www. al-saeb.com
Detailing out the pricing mechanism, Alkuwari mentions that a single watch is priced at less than QAR350, “but we are not selling a watch alone. What we are selling is an entire solution from the watch to the connectivity to the server, and from the server to the different monitoring options (web app, mobile and tablet app), so that this solution can be tailored entirely to customer requirement.” Analyzing their strength factors, the duo are confident that it comes from the twin advantages of having developed the entire system from start to finish which enables them to easily provide all the changes in-house and the fact that the system has been designed horizontally, defining which they say: “We have allowed place for add-ons and variations depending on the customer specifications and site conditions.” When asked what made them work in the construction sector, when they both have a professional background in the energy sector, Al-Mohanadi says that the oil and gas sector and the construction sector are very alike in several respectsboth have people doing manual work in one way or another and both are associated with risk. “The main reason why we chose construction over oil and gas to start with was because of the difference between the two sectors. The willingness to adopt new technology that might increase productivity, reduce loss and mitigate risk is higher in the construction sector, compared to the energy sector. In the oil and gas sector, new technology adoption takes more time compared to the construction sector.” Alkuwari adds, “The entry requirements for any electronic equipment in the oil and gas facilities are very high, since understandably, these facilities have a very volatile environment and require proper anti-spark and anti-explosion certifications,
which are not very easily obtainable.” Having said that, the duo is currently developing a model that is optimized for the oil and gas and the manufacturing industries with the required features and certifications. Speaking about the hurdles they had to face, Al-Mohanadi states, “The main challenge ahead of us was securing funding, and developing the supply chain, with the high manufacturing and component costs in the GCC. This left us no option but to develop an effective and efficient international supply chain for our product and herein comes the role that our partnership with Qatar Navigator, a technology startup in the area of household appliances and business solutions, played. This is a local SME with great experience in similar projects and technology development and has been instrumental in helping us with a model to work on.” Analyzing the reasons behind the plight of technology entrepreneurs in Qatar, Alkuwari mentions, “The policies and frameworks put in place for accelerating and encouraging technology entrepreneurship are still immature in the region as a whole. This meant that AlSaeb was initially self-funded. We also secured a fund from Qatar Science and Technol-
ogy Park for developing the minimal viable product under the technology accelerator program, which focuses on both the technical and the business development of the venture. At the end of the program, we were able to develop a business plan which focused initially on the construction sector, and with further development we can extend the product to extend on to other sectors which require something similar to our product.” Commenting on the next stage of their product development cycle, Al-Mohanadi says, “The next stage was to evolve from a prototype to a working product. This was mostly self-funded since most funding programs in Qatar have very rigid guidelines and unlike the local programs that have adapted from similar programs in tech startup hubs, such as Silicon Valley, it is a fact that not everything adapted from abroad will work here and I think this poses a challenge not only on tech startups, such as us, but everyone who is aspiring to get funded. Qatar needs to develop a culture of entrepreneurship that fits with the realities here and avoid copying programs from elsewhere abroad since they were developed for societies where ground realities are different.” The duo are now optimistic
Saoud Alkuwari, co-founder, Al-Saeb
since after having developed the solution to a greater extent, and winning the Best Smart Consumer Solution award at the recently held QITCOM 2017 event, they have received several funding offers. Currently, the startup is finalizing an agreement with Ooredoo, which they hope will open channels in Kuwait and Oman. “However,” adds Al-Mohanadi, “the most logical market to address after Qatar is the UAE, and we are planning to start marketing our product in the UAE by this year end.” Going forward, Alkuwari and Al-Mohanadi plan to implement Al-Saeb in several major projects in Qatar as well as to develop a newer version of it, with industry-specific applications with reference to healthcare, oil and gas and infrastructure maintenance.
may 2017 Entrepreneur
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