The 50 Most Innovative Global Muslim Startups 2016

Building the Global Muslim Startup Ecology

In an age of rising Islamophobia can global Muslim startups and the sheer size of the global
Muslim market impact ignorance and hatred? As extremism continues to lead headlines about
Muslims, how can the story about global Muslim entrepreneurs shine beyond the small
minority of extremists who make headlines? This is the biggest story about Muslims around
the world not being told, a story with an emerging global ecosystem with tens of thousands of
Muslim entrepreneurs all over the world. A story that has resonated so deeply with Muslims
globally that last year when we published our first article in this series it was translated into
six languages and reached all over the earth.
The global Muslim market is one of the largest emerging economies in the world with current
spending equaling $1.8 trillion dollars and is expected to grow by 5.8% on average over the
next 5 years, according to Dinar Standard. Our article in 2015 also opened up a lot of media
coverage of global Muslim startups with Quartz itself even adopting a section of its
publication called Ummah, arabic for community. A recent Mashable article about United
States based Muslim startups explores how ignorance and fear are big obstacles for Muslim
startup founders.
While this may be true for US based venture capitalists in Silicon Valley and beyond who are
missing opportunities in investing in Muslim companies, as we show below Muslim startups
are finding major funding around the world led by venture capital funds in Singapore, the
Gulf and Malaysia. This is a quickly maturing startup space with innovative young
entrepreneurs as well as seasoned serial entrepreneurs building companies that are growing
across borders and developing this global Muslim market. For Silicon Valley the time is now
to play catch up with global firms as the 500 Startups partner Khailee Ng stated recently
about Muslim startups in South Asia, I need to be very interested in investing in Muslim tech
startups to be a good investor in this regionIf anything, Im just playing catchup.
While there is growing investor interest, this is a complex, global emerging market
representative of both local economies and diasporic populations who live across borders and
whose reach can allow products to grow beyond traditional markets. To best articulate the
scale of the emerging global Muslim startup ecology we have broken it up into 4 areas:
1. Muslim leadership in tech ecosystems globally
Muslims entrepreneurs play vital roles in regional startup ecologies around the world from
Silicon Valley to Istanbul, Dubai, Kuala Lumpur, Bangalore, Singapore, Jakarta, London,
Berlin, New York City, Casablanca and in dozens of other cities and startup communities. In
Silicon Valley alone there are tens of thousands of Muslims embedded in every layer of the
tech and startup community including entrepreneurs who have had billion dollar plus exits
like Omar Tawakol, as well as major players in VC firms such as Mamoon Hamid one of the
founders of the VC firm Social + Capital, and Omar Hamoui of Seqouia Capital.
2. Companies and Startups focused on Muslim majority populations who use Muslimcentric branding

Ubers 2016 Ramadan branding for Muslim majority countries

Companies around the world know the importance of creating products for and catering to
Muslim markets. From H&Ms hijab line, to the Marks & Spencer burkini and Dolce &
Gabanas abaya creating modest fashion options, to nearly every brand in the world
developing advertising campaigns for Ramadan, this is simply put a market that can no
longer be ignored. However it is also a market where local companies in Muslim majority
countries go above and beyond in marketing to Muslims, like Careem for example who
offered free rides to the Mosque in their cars during Ramadan in 2015.
3. Muslim startups focused specifically on Muslim consumers
This is the area we are focused on in this article on Muslim centric products that can be
created by any entrepreneur regardless of faith who sees the global market opportunity. While
many of the companies below show the real potential for what companies in this space can
grow, it can also be one of the hardest type of startup to get funded. In showcasing these
Muslim focused startups we believe that investors can see the true market opportunity and
talent growing throughout the world.
4. Social enterprise products from Muslim majority countries that use aspects of
Muslim branding focused on western markets

Blue Bottle Coffee branding for the Port of Mokha coffee with a quote from a 15th century
Muslim saint Shaykh Abd al-Kadir
There are also an emerging set of companies who are making impact on Muslim majority
markets where products are produced and then branded and sold in Western markets with
positive representations of Muslim cultures and values. Ranging from Tiossan and Port of
Mokha, who are both featured on this list to the wide range of social impact companies
focused on global refugees like Rumie and Techfugees.

