Amirali Kerimovs’ Vision from the West to Asia’s Tech Frontier
While Silicon Valley is a hub for tech startups, the digital landscape is now wide open for innovators everywhere. There’s Amirali Kerimovs, a software engineer whose achievements span across continents. This year, he’s been a judge on a panel that evaluates early-stage startups, bringing a critical eye to budding technologies.
Amirali’s expertise in software engineering, honed over a decade, has propelled him through the ranks of Eastern European tech companies to leadership positions in American startups. His current project, the AI-powered platform FindBelay, is creating new solutions in the insurance sector. With Baches.io Inc., he is developing a complex hiring platform. While this may seem far from the Asian region, his strategies could resonate well with Southeast Asian markets, from the Philippines and Thailand to Indonesia and Malaysia. Local companies can adopt the progressive technologies Kerimovs is developing and using to ensure their technological advancement and growth.
Emerging Asian Markets: Amirali Kerimovs’ Impact Beyond Borders
As the IT professional says, the right technology can streamline operations and improve the company’s efficiency, helping startups to do more with fewer resources and reduce operational costs. Since there are multiple online opportunities for young companies these days (like virtual pitch competitions and contests), not using them seems like a reckless decision. In January 2023, Kerimovs became a jury member of the Burning Heroes Africa Awards (BHAA), where the top 30 African startups competed to get valuable feedback from top venture capitalists, accelerators, and tech experts from leading organizations. The contest is not tied to a singular location. Still, it embraces a diverse array of participants and enthusiasts worldwide, and the software developer invites everyone to join the competition’s future editions.
Such a contest can be useful for local entrepreneurs looking to reach prominent investors. The startup ecosystem in the Philippines’ capital city, Manila, has experienced significant growth, with its valuation rising by 85 percent to USD 3.5 billion in 2023, compared to USD 2.1 billion in 2022. Manila’s recognition as a top global ecosystem and its commendations in affordable talent, funding, and overall performance suggest a thriving environment for startups in the Philippines and the potential for similar growth across Asia. The Department of Trade and Industry’s commitment to fostering innovation and supporting startups through strategic investments and government processes has been pivotal in this development.
Building on this momentum, global organizations like the Burning Heroes Founders Association and various startup competitions have the potential to catalyze the growth of startups in the Philippines and other Asian countries by providing international exposure, feedback from global tech leaders, and access to venture capitalists and accelerators. The success of such contests in Africa and their plans to expand globally, including potential forays into Asia, presents an opportunity for startups in the region to gain recognition and find international investors, contributing to the burgeoning startup landscape in these markets.
Since joining the Association in 2022, Kerimovs has already demonstrated his skills as a competition judge. As a judge at the Technology panel, the software engineer shared his valuable experience with aspiring startup founders, evaluating their ideas, products, pitch decks, and presentations from a technological perspective. He worked alongside other industry experts, contributing to a diverse and knowledgeable judging panel. Among these experts were Henri Zietsman, the Amazon AWS Startup/Venture Capital Business Development Manager in Cape Town, with a rich background in Agri-Fintech and experience across 23 African countries, and Chwayita Nqiwa-Twalo, a Board Member of The Nordic-South African Business Association and Head of Hatchery Cape Town, with over 15 years in the communications, incubator, and accelerator spaces. Now, the organization is eyeing other regions with great potential to hold the next edition of their contest, and according to Kerimovs, Southeast Asia is one of the top choices of the Association’s members.
Amirali Kerimovs: A Driving Force in Global Startup Ecosystems
Kerimovs says that the mission of Burning Heroes is to help other talented and gifted entrepreneurs get equal access to funding and mentorship. He has been through all the highs and lows of founding a company during turbulent times, but as he says, with outstanding and advanced technology, every idea will succeed. Amirali embraced a challenging journey to found and develop his first company and its platform from scratch in 2022. His company, FindBelay, is a pioneering insurance platform using Artificial Intelligence (AI). With challenges fueling his drive, Kerimovs is determined to take this innovative model to Asia following its U.S. launch, targeting the vast and rapidly growing markets there.
The Philippines’ general insurance industry is set to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 11.6% from PHP 136.4 billion (USD 2.4 billion) in 2023 to PHP 211.5 billion (USD 3.7 billion) in 2027, in terms of gross written premiums (GWP), forecasts GlobalData, a leading data, and analytics company.
