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Cairo: Wasa, a Middle Eastern tech startup leading the way to purposeful connectivity, is gearing up to launch its official launch in Saudi Arabia and the UAE within the next month.
“Wasta” in Arabic means influential or strong social and professional connections for career advancement or proficiency.
Sometimes seen as nepotism, the term is ubiquitous in Arab society, and Shyam Visavadia, co-founder of Wasa.ai, believes everyone should have the opportunity to tap into and make meaningful connections.
“Wasta wants to really build a network that aims to reflect the multifaceted nature that people need to move forward in their entrepreneurial journey,” Visawadiya told Arab News exclusively.
He further explained that the company is redefining its name to make it accessible and influential to everyone.
The company, which is currently an invite-only platform, plans to roll out its official mobile app to pre-registered users within the next month, who will have access to a vast professional community.
Users simply download the app, identify their interests, goals and availability, and Wasta will conduct weekly 30-minute video calls with professionals with the same interests.
spark conversation
The app uses client interests and goals to automatically match users together, giving professionals an easy way to connect with each other and expand their network.
“We aspire to build social capital by sparking dialogue, creating cross-border communities, and fostering collaboration and problem-solving in high-growth markets. By removing fear of the web, we facilitate casual conversations that lead to less casual professional influence,” Visavadia explain.
The company will charge its users a monthly subscription fee of $10 to watch a new game every week, as it plans to introduce other premium packages with more features in the future.
Founded in 2021, Wasta has successfully tackled a huge market in innovative ways to support the rise of entrepreneurship in the region.
The company has 1,500 vetted members, with users ranging from students to senior executives at international companies such as LinkedIn, SWVL, Careem, MEVP and Venture Souq, as well as thousands of other members currently on waitlists.
“We help users meet professionals in the same industry, sow seeds for future clients and referrals, and simply make new connections,” Visavadia added while sharing multiple success stories through their platform.
Empower the enterprise
Wasta successfully backed recruiters to earn over $90,000 by leveraging the platform’s connections; in addition, a founder raised an initial seed investment for his company by meeting an angel investor on the app.
Other users are also using the platform with business owners and entrepreneurs to initiate conversations to support their expansion plans.
According to Visavadia, 75% of users have a meaningful connection with Wasa, with 40% saying they communicate more online than face-to-face.
“Networking alone is responsible for filling 85 percent of all jobs. Additionally, 80 percent of professionals believe they can enhance their career success through professional networking,” he added.
Seeing huge momentum since its inception, Wasta has been operating without raising any capital as the founders managed to steer them towards building user-centric products.
Wasta is built on a no-code solution that enables companies to act quickly in response to user feedback. Visavadia also said the company plans to build a diverse remote team.
He added that the mantra for the company’s success is listening to its customers and solving everyday problems that affect people’s way of life.
“Our goal is to make meeting people more interesting, relevant and meaningful. It’s not about aggregating connections, it’s about building a strong personal and professional network,” adds Visavadia.
Wasta aims to strengthen its presence in Saudi Arabia, gaining as much as 50% of its user base from Saudi Arabia. Visavadia added: “Our plan is to enter high-growth markets such as Saudi Arabia and address the growing demand for entrepreneurial talent and startups.”
The company currently has users in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Jordan and Lebanon, and plans to expand into other markets in the MENA region.
“Wasta aspires to be the leading social networking site in the Middle East, India and Africa to curate meaningful conversations, build professional connections and form new communities,” Visavadia said.
Visavadia was a senior manager of the Saudi Arabian Public Investment Fund and worked in the UK, UAE and US.
Lalita Chopra is a co-founder of Wasta and a former software engineer at Cognizant, an American multinational information technology services and consulting firm.
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