Business
Young Dubai businessman behind unique SDaaS for SMEs
A Dubai-bred young serial entrepreneur is disrupting the local Software as a Service market with a unique AI-driven platform for the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, launched at the start of the year.
Called Zoftware, it is “Software Democratisation as a Service, where software products of the people (companies) are recommended by our people (the team), for the people (B2B clients) for any problems they face in their businesses,” says Aayushman Dalmia, 29.
Within the first quarter of operations, Zoftware already has arrangements with a growing list of over 6,000 companies – including the Microsoft and Zoho suites, Google, Adobe and others.
“You can find a packed suite of software just with a generic search, but do you require everything in that or can you customize it? Maybe not. Zoftware is free for the customers while we work with them to understand their needs and even do the work for them in customising solutions from the software companies. Consider us as the Zomato or Tripadvisor for the software industry.
“Avoiding wastage of resources by reducing the gap between the capability knowledge of any software’s offerings and solving the problems of the end users is core to Zoftware’s mission,” says Dalmia, who came up with the idea when he could not find such a solution while searching for his needs himself.
“Zoftware is about marrying software with the best of customer experience. We make it easy for customers to navigate the ocean of software to find the right tools for their business and purpose. We offer deep insights on software and match organisations to the right product, be it for accounting, customer relationship management (CRM), project management, IT, payroll and many more,” says Dalmia, confident his idea will revolutionise the convenience of running a business.
Aayushman Dalmia set up Zoftware after getting stuck with the wrong software as a choice for his family business. Supplied
Zoftware is a unique startup offering a choice of business tools in software with a personalised touch, using Open AI’s ChatGPT, for SME owners and companies. There are plans to take this to India, a huge market for SaaS providers and consumers.
“We have raised 500,000 dollars as a convertible note. And there are plans to raise another $1.5 million in the next round,” he says. “We are aiming for a revenue of $1.5 million by end of 2023.”
The rise of ChatGPT has only become an enabler for the Zoftware team. “Our technical analysts have been nimble to stay ahead on the transformation curve. We are in the process of setting up an AI bot with whom people can converse with, we understand what the customers want from the platform and give them the relevant output data while connecting with the vendors.
“If they want, we can also onboard it for them. With ChatGPT, it can give you out the names, but it cannot do comparisons and the prices that are out there. It cannot help you come to a decision, while we can help find the best value for the clients.
“According to studies, 75 percent of businesses fail in their software implementation. We want to make it to zero, because it is a waste of capital and resources such as time, effort and money. In the SME section, that is not something one can afford. We want to reduce the wastage cycle as much as possible. And we want to build the trust of our customers.”
Zoftware is Dalmia’s latest fruit of labour, coming from his own personal experiences when he saw a gap in the market. He set up Yalla Referral, a referral and benefits platform, is co-founder of an online diamond-purchasing platform Carat Finder and Director of Growth and Innovation at Data Direct Group.
“I remember, in 2018, when I wanted to implement CRM for my sales team, I ended up putting so much effort and money only to realise a year later that I had a complex setup which wasn’t needed at all. Several dollars went in waste apart from the time and effort. Many startups and SMEs may not be able to come out of the wrong direction taken.”
The UAE cricket team qualified for the 2025 Asia Cup, a tournament they will be participating in after nine long years, following a 55-run win over Oman in the ACC Men’s Premier Cup final on Sunday. Their victory was backed by stupendous performances from skipper Muhammad Waseem as well as young batter Alishan Sharafu before pacer Junaid Siddique, in the company of Aayan Afzal Khan, led the bowling attack to help UAE win the final comfortably.
Muhammad Waseem scored a blistering 56-ball-century and was well supported by his opening partner Alishan Sharafu who contributed 34 to their opening stand of 94 runs. After putting up 204 on the board, Junaid Siddique picked up three wickets for 38 runs in his four overs while Aayan Afzal Khan finished with figures of two for 29 to restrict Oman to 149-9 in their 20 overs, as they went on to avenge their defeat to Oman earlier in the tournament.
