Atabaa is a startup that Acumen's team had the pleasure to mentor. So, we decided to interview Mr. Ahmed Abd El Aziz to talk to us more about his startup, so let us give you a quick sneak peek about it. Atabaa.com is an online market that offers new and used imported devices in Egypt.
Q) First can you please introduce yourself.
A) I am Ahmed Abdel Aziz; a novice entrepreneur and I have always loved following my passion. I used to work as the executive director of The African Sports Medicine Federation and currently a founding partner of Atabaa. Com.
Q) Can you briefly describe the services you provide at Atabaa.com?
A) Atabaa.com is an online market that offers new and used imported devices in Egypt. You can buy a laptop, mobile, desktop computer or monitors with the highest quality and get a warranty of 24 months. With that we provide the customer with the cheaper price of a used product but, with the quality and benefits of the new one in terms of warranty and after sale services. We also help startups and non-profit organizations in easily finding what they are looking for via Atabaa.com. All they have to do is inform us of what they need, and we respond with quotations and suggestions appropriate to their needs. In addition, we deliver non-electronic requests on the same day, meaning if you requested before 12:00 a.m. you order arrives before 6:00 m.
Q) Can you tell us when and how did you start Atabaa.com, and with whom?
A) We started with Islam and Abdul Rahman. At first, we were an auction site; Auction.com. we started on December 2018. We were very affected by the fact that Egypt doesn’t have any eBay. Then slowly we turned into a market for used products as a result of a personal accident that happened to us; which is that one of our friends was kidnapped while buying a used mobile phone on the Internet. So, we started focusing our attention online on the user's problems, and we selected from them what can be resolved at the present time and worked on it. We transformed into what we are now on September 2019 and we are preparing for our final phase in January 2020.
Q) How did you raise funds to startup?
A) We started with self-financing, then we took a seed fund from Injaz Egypt.
Q) Can you briefly describe in what way Acumen Consulting supported Atabaa.com.
A) I think it is difficult to explain in a nutshell the role of Acumen with us, but if I will summarize, I will say that the directions Inji and Sandra gave us and the ongoing support so far are the reason for the survival of Atabaa.com. And during transformative times it felt like they cared about Atabaa more than we did. They have also directed us towards great opportunities that contributed to our development very significantly.
Q) What do you expect of Atabaa.com one year from now?
A) I see Atabaa.com helping people through the purchase of used products online easily, safely and with confidence and trust in their quality. I also see us helping more startups save money while taking the same benefits. Moreover, help a lot of people catch the train of development and digital transformation as it is our aim to deliver it to all people at the best prices and highest quality.
Q) What does it take to be a successful entrepreneur?
A) The most important thing is for the person to know how to manage his/her own psychological state. The road is long and needs perseverance, he/she need to be the type of person who does not give up and does not rely on others to solve their problems.
Q) What advice do you give for those who want to become entrepreneurs?
A) Start with a business incubator, and you will be lucky if Inji Amr was with you at the beginning of your journey. Starting with Injaz and Acumen Consulting made a huge difference for us. And do not start, unless you intend to reach the end and have an idea of where you will go next.
Q) What do you think of the startup ecosystem in Egypt and how to improve it?
A) I think the entrepreneurial environment itself is developing significantly in Egypt in a very noticeable way, and the society is growing significantly. There has been unprecedented progress in the facilities and help provided to starting entrepreneurs. But I hope that the cooperation from the government will be more than that, especially in the process of creating a startup and in providing tax exemptions, at least for the first 3 years of the startup’s life. Furthermore, I would like the government to provide co- working spaces of their own and increase their investments in business incubators and accelerators that support startups in the initial stage.
Q) Do you have any comments you would like to add?
A) I hope to see Egypt as an educated and persistent community
