Zohare Haider is an acclaimed Co-Founder and CEO of jalebi.io, an award-winning Techstars portfolio company revolutionizing the restaurant industry in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Launched in January 2021, jalebi.io enhances restaurant operations by optimizing inventory management to reduce food costs and minimize waste. The platform has been recognized as the Foodtech Startup of the Year by Entrepreneur Magazine’s Agility Awards 2022 and Foodtech Platform of the Year 2023. Additionally, it has earned the title of Top MENA Tech Startup at Expand North Star’s Supernova Competition (GITEX 2023) and the prestigious #Future100 Award by the Ministry of Economy and Ministry of State for Government Development and Future.
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Haider’s entrepreneurial journey is decorated with significant accolades, including being named Inspiring Founder of the Year by Sheraa at SEF ’22 and Most Networked Mentor by Dubai Smart City Accelerator. His deep involvement in the startup ecosystem spans the GCC and Pakistan, reflecting a longstanding commitment to fostering technological and entrepreneurial growth in the region.
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Before jalebi.io, Haider’s passion for the food industry was ignited over 20 years ago during his college days, where he gained valuable experience flipping burgers in the cafeteria. His professional path includes pioneering digital restaurant listings in Pakistan with http://www.foona.net in 2005. Though this venture did not succeed, it provided crucial learning experiences that shaped his future endeavors.
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Over the last 17 years, Haider has co-founded a digital agency with his spouse, supporting 20 families across three geographies and generating over $1.5 million GMV with minimal startup capital. He has served as a senior digital transformation executive in one of the world’s largest and oldest public-sector organizations and was among the first global mobility candidates with a leading telecom operator in the GCC since 2012. His entrepreneurial spirit also led him to build an agritech startup in Thar (Pakistan’s Rajasthan) between 2006 and 2008, raising $500K in seed capital from Acumen.
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Zohare Haider remains an active member and mentor in the startup community, involved with world-leading accelerators like Techstars. He continues to drive innovation and growth at jalebi.io, which is currently fundraising, refining its product-market fit, and expanding market relations. For those interested in getting involved with jalebi.io, contact can be made via [email protected].