#44: Pathao - From Ride Sharing & Food Delivery to building the largest mobility platform in Bangladesh

Afrobility: Africa Tech & Business

Overview: Today, we’re going to talk about Pathao - the largest mobility tech platform in Bangladesh. This episode was co-hosted with Shammi Quddus and recorded on Nov 21 & Dec 5, 2021.

Conversation highlights:

• (10:15) - Motorbike sharing platforms in emerging markets - GoJek
• (11:00) - Bangladesh context
• (44:40) - Pathao founding story
• (1:05:20) - Fundraising and growth
• (1:19:10) - Product & monetization strategy
• (1:49:13) - Competition & Exit options
• (2:10:30) - Overall thoughts (Bankole, Shammi & Olumide)
• (2:32:04) - Recommendation &small wins

Companies discussed: Pathao, bKash, Uber, GoJek, Shohoz, Tootle, Chalo, RC Ventures & Battery Road Digital Holdings

Business concepts discussed: Ride-sharing platforms, Transportation in emerging markets, Transportation + FinTech Super apps

Olumide’s recommendations & small wins:

• Recommendation: Mastery (George Leonard) & Derek Sivers’ wonderful article about emotions and life
• Win: Hung out with a bunch of folks at Miami Art Basel
• Interested in investing in Africa Tech with Olumide: Read about Adamantium fund & contact me at [e-mail]
• Founders looking for funding: If you're a B2B founder working on Education, Health, Finance or Food, please contact me for funding at [e-mail]

Bankole’s recommendations & small wins:

• Recommendation: Ozumba Mbadiwe - Reekado Banks & 52 things I learned in 2021 by Tom Whitwell
• Win: First real corporate party in a while -
• Other: Nigeria highest importer of used vehicles in Africa & F-commerce: a double-edged sword

Shammi’s recommendations & small wins:

• Recommendation: Beginner’s Moonshot: Podcast on Bangladeshi tech founders (English) by Salman Hossain
• Win: Watching comedian Hassan Minhaj perform. The King’s Jester is on the road now!
• Other: Registered vehicles in Dhaka, Pathao GoJek raise and write-off, Uber launch story in Dhaka

Listeners, Operators & Investors: Email [e-mail], we’d love to partner or get your feedback.

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