The 21-year-old Alishan Sharafu, who ended up as the highest run getter of the tournament with 278 runs in six innings, continued his fine form from the DP World ILT20 earlier this year where he played an important role in Sharjah Warriors’ qualification into the play-offs. Striking at 163.52, with a top score of 90* in UAE’s first game against Kuwait, Sharafu made full use of his opportunity with the UAE senior team to leave a mark at the international level during the ACC Premier Cup and help his team seal a spot in the 2025 Asia Cup. “This was a fantastic team effort and I am happy I could contribute with the bat. I was carrying a lot of confidence from my stint in the DP World ILT20 where I batted against some of the best bowlers in world cricket. I think for many of us in the team, this exposure was instrumental and we have been doing well under our new coach Lalchand Rajput,” stated Sharafu.
Captain of the UAE team, Muhammad Waseem ended the ACC Premier Cup just nine runs behind his opening partner, leading his team by example. It hasn’t been too long since Waseem lit up the DP World ILT20 2024, where he set the tone at the top for his team, the MI Emirates, who won the championship. The powerful 30-year-old opener has made a habit of taking the attack to the opposition in the Finals of tournaments. A 24-ball-43 in the DP World ILT20 Final against Dubai Capitals earlier this year and now a century while steering his team to a huge total in the ACC Premier Cup Final proved that Waseem is a big-match player. “It feels incredible to make the Asia Cup. This is the first time in nearly a decade that UAE will be playing this prestigious tournament and the team is ecstatic,” expressed Waseem.
“Definitely the exposure we gained during the DP World ILT20 was instrumental in our performance. Playing alongside the best cricketers in the world is a big factor in improving our individual performances as well as a team. I think we are adapting to playing under pressure very well after our experience in these leagues,” added Waseem who was the recipient of the Blue Belt awarded to most outstanding player from UAE at the DP World ILT20.
Impressive at the ACC Premier Cup was another youngster who turned heads at the DP World ILT20 2024 while representing the Gulf Giants. Left-arm spinner Aayan Afzal Khan continued to spin webs around the batters as he consistently picked up wickets for the UAE senior team including figures of two for 29 in the all-important final against Oman. With ten wickets in six innings, Aayan picked up ten wickets to finish as his team’s highest wicket taker as well as the second highest wicket taker of the tournament overall. Displaying maturity with his variations and when he used them, Aayan’s performances were prominent in UAE’s confirmation of a spot in the 2025 Asia Cup.
“I have gained a lot of confidence after my recent experience at the DP World ILT20 where I got to watch and learn from some of the best bowlers in the world. For a youngster like me, exposure like this definitely helps in improving my own performance. I am very happy that I was able to contribute to my team’s success in ACC Premier Cup and we are now looking forward to a good show in Asia Cup,” stated Aayan.
Junaid Siddique picked up six wickets in the five games he played for UAE and was their best bowler in the ACC Premier Cup final. Although the pacer didn’t get too much playing time in the DP World ILT20 2024 for the Sharjah Warriors, sharing the dressing room with international stars like Chris Woakes and Daniel Sams certainly provided him with the much-needed experience that was there for everyone to see in the ACC Premier Cup final. “Though I did not get too many matches at the DP World ILT20 this year, sharing the dressing room with some of the cricket greats and watching them closely did help me. I am motivated even more to perform well for UAE and showcase my potential. I am really happy I could do well for the team and look forward to more such performances,” Junaid said.
Pacer-all rounder Ali Naseer, who played for the Desert Vipers in DP World ILT20 2024 and can be remembered for his stunning catch to dismiss Nicholas Pooran, was another UAE cricketer who had a decent outing in the ACC Premier Cup picking up seven wickets from the six games he played with best figures of three for 26 coming against Kuwait.
While how they square up against the best teams in the continent is to be seen, the DP World ILT20’s role in developing UAE cricket is certainly justified with the national side’s qualification in to the Asia Cup after nearly a decade.
The UAE Government has decided to cancel the traffic violations of Omani citizens in the country, according to state-run news agency WAM.This covers all traffic violations incurred from 2018 to 2023. The announcement comes a few days after Oman’s Sultan Haitham bin Tariq met the country’s leaders on a state visit on Monday.
Major General Pilot Faris Khalaf Al Mazrouei, Commander-in-Chief of Abu Dhabi Police, announced the immediate start of implementing the decision to cancel all traffic violations incurred by citizens of Oman.