We see this years list as representing a real milestone for global Muslim startups,
as we showcase here a set of companies with real global growth, making serious money with
committed founders and investors driving this market. There is still great need for committed
seed funding in this space and we hope by 2017 we will be featuring a number of those seed
and venture funds that are currently being built.
This years list is also more diverse than last years in terms of the types of companies featured
on the list and where these companies come from. The United States leads the list again this
year with 17 companies featured, 13 from Europe (including 2 from Turkey), 10 from South
Asia, 9 from the Gulf region and 2 from Africa. We know we can do even better than this,
especially in Africa, a majority Muslim continent. We were sent hundreds of companies to
review over the last year and we did our best to focus on a range of companies from those
who are ready for later stage investment rounds to companies who need the right seed
funding and mentorship to grow to the next level.
If you think we have missed something or to be considered for our 2017 list please tweet us
at @dustincraun or @ummahwide.

Salaam Bank
FinTechSan Francisco, Kuala Lumpur, London, Istanbul / InvestmentsRaising
Seed Round for more information see Salaam Banks Angel List

Salaam Bank is set to launch its global Islamic banking platform in the coming months
Industries around the world have been disrupted by innovative startups, but one industry that
has yet to feel a deep impact in innovation and technology is Islamic banking and finance. At
a time when Muslim youth are looking for global, ethical, and mobile banking solutions,
instead most Islamic finance products are focused on a tired brand propositions that argue
that Islamic finance is no different than conventional banking. This while offering
technologically weak products, its then no surprise that most Muslims are not using Islamic
banks. Meanwhile in the United States (Simple) and Europe (Number 26 & GetMondo) direct
banking offerings (all online and ATM based banks) are taking off with beautiful mobile
banking experiences that allow people to bank beyond borders without international
transaction fees.
This is where Salaam Bank comes in. Building a mobile first direct bank, with the goal of
growing into a tech heavy financial institution, Salaam Bank is building an Islamic finance
platform that will give people from the United States to Jakarta, Dubai and London access to

Islamic finance options that are technologically innovative while creating a bank beyond
borders. Sign up today to gain early access to this platform when it launches:
Join Salaam Bank today to help us launch the ethical banking revolution
Building the world's first Islamic banking and finance - Ethical, Easy,
Global.www.salaambank.co

Modanisa
Fashion & E-CommerceIstanbul, Turkey / InvestmentsRaised $8.5 Million in 3
rounds from 2 investors

The Modanisa sponsored, International Modest Fashion Week in Istanbul, Turkey2016

Modanisa founded by Kerim Ture has quickly grown his company Modanisa into the largest
modest fashion company in the world. Headquartered in Istanbul, Turkey Modanisa has
raised over $8.5 million dollars in VC funding with a goal of growing into a multi-billion
dollar company over the next ten years. This year they sponsored the first ever international
modest fashion week as they take on a bigger role as a leader in the global modest fashion
space.

Saffron Road Foods

FoodStamford, Connecticut / InvestmentsRaised $3.74 Million in 2 rounds / Key
Traction PointAvailable in 12,000 stores across the United States, $18.7 Million in sales in
2014

In 2010 Adnan Durani brought his vision for Halal food that is sustainably farmed, anti-biotic
free, and 100% vegetarian fed, all harvested on family-owned farms to the US market,
launching at Whole Foods locations close to large Muslim populations. Six years later their
first brand Saffron Road is the most recognizable and widely sold Halal product in the United
States while also being recognized as a leader in the premium foods market. With 713%
growth over three years Saffron Road was listed as company 642 on Inc.s annual list of the
5000 fastest growing companies.

Halal Ad
Technology & Digital MediaAarhus, Denmark / Key Traction PointServing 500,000
Ads per day across 190 countries. Halal Ad Angel List Page.

Halal Ad is one of the fastest growing companies on this list founded by Maruf Yusupov in
2015 their Halal Ad platform has delivered 500,000 ads a day working with 400 advertisers
and 1000 publishers, totaling 50 million ads. They are quickly growing to be one of the
worlds largest ethical advertising platforms. Using Google AdSense for Muslim publishers
can create clear ideological problems when content featuring alcohol or sexually explicit
content might pop up on a Muslim centric site, this is where Halal.Ad grew out of. This while
creating a platform for Muslim advertisers where they can create an ad and distribute on all
small to large Muslim websites, portals, forums and blogs with a single click.

iGrow
Agriculture & TechnologyJakarta, Indonesia / Investments $125,00 from 2 investors,
also part of batch 18 of the 500 Startups incubator

Photo taken from the iGrow website of a farmer in Indonesia

iGrow is one of the most globally recognized startups on this list being named one of the top
companies on the Disrupt 100 and listed as one of the top companies in 500 Startups batch 17
startups by Tech Crunch, MatterMark and Fast Company. Founded by Muhaimin Iqbal,

