…drowning in grocery delivery options, right? Have you read through the TechCrunch lately?</p> <p><br></p> <p>Ig’s a race…no, a full-out sprint amongst grocery delivery startup promising you your groceries in as little time as possible.</p> <p><br></p> <p>That is, as soon as one raises like a trillion bucks (hyperbole, of course) to get you your groceries in ten minutes, another one comes along, promising you your groceries in nine.</p> <p><br></p> <p>It’s insane…</p> <p><br></p> <p>Really.</p> <p><br></p> <p>And for Ahmad Yousry and Rabbit in Egypt?</p> <p><br></p> <p>Well, to call a spade a spade...it’s been more of the same.</p> <p><br></p> <p>They had the pre-seed heard all around the world last year: $11 million dollars, before even launching! It was the biggest of its kind in the history of the entire Middle East.</p> <p><br></p> <p>But Rabbit’s story…Ahmad’s story?</p> <p><br></p> <p>It’s not just yet another case study on raising money fast or delivering milk and bread fast…but rather: on building fast.</p> <p><br></p> <p>It took he and his team 130 days…yep: 130 days…between coming up with the idea for Rabbit….and making Rabbit’s first delivery.</p> <p><br></p> <p>And in the process, he’s helped put Egypt…well, on the damn map, inspiring a generation of Egyptians to dream big and move quick…like a Rabbit.</p>
January 12, 2022
<p>Let's start with some pretty staggering statistics:</p> <p><br></p> <ul> <li>About 22-25% of Pakistan’s GDP comes from agriculture. That makes it - depending on how you measure it - an industry worth between $60 and $100 BILLION.</li> </ul> <p><br></p> <ul> <li>40-45% of Pakistan’s eligible workforce works in the agriculture industry…from farming, to trading, to transportation & logistics. That’s nearly 30 million people.</li> </ul> <p><br></p> <p>So, with agriculture making up such an important part of Pakistan’s economy and even social fabric, surely you’d think groceries would be easily accessible and affordable in Pakistan…right?</p> <p><br></p> <p>Well…wrong.</p> <p><br></p> <p>The farm to table supply chain in Pakistan is SO inefficient and SO inequitable that:</p> <p><br></p> <ul> <li>Only 60% of agricultural products actually reach it to a grocery store from the farm. The other 40%? It goes wasted...expired...perished.</li> </ul> <p><br></p> <ul> <li>The price has gone up 4 times…yep 4 times (!) between being harvested at a farm and being sold to you when rung up at the cash register.</li> </ul> <p><br></p> <ul> <li>And...the price of groceries in Pakistan is SO disproportionately high relative to Pakistanis' earnings that Pakistanis spend...get this: 30% of their disposable income on food items. 30%!</li> </ul> <p><br></p> <p>And perhaps most shocking?</p> <p><br></p> <p>Despite how much of Pakistan is built on agriculture…it remains, to this day a net IMPORTER of agricultural products.</p> <p><br></p> <p>Crazy, huh?</p> <p><br></p> <p>Well, now, fortunately...someone's doing something about this massively inefficient and inequitable supply chain.</p> <p><br></p> <p>Meet Tazah: a technology platform that connects wholesalers, retailers, and restaurants DIRECTLY with farmers. </p> <p><br></p> <p>That is, instead of a mango having to go from farm...to trader...to commission agent...to wholesaler...to retailer...to YOU, it can go straight from farmer to retailer.</p> <p><br></p> <p>In turn? Farmers can operative profitably...retailers can be more competitive...and Pakistani grocery shoppers can save their hard earned money.</p> <p><br></p> <p>And Tazah - albeit new to Pakistan - is making headlines...like having the biggest pre-seed raise in Pakistan's history...and reaching a nearly $1 million GMV fewer than six months after launching.</p> <p><br></p> <p>Abrar Bajwa and his colleagues at Tazah? Oh man...they're on to something. Something big...</p>
Have a different question and can't find the answer you're looking for? Reach out to our support team by sending us an email and we'll get back to you as soon as we can.
Launching a dating app in Vietnam.
Scaling a farm-tech business in Pakistan.
Building a one-of-a-kind, no-water toilet for refugee camps throughout Jordan.
Founders from emerging and frontier markets face unique challenges when starting and scaling their businesses.
These are their stories.
New episodes every other week.
This podcast updates daily.
This podcast is available on 4 platforms including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and more. You can also use the RSS feed directly.
Yes, this podcast regularly features guests.
Pod Engine is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or officially connected with any of the podcasts displayed on this platform. We operate independently as a podcast discovery and analytics service.
All podcast artwork, thumbnails, and content displayed on this page are the property of their respective owners and are protected by applicable copyright laws. This includes, but is not limited to, podcast cover art, episode artwork, show descriptions, episode titles, transcripts, audio snippets, and any other content originating from the podcast creators or their licensors.
We display this content under fair use principles and/or implied license for the purpose of podcast discovery, information, and commentary. We make no claim of ownership over any podcast content, artwork, or related materials shown on this platform. All trademarks, service marks, and trade names are the property of their respective owners.
While we strive to ensure all content usage is properly authorized, if you are a rights holder and believe your content is being used inappropriately or without proper authorization, please contact us immediately at hey@podengine.ai for prompt review and appropriate action, which may include content removal or proper attribution.
By accessing and using this platform, you acknowledge and agree to respect all applicable copyright laws and intellectual property rights of content owners. Any unauthorized reproduction, distribution, or commercial use of the content displayed on this platform is strictly prohibited.