In a statement today, he appreciated the decision to cancel all traffic violations incurred by these citizens in order to reduce the burden on the brothers from the Sultanate, and out of the keenness and interest of the wise leadership to launch purposeful initiatives that contribute to the happiness of customers from various segments of society, and to enhance efforts to preserve traffic safety.
He said that work had begun immediately to implement the decision in line with the procedures of the police general commands at the state level and to facilitate the mechanism for cancelling traffic violations.
His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of The Executive Council of Dubai, has inaugurated the landmark Dubai Reef project with the launch of the pilot reef modules.
A sustainable initiative by Dubai Can, Dubai Reef is the world’s largest marine reef development project and marks a pioneering step in Dubai’s efforts to promote ecological sustainability. Working around a plan to deploy 20,000 purpose-built reef modules of various sizes over a four-year period, Dubai Reef marks a significant endeavour for the city that will span a staggering 600 square kilometres across Dubai’s waters. The meticulously crafted design of the reef units will see them exceed 400,000 cubic metres in volume.
In line with the directives of His Highness Sheikh Hamdan and The Executive Council of Dubai, the Dubai Reef project is a city-wide collaboration uniting key partners to support the wider strategic goals and ambitions of Dubai and the UAE, including the Dubai Economic Agenda (D33), the UAE’s Green Agenda – 2030, and the UAE Net Zero 2050 strategy.
Sheikh Hamdan said: “The landmark Dubai Reef initiative is a testament to the vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai. Reef ecosystems are unique life sources and vital components in the protection of marine life. Dubai Can’s Dubai Reef project will inject vitality into our coastal waters and contribute to global conservation efforts. The project’s significant long-term environmental and socio-economic impacts will serve Dubai’s commitment to ensuring a sustainable future for generations to come.”
With an initial proof of concept championed by His Excellency Ahmed Mohammed bin Thani and contractors HaejooX in 2021, the first modules have now been activated as part of the Dubai Reef pilot project. Working alongside the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism (DET), the newly formed Dubai Environment and Climate Change Authority (DECCA) will be a critical partner in ensuring successful project delivery. As Director General of DECCA, His Excellency Bin Thani will continue to play a key role in supporting the Dubai Reef project and further strengthen the emirate’s advocacy in the realm of environmental protection and climate action. DP World; Dubai Chambers; Nakheel; the Ports, Customs and Free Zone Corporation; and Emirates join DET as strategic partners in the Dubai Reef project.
His Excellency, Helal Saeed Almarri, Director General of DET, said: “Aligned with the visionary leadership of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, and guided by the directives of His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of The Executive Council of Dubai, the Dubai Reef project showcases the emirate’s enduring commitment to sustainability and environmental conservation. This collaboration between public and private sector entities will see each partner bring their expertise to drive Dubai’s sustainable future and contribute towards achieving the ambitious goals set forth in the D33 Agenda.”
His Excellency Ahmed Mohammed bin Thani, Director General of DECCA, said: “The Dubai Reef project will provide diverse environments to attract and stimulate fish and marine life. In 2021, we partnered with leading reef developer HaejooX to launch a two-year proof of concept, analysing the effectiveness of purpose-built reefs in Dubai. The study used advanced technologies and utilised a three-dimensional scanning system to understand the quantities and types of fish present. Preliminary data showed an abundant expansion in marine life.”
The Dubai Reef initiative is a strategic investment set to leave a lasting legacy in terms of protecting marine life and environmental sustainability. The project’s key drivers include enhancing biodiversity, safeguarding Dubai’s coastal and marine habitats, supporting fish populations, and increasing ecosystem resilience. The project will also encourage environmental stewardship, strengthen socio-economic prosperity and ecotourism, and preserve Dubai’s marine heritage.
The project has won over renowned investor Ray Dalio who is involved in various philanthropic initiatives and takes a keen interest in ocean exploration and conservation. “I love this audacious Dubai Reef project because it will be a remarkable contribution to the world’s understanding of the benefits of ocean restoration and as well make the Dubai environment healthier and provide an incredible recreation park. Once again, Dubai is pursuing an ambitiously great project, this time under the visionary guidance of His Highness Sheikh Hamdan. It is an amazing project in an amazing place under amazing leadership,” he said.
UAE stars from DP WORLD ILT20 help national side qualify for Asia Cup 2025
UAE waives all traffic violations for Omani citizens from 2018