Andreas Senjaya, jim Oklahoma in Jakarta, Indonesia iGrow helps underemployed farmers
and underutilize land to grow organic farm funded by urban people around the world. They
connect the farmers, landowners, and farming sponsors together to create farming, then they
sell the crops directly to the buyers. Raising farming capital from urban populations through
their website and while using gamification techniques like in Farmville so that they can
virtually see their plantation grow. After the harvest time, they then share the profits amongst
investors and farmers. Just from peanuts alone, they have harvested 1,600 ton produces that
bring 24% annualized return to our farming sponsors, and 99% of them reinvested with
iGrow.
They are getting ready to launch their second major project in Turkey in the coming months
on land that is farmed by Syrian refugees near the Syria / Turkey border.

The Halal Guys

FoodNew York, New York / InvestmentsT raction200 Franchise resteraunts opening
around the world in 20152016

One of the biggest success stories in the Muslim startup space, the Halal Guys took a product
focused on Muslim consumers at a food cart in New York city and through their delicious
food they have quickly become the largest Muslim centric brand in the United States.
Founded in 1990 by the end of 2016 they are expected to open more than 200 franchise stores
with branches already open from Manilla to Los Angeles. How hot are The Halal Guys right
now? According to their general manager, Hesham Hegazy, In one year we have sold more
franchises than Five Guys sold in two years.

EthisCrowd
FinTechSingapore / InvestmentsRaised $363,000 seed round / Key Traction
Crowdfunded $2.6 Million dollars to build 5000 affordable homes in Indonesia

Ethis Crowd is the worlds first Real Estate Islamic Crowdfunding Platform. With more than
10,000 private investors Ethis crowdfunds investments in entrepreneurial, business, trade and
Real Estate activities in Asia. In just over a year Ethis has crowdfunded SGD$ 3.6 million
into projects
to build 5,000 affordable homes with returns averaging 10% to 16%. Ethis Crowd founded by
Umar Munshi is headquartered in Singapore, with branches and representative offices in
Jakarta, Kuala Lumpur and Sydney.We have processed.

Port of Mokha
CoffeeOakland, California & Sanaa, Yemen

Port of Mokha founder Mokhtar Alkhanshali with farmers in Yemen, featured on the Blue
Bottle Coffee website
The founder of Port of Mokha Mokhtar Alkhanshali has a story that has been told around the
world after he was stranded in Yemen as Saudi Arabia started bombing Sanaa. Ultimately he
escaped on a fishing boat to Djibouti with just two suitcases of coffee samples with him,
coffee from the thousands of farmers he had been working with in Yemen over the previous
year. Who would have known then that those coffee samples would turn into some of the
worlds most expensive coffees. The first company to launch Port of Mokha coffee is the $120
million dollar venture capital backed coffee company, Blue Bottle Coffee based in San
Francisco. As the most expensive coffee Blue Bottle has ever sold, they have launched the
coffee at $16 a cup and $65 for 6 ounces of beans as a way to support the transformation of
the coffee industry in Yemen by working with Port of Mokha.
Blue Bottle Coffee x Port of Mokha, a stunning coffee from Yemen
This coffee journeyed from the nerve-shattering slopes of Hayma, Yemen, survived civil war
and severe drought, andbluebottlecoffee.com

Muslim Pro
TechnologySingapore / TractionMore than 10 Million downloads

Muslim Pro App

Muslim Pro is the most downloaded and most reviewed Islamic app in the world, with over
10 million downloads. Heavy on advertising and monetization, especially compared to its

mostly ad free competitors who offer prayer times, qibla direction and Quran, it is most
likely the most profitable Muslim app in the world also. Translated into 15 different
languages, the Singapore based founder of Muslim Pro, Erwan Mace has built a great app
with global qibla direction, prayer times, Quran functions and much more.

HajjNet
TechnologyDubai, UAE / Investments$1.25 Million raised in seed investments from
private investors

Since its founding in 2012, Hajjnet has raised $1.25m of capital from private investors. The
Salam app is the first of Hajjnets mobile and web products, designed to guide pilgrims
step-by-stepthrough the Hajj and Umrah process. The Salam app has ranked in the top 10
in Travel in Apples App Store in 59 countries as well as being chosen in both New &
Noteworthy and Best New Apps.

Productive Muslim
Education, Dallas, Texas, United States / Key Traction PointOver 1.2 million Facebook
followers

Productive Muslim is an online platform that aims to boost productivity amongst Muslims
around the world. It started as a blog in 2007, and grew to become a media/training company
that offers online classes & courses, live workshops, 1:1 coaching and group coaching, as
well as a continuous stream of articles, videos, infographics, animations, worksheets, and
webinars that help spread its message of the link between faith and productivity.

