The 2022 edition of HalalTrip 40 is filled with outstanding Muslims and their efforts in their respective fields. With great contributions and impact either through breakthroughs, contributions to the community, or inspiration as a figure. On this occasion, we’re zooming in our lens on one of the HalalTrip 40 awardees in the Creators category; Mamadou Ndiaye, the founder of Wasabih, Malaysia.
Mamadou is a French Senegalese technology entrepreneur that is best known as one of the founders of Appsaya and Wasabih, with a great record in building companies both in Europe and South-East Asia. “I am the citizen of the world”, a tagline that signifies his passion and drive whenever he’s building a business. As a founder of both Appsaya and Wasabih, he always tries to find the right balance in these businesses by creating sustainable entrepreneurship that is combined with technology and product innovation.
Both businesses are catered and could hopefully leave an impact and be meaningful through each process of learning and togetherness, as that progress would help in meeting people and opportunities.
Appsaya and Wasabih both have their own function and purpose. Appsaya is founded in Malaysia through Business Matching & Networking platforms, powered by Artificial Intelligence with the purpose of enhancing human interactions and meetings for business events & communities. Wasabih on the other hand is catered as The Halal Economy Professional Community platform that aims to bring business opportunities to each member working or interested in the Halal Economy. However, they both stand on a common ground where both entities are aimed to be able to facilitate networking, hence optimizing opportunities for business between professionals.
One of the leading products of Appsaya is the Business Smart Matching technology. It is a product that is created to cater to the needs of the Halal Economy, especially for professional trade shows and conferences. The product is entirely customizable and can be used for both conventional and Halal professional events.
Due to the nature of Appsaya, Wasabih would then emerge naturally to embody Appsaya’s core business further. Here, connecting professionals and helping them to grow their businesses while respecting the Islamic values and consumer experience, as is the main goal of Wasabih.
Due to the nature of these businesses, Mamadou stated that aiming for the biggest and highest impact on the community and people, especially through technology, is the main goal of these projects. Having Wasabih as one of these projects, Mamadou believes that it would have tremendous potential in changing the mentality worldwide for both Muslims and non-Muslims. With hopes of having universal values that are promoted and based on the Halal Economy, in hopes of achieving an equitable and sustainable society.
In the near future, Mamadou also projected that on a global scale, sustainability, equitability, fair trade, quality, and high standards are words associated with the Halal Economy. Therefore, regardless of faith, the growth of the Halal Economy would hopefully help in changing the mindsets of tomorrow’s society and future generations to be the best it can be.
Due to the whole COVID situation, sales pipe management and financial support are one of the challenges that Mamadou faces. With the COVID situation and a condition where many of these investors are not as knowledgeable regarding the situation and what it entails, running a Halal business would come out as more of a challenge.
Hence, it’s unsurprising for the majority of Appsaya clients to cancel or postpone their events, resulting in the sales pipe drying out for a while. As the hardships during COVID drags on through the years, Mamadou and the company are forced to make things happen by thinking outside the box, being adaptive, resilient, and maintaining a high level of drive in order to survive. Therefore, Wasabih as a company was born out of a struggle, to put an end to this struggle.
“Trust Allah, fully”. Mamadou believed that we as human beings have our own destiny, as our fate and sustenance have been written before the creation of the sky and earth. What we can do as Muslims is to do our best, with the highest level of effort, and keep our best manners as humans.
See the full list of awardees on the HalalTrip 40 here!
Cover Image Credit: Ahmad Nabili on Unsplash
