As a young female founder in Iran, Unexpected Entrepreneur, Nazanin dealt with multiple obstacles – the biggest had nothing to do with government regulations. In a place where sanctions prevent Western businesses from operating, there are lots of opportunities. It’s called the copycat.
After earning her Masters in IT, Nazanin took a job at a tech company in Germany. She returned to Iran a few years later and was inspired to start a grocery delivery service. “We lived on the third floor, my Mom was always carrying groceries up the stairs.”
Great idea for a log-jammed city, but even motorcycles couldn’t cut through heavy traffic and frequently missed delivery times. Neither she nor her drivers could meet demand. The business was a failure.
She applied the lessons she learned and started a daily deal site like Groupon. Iran’s economy was in decline and businesses were struggling. Nazanin negotiated discounts at places where Iranians could spend their leisure time.
But, her biggest problem was one many young women have faced – no one would take her seriously. “I took my Dad along for the first year. I said, ‘This is the manager, now talk to me.’” Nazanin’s business was so successful she acquired her competitor and started Iran’s leading reviews site.
Women are heavily involved in Tehran’s tech sector but mentorship didn’t exist before. “People don’t have this tradition of looking at a career.” Nazanin and others are mentoring women like Hedieh, who developed a personal styling app featuring local fashion brands. Her idea won first place at Iran’s first Startup Weekend.
In The Female Techpreneurs of Tehran, you’ll meet Nazanin, who boot-strapped one of Iran’s most successful startups, you’ll hear how a revolution to restrict women’s rights had the opposite effect, paving the way for Iran’s women to be among the most highly educated and entrepreneurial in the world, and you’ll visit the cafes and shops of Tehran where young women like Hedieh are finding inspiration for their businesses.