ProductiveMuslim.com pioneered a new paradigm of productivity that was inspired by the

timeless guidance of Quranic teachings and Prophetic practice and synthesized with the best
of contemporary thinking around productivity. In January 2016, the founder of Productive
Muslim Mohammed Faris, published his first book via Awakening Worldwide called The
Productive Muslim: Where Faith Meets Productivity.

Peace House
Film Production & Digital MediaTampa, Florida / Key Traction Point36 Million+
Views on their last 2 Videos Alone
Peace House is a Tampa, Florida based non-profit film production studio. Over the last year
they have produced a number of viral campaigns ranging from political videos about the 2016
United States presidential election, to their #NetflixListen campaign that got them a meeting
with the CEO of Netflix Reed Hastings. For years the founders of Peace House have been
working to launch a historical drama based on the life of Salahadin, the 12th century Muslim
ruler. First they raised $80,000 to film a pilot on Kickstarter, then they created a viral
campaign to pitch the show to Hastings and even had Netflix tweeting out the campaign
themselves.

Islamic Fashion & Design Council

FashionDubai, UAE & New York, United States / Key Traction PointOffices in 7
Cities around the world: Dubai, NYC, Milan, Cape Town, London, Istanbul, Moscow, Dhaka

IFDC recently launched its magazine: Cover

Islamic Fashion and Design Council (IFDC) is the worlds leading modest fashion and design
council representing the Islamic economy and its stakeholders. With offices in 7 countries
and growing rapidly around the world, IFDC is a leading advocate for Islamic fashion and
design professionals and aspiring talent, has an array of products, services, and effective
training programs for all levels. Our platform is designed to ensure the success of Islamic
fashion and design in the global marketplace as we facilitate the industry players in accessing
the vast growth potential.

MPower Change

Online Advocacy PlatformOakland, California/ Incubated by the Civic Engagement

Lab and Foundation seed funding from the Ford Foundation & the Open Society Foundation

A petition from the MPower Change site

One of the fastest growing companies on this list MPower Change is taking on Islamophobia
and other social justice issues head on in the United States using the latest technology in the
online advocacy world. Founded by one of the top Muslim social justice advocates in the
world Linda Sarsour with her co-founders Mark Crain of MoveOn.org and Dustin Craun (the
author of this article) MPower Change is hoping to grow to more than 200,000 members by
the end of 2016.

Have Halal Will Travel

TravelSingapore / InvestmentsRaised a $50,000 seed round from one angel investor.
Currently raising their next round: HHWT Angel List page

One of our favorite startups on the list, Have Halal, Will Travel (HHWT) is a Singaporebased media-tech startup offering resources and tools to help Muslim travelers plan the
perfect trip. HHWT is redefining the Muslim travel market with highly shareable social
content and a dedicated travel planning app for Muslim travelers. Their primary goal is, to
inspire Muslims to see the world. We believe that through travel, Muslims are able to be
ambassadors of peace. When we travel, we meet people of different backgrounds and
cultures. Through interaction, therell be less stereotypes and misconceptions as the world
gets to see who Muslims truly are.

Tiossan
Skin Care & E-CommerceAustin, Texas & Dakar, Senegal

Screen cap from the Tiossan website

Founded by Magatte Wade a serial-entrepreneur and advocate of positive change in business,
gender roles, and Africa, Tiossan (tee-oh-sahn) is the first luxury skincare brand from
Senegal. Featuring traditional West African skin care remedies according to their website, In
addition to featuring the purest, organically grown ingredients Africa has to offer, Tiossan
products are crafted around a key ingredient , Black Seed Oil. Used for centuries by
Senegalese Sufi elders and locally described as The Remedy for Everything, Except Death,
modern science has discovered Black Seed Oil contains intense healing and anti-aging
properties. It is a powerful anti-oxidant, an anti-microbial and super botanical that has been
shown to have anti-carcinogenic properties. The traditional Senegalese recipes have been
updated by the best contemporary green chemists to offer you an all natural product line with
scents, textures, and absorption characteristics designed to cater to the most discriminating
customer in the world.

