The Startup Queen Who Took on Iran’s one of the Toughest Tech Competitions - Nazanin Daneshvar

Nazanin Daneshvar is one of the most influential entrepreneurs in
Iran and the Middle East. She founded Iran's first online
supermarket, Meydoonak, in 2009 and Takhfifan, Iran's first and
largest discount platform. Takhfifan has now millions of users
and is filed for an IPO. In Iran, Nazanin is not only an
entrepreneur but also a national hero as she is one of the first
female founders in the technology sector and has played a very
crucial role in shaping the startup ecosystem. Her Startup
acquired Netbarg, its largest competitor, in 2019 after almost a
decade of intense competition. Today, Nazanin is an investor in
Europe, investing in promising founders in the technology sector
and helping them scale. She used to invest with EQT Ventures for
a while and now focuses more on her own angel investments.




In this episode, we talk about:



Challenges woman face in Iran especially in business


Her journey from studying in Iran to moving to Europe, going
back, founding multiple startups


Scaling startups in Iran and the challenges but also
opportunities there


How she made Takhfifan sustaining customers while similar models
in Europe and US have failed


The skills future founders need to succeed


Her transition to an VC Investor and the challenges in that
process


This Episode is hosted by Nour Idelbi and Ahmad Zandnia.





00:00 – Introduction


02:02 – Early Motivation – Family, culture, and proving herself
in a male-dominated society


05:12 – Founder Mindset – From problem-solving to
entrepreneurship.


07:52 – First Startup Attempt – Iran’s first online
supermarket—success and failure.


13:30 – Lessons from Failure – Market timing and business
fundamentals.


16:32 – Family as Co-Founders – The pros and cons of working with
her sister.


19:20 – Returning to Iran – Why she went back to build something
bigger.


24:12 – Challenges as a Female Founder – Navigating bias and
credibility issues.


28:12 – Has Iran’s Startup Scene Changed? – What’s different now
for women in tech.


32:50 – Building Trust in E-Commerce – Educating businesses and
consumers.


37:22 – Handling Crises – Economic instability, scaling, and
regulations.


41:51 – Leaving Iran – Her decision to move to Germany.


45:29 – Staying Connected – Supporting Iran’s tech ecosystem from
abroad.


49:27 – Toughest Leadership Moments – Layoffs, crisis management,
and resilience.


53:47 – Becoming an Investor – The shift from founder to VC.


57:22 – Women in VC & Leadership – The need for more
diversity in tech.


01:03:22 – Final Advices – Lessons on resilience, networking, and
soft skills.


Subscribe on Spotify:


https://open.spotify.com/show/42ijB4A...


Subscribe on Apple Podcast:


https://podcasts.apple.com/de/podcast...


Follow us on Instagram:


https://www.instagram.com/roots2disrupt?igsh=MXJ3eW9sZnVoa2Vibg==


Visit our Website:


https://youngfounders.network/


Visit Nazanin Daneshvar’s LinkedIn Profile:


https://www.linkedin.com/in/nazdnr?utm_source=share&utm_campaign=share_via&utm_content=profile&utm_medium=ios_app


Visit Nazanin Daneshvar's YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/ ⁨@controlbcast⁩ 





#Podcast #Entrepreneurship #Startup #Business #Founder
#IranianEntrepreneur #WomenInBusiness #TechFounder
#FemaleEntrepreneur #StartupJourney