As the company’s CEO, Kerimovs has researched the situation in the most promising and thriving regions. As he says, Southeast Asia captivated his mind with its infinite growth opportunities, and he is soon coming up with his platform to revolutionize the local insurance market. Kerimovs and his team have already launched the prototype of their platform in the U.S. Their efforts have culminated in remarkable early success, with the platform attracting over 30,000+ visitors and enrolling more than 2,000+ individuals in the early adopters’ program. This strong initial traction serves as a testament to the efficacy of his approach, setting both him and the company on a promising trajectory.
Having made the meaningful steps with his startup, Kerimovs continues perfecting his leadership skills with another project. A few months ago, in May 2023, the IT specialist accepted the position of Chief Product Officer at Baches.io Inc.
Amirali Kerimovs: Spearheading Tech Innovation in Insurance and Hiring Platforms
Amirali Kerimovs’ work encompasses various responsibilities, from strategic leadership to daily operations. As a C-level executive, he manages the day-to-day product development, maintains product relevance through gathering insights and feedback, establishes international partnerships, and coordinates the work of cross-functional teams.
Thanks to his relentless effort and dedication, the company has successfully launched a test version of the product. It is now focusing on making it better and getting the word out. As CPO at Baches.io Inc., he has played a leadership role in planning the product’s future, setting clear goals, and creating a strong vision for the product. Leading a diverse team of software engineers, designers, and others, he has helped the company secure support from the government, build a valuable partnership with EPICO, and successfully launch a test version of the service to a select group of users.
Baches.io Inc. aims to assist in digitizing hiring processes. Together with a crew of motivated experts, Kerimovs is working on creating a multi-purpose payroll & hiring platform. It aims to solve many problems in the labor market and use the same principles to conquer other prospective markets. As the software developer says, Asia, and particularly the Philippines, has been on his mind for a long time.
The informal economy in the Philippines is substantial, with 38.3 percent of employed individuals engaged in vulnerable forms of employment, often without formal work arrangements or social protection. This economic landscape indicates a significant opportunity for platforms like Baches.io Inc. to make a difference. By introducing their digital hiring platform to the Philippines and other Asian markets, Baches.io Inc. could provide much-needed structure and support for millions of informal workers, offering a more secure and equitable job market.
As the IT professional shares, “Our company can give millions of people an opportunity to find secure and fairly paid jobs ranging from cleaning, cooking, gardening, childcare, elder care, and more.”
Kerimovs has gathered all the necessary insights and experience to launch a similar product successfully in the local market. He partnered with local government entities in the LATAM and believes that the Filipino people will be equally interested in digitalizing the hiring and paying process. As the software engineer says, his work will greatly impact solving numerous issues related to the underground economy.
“I feel immensely proud of holding a leadership position at Baches.io Inc. and using my IT expertise to build a platform that solves issues such as the immigration crisis, crime, and poverty in Latin America. I aim to continue working in this direction and expand our company globally,” shares Kerimovs’s plans with INQUIRER.
Just like his exceptional projects, Amirali Kerimovs stands out from the crowd of IT professionals. What is striking about him is the way he manages to balance all these time-consuming roles at various levels and scales:
- He is building a complex system at his own tech company, FindBelay.
- Being in charge of developing a product of nationwide importance at Baches.io Inc.
- Even found enough time to mentor others as the Burning Heroes startup contest’s jury member.
He believes that a lasting change is achieved through reaching all the possibilities and using every chance to excel as an expert and a visionary. The marks of his professional progress are visible with the naked eye – in his approach to work and the great results the two organizations had achieved under his guidance.
With so many flourishing projects aiming to improve the lives of millions of people and make entrepreneurship in the tech industry available to everyone who dares to try, Amirali Kerimovs – outstanding talent is just getting started, and as he promised us, the world, including our beloved Philippines, is about to witness a remarkable transformation he will soon create.
Conclusion: Amirali Kerimovs – A Catalyst for Global Tech Evolution
In summary, Amirali Kerimovs exemplifies the transformative power of tech leadership across global markets. His journey from a software engineer to an influential figure in the tech startup world underscores the impact of innovative thinking and strategic execution. With his ventures like FindBelay and Baches.io Inc. and his significant role in international startup competitions, Kerimovs is changing the game in technology and entrepreneurship and inspiring a new generation of global innovators. His ongoing efforts promise to bring groundbreaking changes, particularly in emerging markets, shaping the future of the global tech industry.