Urban Halal
Food, Digital Media & TechnologySan Francisco, United States

Javed Ali a long term advocate for the global Muslim startup community is back with his
newest company, Urban Halal. As Senior User Experience Designer in tech in Silicon Valley,
he is no stranger to the startup scene. A once pioneer of Muslim media with his awardwinning startup and global media powerhouse, ILLUME Magazine, Javed is back with his
newest company, Urban Halal. A first-of- its-kind social discovery and storytelling platform,
Urban Halal lets users find the best places to eat, shop, live and pray. Its a disruptive
technology that aims to take the halal industry to the next level.
Urban Halals award-winning design and editorial team stitches together positive and
uplifting stories of the global urban Muslim community through food and culture. Launching
first in the San Francisco Bay Area Urban Halal is hoping to build on top of the success of
other Halal food companies in the United States such as Safron Road and the Halal Guys.

Finocracy

FinTechDubai, UAE Seed round raised with the World Congress of Muslim
Philanthropists / Key Traction PointThe Finocracy team is behind platforms that have
transacted over $10 million dollars from a crowd of 150,000 users

Human Crescent is a project of Finocracy

Finocracy aims to establish a thriving global Islamic Social Finance ecosystem that
democratizes access to finance by enabling public and private institutions. In 2016 they will
be launching Human Crescent, the worlds first zakah-driven crowdfunding platform for
global humanitarian support. They will also be launching Growmada to support beautifully
created artisanal products from all over the world.

Quran Academy
Education & TechnologyNew York, United StatesKey TractionAccepted into
Startup Chile, MaGIC Malaysia and won the Prince AbdulAziz Award for Entrepreneurship

Millions of Muslims around the world make one of their life goals to memorize the Quran in
its entirety or at least in part. Memorizing the Quran no longer has to be difficult or exclusive
to madrasahs thanks to Quran Academy. Founded in 2014 by Bilal Memon, a Quran Hafiz
and Entrepreneur who works with TechStars, the young company has released a one-of-akind Quran memorization app that is more than just an audio recitation tool. Their maiden
app, Quran Companion, has gamification and learning technologies including flexible
learning environments, guided lesson plans, a swipe to reveal game that uses proprietary
technology, social-led group challenges and a motivational daily global leaderboard.

Zileej
Consumer & Lifestyle ProductsDubai, UAEInvestments: Private Angel Funding

Founded by Peter Gould and Ansarullah Ridwan Mohammad, Zileej is pioneering a new
generation of games, toys and creative learning experiences for Muslims. Their innovative,
design-led products are loved by families across the globe looking for fun, meaningful
experiences that uniquely reflect their lifestyle, values and aspirations. In the short time since
they launched Zileej, they have already created one of the most truly global Muslim products
on the market with the 5Pillars Islamic board games. They understood the importance of
branding and design to create a strong global presence and today they have sold over 100,000
copies in Arabic, English and French in over 30 countries and 150 episodes of 5Pillars TV
Game Shows have been produced and aired on various TV channels.

The 50 Most Innovative Global Muslim Startups 2016 is Sponsored by Salaam BankClick
the photo above to sign up to learn more.

Ummah Ventures & MPowered Summit

Media & EventsOttawa, Canada & Dubai, UAE

Founded by Hodan Ibrahim, Ummah Ventures is a startup & sme consultancy firm offering
business planning, training and education programming events tailored specifically for
entrepreneurs working in the Islamic economy. In 2016 Ummah Ventures is working to
launch the MPowered Summit in Dubai, a 2-day high impact event bringing together the
Muslim startup ecology for education, networking and global collaboration opportunities.
You can pre-register at this link:
MPoweredSummit
We have great expectations from entrepreneurs because we believe in their unlimited
innovative ideas. They are drawingwww.mpoweredsummit.com

MySanda
Product DesignDoha, Qatar / Investments $150,000 from winning the Qatar
Foundation television show on MBC Stars of Science. Another $100K from QSTP
Accelerator. Both while retaining full ownership.

The Atlanta based designer and entrepreneur Omar Hamid was a contestant on the MBC
show Stars of Science. Winning second place on the TV show gave Omar the seedfunding
to launch this new company. According to Omar, Sanda is an innovative chair that saves
space, follows your natural sitting motion and helps you sit and stand. This product is taking
on a key challenge for Muslims who have difficulty with the full motion of the five daily
prayers.

TripFez
TravelSubang Jaya, Malaysia / InvestmentsRaised a $750,000 seed round

Tripfez is one of the newest global Muslim travel startups. According to Tripfez, they
incorporate what they are calling the Salam Standard to create a global reference site for

Muslim travelers worldwide looking to find the simplest, cheapest way to a blessed journey.
Together with Salam Standard, Tripfez displays the hotels compliance to the highest
standard of hotel requirements to increase the overall experience of Muslim travelers. One
of the things that sets Tripfez apart from other companies we have seen in this space is ability
to create a promote your own halal tours on their site.

Ramadan Legacy
TechnologyGlasgow, ScotlandKey Traction150,000 Downloads across 90 countries
During Ramadan 2015

Ramadan Legacy, founded in 2013 by a team of spiritual strategists, creatives and coders, is a
social enterprise that is dedicated to connect and empower Muslims during the month of
Ramadan. The brands flagship product, the Ramadan Legacy App, is the Worlds First Fully
Featured App for Ramadan that trended worldwide and ranked at #6 on the Worldwide app
stores, gaining a staggering 150,000 users across 90 countries. From being featured at the
World Islamic Economic Forum to the Silicon Valley App Festival, and being identified as a
trending digital company in the Global Islamic Economy Report published by Thomson
Reuters.

Muslim Entrepreneurship Network

Education & TechnologyLondon
Founded by a global group of serial entrepreneurs the Muslim Entrepreneurship Network is
an on demand and in person learning marketplace. Their goal is to mentor and help create
entrepreneurial Muslims, who will be at the forefront of the development of the Ummah.
Getting your business off the ground is often the hardest and most draining experience of
your life, physically, financially and spiritually. What if there was a place to turn to get the
help, advice and guidance that you need, when you need it, to help make the road to success
as smooth as possible?

Hajj Guider
Wearable TechnologyPakistan / Key Traction PointFinalist at Startup Istanbul

Founded by Hasam Ahmed Khan Hajj Guider is a wearable technology startup that is
working to make the Hajj pilgrimage easier with technology. Hajj Guider is working on a
diverse solution that will be offered to millions of pilgrims. Hajj Guider is building in the
ability to find spatial awareness between friends and family over long distances, navigation
services to important locations during Hajj, live Incident Reporting( Stampedes, Thefts,
Important Updates).
Hajj Pilgrimage Goes Hi-Tech To Reduce Incidents
Wearable devices and computer simulation software used to predict crowd disasters, could
improve the pilgrims' safety.www.forbes.com

Haute Hijab
FashionNew York, New York, United States / InvestmentsC urrently raising seed
round, you can learn more on their Angel List page
Haute Hijab is an online modest fashion brand and community. They are focused on
providing modest yet stylish options for Muslim women with a product range focused on
hijabs, ready to wear skirts, dresses, and tops. All of their products are sourced with attention
to quality, ethical standards and modesty. This month they launched their first retail location
in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia and they are beginning to looking to expand to other international
markets.

Investroo
FinTechNew York, United States / InvestmentsRaising a seed round under
$250,000

Investro is building a mobile based platform to make halal investing easy and accessible to
Muslims around the world. Their aim is to achieve this goal by launching with a number of
features. A few that they are excited about are: 1) Fractional shares (aka dollar based
investing), meaning you can invest as little as $5 to own a piece of Google; 2) Practice and

live trading accounts, for people who arent comfortable yet investing their money but want
to start learning.

Wafaa
Internet of ThingsLondon, United Kingdom

The founder of Wafaa Zed Ali with an early prototype

Wafaa is trying to change how we use technology to connect to our mosques, to our daily
prayers and to each other. You may have heard of the internet of things for connected homes,
but for connected mosques? For Wafaa, this is all about connecting the Muslim community in
multiple ways. According to their founder Zed Ali, We are building IOT for Mosques with
things Wait or internet connected things for Mosques with connected people. Or is it things
for people who want to be connected to the mosque and each other using technology so they
can be connected to Allah? For us, this is all really about connections.

Kapital Boost
FinTech & CrowdfundingS ingapore / InvestmentsPre-seed funding from Singapore
based VC firmKapital Boost Angel List

Founded by Erly Witoyo and Umar Munshi, in the first year since launching Kapital Boost
has crowdfunded 15 SME projects across Indonesia, Malaysia, and Singapore. Kapital Boost
is a crowdfunding platform for Asian SMEs to access temporary liquidity for goods and
capital purchases. Financing is done through a Murabaha (cost plus margin) structure. They
currently offer services to SMEs in Indonesia, Malaysia, and Singapore. Through this

crowdfunding platform, Kapital Boost also offers attractive Islamic-based investments for
small investors.

Meem Mobile
TelecommunicationsLondon, United Kingdom / InvestmentsRaised Seed round with
3 private investors, beginning to raise next round

Meem Mobile advertisement featuring a quote from Muhammad Ali with Malcolm X,
Muhammad Ali pictured.
Meem Mobile is a London based ethical mobile network founded by Mehedi Islam, and the
first mobile network that targets Muslims but is open to general public too. The concept is
simple, 10% of the profit from a customers bill goes to a charity of their choice every month.
The mission is to change the world by transforming your mobile phone into a force for good
and fight poverty. Meem received almost 400 pre-orders within a month of their initial
launch.

Mystic Man
Mens FashionLos Angeles, California

One of our favorite brands of the year, Mystic Man is creating a lifestyle brand focused on
the U.S. market starting with the beauty of the beard. In 2015 they launched their company
with an incredible beard oil which will soon be followed by their organic shampoo and
pomade products, all of which are made from 100% USDA approved organic ingredients.
According to the Mystic Man founder Justin Mashouf, the rich, organic oils blend perfectly

with sedr extract, a Mediterranean ingredient used for centuries, to condition and protect hair,
and to stimulate growth. With hopes to grow into other sedr based hair products, we are
excited for the future of Mystic Man. Were inspired by the power of positive influence of the
great mystics throughout history, and strive towards leaving the world a better place through
sustainability, extraordinary service, social goodness and higher ethical values.

Ruh Collective
FashionNew York, United States & Istanbul, TurkeyInvestorsO ne Angel
Investor, amount of investment is undisclosed

Ruh Ethics statement from their Instagram account

While there are countless modest fashion startups that we could have covered in this article,
RUH is the first one we have seen with a sole company focus on the ethics of fashion.
According to their founders Soni Ruh & Syed Shah they are, the first Muslim fashion brand

that exclusively uses natural fabrics, and is 100% ethical and transparent. All of our garments
are manufactured according to the highest ethical principles in factories that respect the
sanctity of human life and labor. We believe that our customers not only deserve to know
who makes their clothes, but also how much they cost to make. Thats why all of our
garments have an honest breakdown of pricing, and our markup, so that you can see what
youre paying for, every step of the way. We are our own customer, and believe that truly
modest clothing should be visually stunning, responsibly made, and fairly priced. So we
created a brand we wished existedone with rh, or soul.

Mvslim
Digital MediaAntwerp, Belgium
Founded by Hanan Challouki and Taha Riani Mvslim is an online platform that aims to
inspire people and unite them across the borders of religion, ethnicity and nationality. Their
primary goal according to Challouki is to break stereotypes about Muslims and put the
spotlight on young role models that are very necessary today. Besides our online brand and
impact, we will be building an offline department, by organizing events that inspire our
communities in real life.

The 50 Most Innovative Global Muslim Startups 2016 is Sponsored by Salaam BankClick
the photo above to sign up to learn more.

Ramadan Tent Project

Social EnterpriseLondon, United Kingdom

Founded by Omar Salha Ramadan Tent Project is an award winning community-led

initiative aiming to participate in social change by creating bridges between individuals,
bringing together communities, and fostering interfaith dialogue. Through its flagship project
Open Iftar, Ramadan Tent Project invites the homeless and the public at large, Muslims and
non-Muslims, to break fast together at dusk during the holy month of Ramadan each year.
Creating a Ramadan atmosphere in the heart of London, sharing meals, raising awareness
about Islam, connecting neighbours and ensuring charitable endeavours continue. The
Ramadan Tent Project delivers a platform that fulfils both the objectives of catering for
people in need and promoting greater cross-community cohesion and understanding. In 2017
they will be expanding the Ramadan Tent project internationally.
This Student Is Feeding Hundreds Of People Every Night During Ramadan
Below the white marquee and twinkling fairy lights set up in a garden square in the middle of
London, hundreds ofwww.buzzfeed.com

Learn Quran
Education & TechnologyDepok, Indonesia / Investments$15,000 in seed investment
from 2 investors Learn Quran Angel List

Learn Quran is an Indonesian based startup that uses the latest mobile technology to help
people to learn to recite the Quran and to improve their recitation. With more than half a
million people from more than 180 countries using the app Learn Quran is one the most
popular apps to learn reciting the Quran since 2015.

Lisn Up Clothing (The Noor Effect)

Fashion

Noor Tagouri left in The Noor Effect hoodie with

Founded by Adam Khafif Lisn UP Clothing launched in 2011 and puts out different
albums as collections launched with social influencers around the world. The clothing
company came into the public consciousness through a powerful campaign with the journalist
and social media influencer, Noor Tagouri called The Noor Effect. All the proceeds sales of
the clothes in this series go directly to fight human trafficking with the organization Project
Futures.

This 22-year-old started a fashion line to fight human trafficking.

Noor Tagouri has always been one for ambitious goals. This is no
different.www.upworthy.com

Shade 7 Publishing
Publishing & Digital MediaLondon, United Kingdom

Shade 7 is a global, multilingual publisher of premium Quranic pop up books and 3D digital
interactive apps that help children learn about all religions but primarily Islam in a fun and
engrossing way. Publishers of one of the most beautiful Muslim childrens books we have
ever seen, The Story of the Elephant, was written by the founder of Shade 7, Hajera Memon.

iSlam
Social EntrepreneurshipBerlin, Germany

A poster from an iSlam performance in Germany

iSlam was started as an empowerment project for young muslim slam poets in Berlin and
now they are more broadly working to empower young muslim (and non-muslim) artists in
German speaking countries. According to their founder Youssef Adlah, We use art to not
only create something beautiful but to spread a message. The intention in everything what we
do is the foundation of our work and art.

Tutlub
Technology & Digital MediaLondon & Lagos, Nigeria

Founded by CEO and founder Yusuf Ade Hassan, Tutlub is a project of Next Ummah.
According to Hassan, Tutlub (: Arabic meaning To Ask) is a Muslim social network
that helps Muslims to socialise efficiently online. Tultub has recently been featured in
Forbes, CNET, QuatzZ, and the Guardian.

Islam in Spanish
Education & Television ProductionHouston, Texas

Islam in Spanish is a Houston, Texas based non-profit that is one of the only Spanish
language Muslim centers in the United States which serves the growing Latino Muslim
population. Using media production and grassroots outreach their mission is to lead and
pioneer solutions in educating Latinos and communities about Islam in the Spanish
language. Their focus on television production and documentary filmmaking has made
IslamInSpanish a worldwide distribution source of over 250+ television shows produced that
have gone on to be broadcast internationally in channels in Spain and throughout the United
States.

Raafiq & Friends

Childrens Education & MediaLos Angeles, California
The launch video for Rafiq & Friends shows how important high quality products are for
Muslim children. Asked about their favorite holidays Muslim children rattle off answers
about Christmas, but what about Ramadan and Eid? Rafiq & Friends is a edutainment
company that helps children develop their identity as young Muslims with characters who
they can connect with. Rafiq & Friends provides quality Muslim-oriented toys, books, and
activities that children can connect with to bring them fun, education, and family memories.

Sapelo Square
Digital Media

Founded by Suad Abdul Khabeer, Sapelo Square hopes to intervene in the marginalization
and erasure of Black Muslims in the public square by building an online forum that places
Black Muslims at the center. Our mission is to celebrate and analyze the experiences of Black
Muslims in the United States to create new understandings of who they are, what they have
done, and why that matters.
Sapelo Square is committed to a nonsectarian approach to Islam and an inclusive vision of
what it means to be Black in the United States.

ilm Feed
Digital MediaLondon, United Kingdom

IlmFeed is dedicated to publishing informative and inspirational articles about Islam and
Muslims. IlmFeed features articles about Islamic History, Muslim personalities, Mosques
around the world, inspirational stories and much more with a particular focus on featuring
positive stories about Muslims. IlmFeed has quickly become one of the most popular UKbased Islamic websites in the world and its popularity is continuing to rise.

Islamic GPS
Augmented RealityLondon, United Kingdom

Islamic GPS is an augmented reality app that has been designed to help you discover and
connect with breath-taking Islamic heritage sights around the world in a completely enriching
way. A truly exciting and awe-inspiring experience. By using your smartphone, simply hold
up your camera as you move it 360 and you will engage with your chosen landmarks.

My Muslim Wedding
Weddings & TechnologyLondon, United Kingdom

Founded by Rooful Ali, My Muslim Wedding is, designed for the discerning Millennial
Muslim couple help plan their special day with perfection and ease in mind. Instead of
researching and spending time trawling directories and making endless calls and sending
numerous emails, we are proud to be able to offer beyond the flagship
beautifulPHOTOGRAPHY services (as featured throughout the site), we offer TWO
additional services, a Concierge like service in addition to a full wedding Planning role.

Peace Be Upon You Clothing

FashionKuala Lumpur, Malaysia

In our travels this year this was one of our favorite brands we came across, Peace Be Upon
Youa universal greeting with deep importance in our times. Founded in Kuala Lumpur
Malaysia you can check out their newest designs here:
PeaceBeUponYou
Edit descriptionpeacebeuponyou.my
What companies did we miss this year? Interested in building the global Muslim
Startup Ecology with us? Tweet us at @ummahwide