Introduction: Beyond Code
The world of tech startups often revolves around brilliant programmers and tech-savvy individuals who innovate and reshape industries. However, that is not to say that non-technical visionaries don’t emerge. They often step onto the startup scene armed not with lines of code, but with a passion for innovation and an unwavering commitment to their dreams.
In fact, in the Middle East, it’s not uncommon for this to be the typical background of tech startup founders. Instead, they tend to come from business or industry backgrounds. A study by Wamda in 2022 found that only 20% of tech startup founders in the Middle East have a technical background.
Several region-centric dynamics typically contribute to this skew, with the main ones being:
- Expanding Access to Technical Education: The Middle East is steadily advancing in this domain, with opportunities for growth. Although there is still room for more qualified tech professionals, the region is on the right track.
- Inspiring role models: While there may be a limited number of tech entrepreneurs from non-technical backgrounds in the Middle East, this landscape is evolving. Aspiring founders can look forward to an increasing pool of role models, paving the way for their own achievements in the thriving tech industry.
Despite these challenges, there is a growing number of successful tech startups in the Middle East founded by non-technical individuals, and one notable example is Zest Equity.
But First, About Zest Equity
Zest Equity digitizes private market transactions. In their own words, they are on a mission to:
"Democratize access to venture capital, empowering investors, founders, and their companies on a single platform."
Why did Zuhair Shamma and Rawan Baddour, both non-technical, decide to take the leap and create their tech company in the first place? Both co-founders come from backgrounds in investment banking, where they saw a gap in the market for private secondaries in the Middle East. With the concept being fairly established in more sophisticated financial markets, such as the US, the opportunity to create a regional solution was there for the taking.
You can dive deeper into what secondary markets are and how startups can use them as a route to access liquidity in a previous blog post we wrote here.
Two Words: Control and Quality
Though the duo did not have a technical background, they certainly did not let that be their kryptonite. Instead, it fueled their determination to learn about the product development process as they launched their tech startup. They understood the importance of closely monitoring the development of their Minimum Viable Product (MVP) and the journey beyond.
“The most challenging thing was, because we're non-technical, how do you actually vet the quality of the code and the quality of the work? You either have to blindly trust or find ways to just get comfortable with what you can control versus what you can't control.”
Their approach wasn’t about rolling up their sleeves and coding themselves, nor did they settle for an off-the-shelf solution that didn’t align with their vision. Instead, they made early hires of experienced technical team members while equipping themselves with enough knowledge to fully immerse themselves in the process and contribute meaningfully.
Their understanding of technology didn’t progress in a linear fashion; rather, it was a steep learning curve that, while becoming less daunting over time, remained challenging. Their commitment shone through as they infused their business vision into the product’s features, functionality, and customer experience. This hands-on approach ensured rigorous bug testing and quality assurance, ultimately preparing their product for a successful launch.
Translating their ideas into the language of technology presented its set of challenges and valuable lessons:
- Transitioning from Miscommunication to Iterative Learning: Initially, collaboration hurdles plagued their team. As they evolved from basic rebuilds to more intricate platforms, they encountered glitches stemming from misinterpreted processes and branching. They realized that even seemingly minor design nuances on the front-end could pose significant coding challenges, highlighting the importance of transitioning from casual discussion to methodical technical communication.
- Precision in Communication and Process Orientation: Recognizing that clarity was paramount in the tech domain, Zuhair and Rawan embraced articulate and precise communication. They created detailed Product Requirements Documents (PRD) that delved into process flows and feature intricacies. This shift marked a significant milestone, offering a comprehensive understanding of their product’s nuances.
- Alignment to Execution: Their approach evolved to ensure not only alignment but also seamless execution. PRDs became the foundation for a structured system that spanned from conceptualization to launch, resulting in a systematic workflow.
Actionable Lessons for Non-Technical Founders Navigating Tech Challenges
Zuhair and Rawan share the following lessons learned from their journey building Zest, which they hope will be helpful to other founders who are starting in similar shoes.
- Trust, but Verify: Founders should strike a balance between trusting their technical team and verifying their work. Distinguishing between controllable aspects and those requiring relinquishment is essential. Blind trust may lead to unintended consequences, while rigorous verification shouldn’t hinder progress.
- Navigate Uncertainty with Caution: Embracing uncertainty, especially in quality assurance, is vital. When dealing with technical aspects beyond your understanding, focus on surface-level functionality initially. However, don’t shy away from addressing underlying code quality and long-term viability challenges.
- Seek Trustworthy Partners: For non-technical founders, finding reliable partners for technical tasks is daunting but necessary. Look for individuals or teams whose skills and values align with your startup’s vision. While full technical comprehension may be elusive, diligent vetting and endorsements from reliable sources offer reassurance.
- Embrace Unfamiliar Territory: Non-technical founders, like Zuhair and Rawan, may find themselves in unfamiliar territory when searching for tech leadership. As outsiders to the tech community, align your expectations with the candidate’s experience to bridge the gap.
- Leverage External Validation: Enlist the help of friends and colleagues to review your work. External validation serves as a bridge between technical and non-technical aspects, providing reassurance and ensuring your project stays on track.
- Accept Limited Understanding: Acknowledge that as a non-technical founder, you won’t fully comprehend all technical intricacies. Instead of aiming for comprehensive understanding, focus on establishing robust internal processes, fostering effective communication, and exploring alternative channels for assurance.
“Persevere, but also don't take setbacks too seriously, because otherwise, they'll eat you alive.”
Conclusion: Embracing Non-technical Visionaries in the Middle East
Zuhair and Rawan’s journey serves as a compelling testament to the challenges and strategies that non-technical founders can harness to thrive in the tech industry. Their narrative highlights the vital significance of proactive learning, effective communication, and strategic partnership-building as essential tools to bridge the gap between non-technical backgrounds and the demanding technical landscape of entrepreneurship. Embracing these inherent challenges and actively seeking external validation emerge as pivotal steps on the path to success for non-technical founders in the dynamic world of technology startups.
Moreover, their story underscores the central conclusion that non-technical founders must wholeheartedly engage in the tech aspects of their business to exert control over the inputs shaping the quality of their distinctive brand. Their experience further underscores the critical importance of discerning partner selection and acknowledging the boundaries of their technical understanding. Ultimately, success hinges on nurturing a symbiotic relationship where non-technical founders seamlessly integrate internal processes and external insights, thereby aligning their visionary goals with the intricate realm of technical development.
You can learn more about Zest’s recent Seed round, which we participated in, on TechCrunch.
If you are a founder who is passionate about building innovative solutions in the Future of Finance or Future Economies industries and meet our investment thesis, we invite you to apply for consideration for direct investment. In addition to providing capital to support the growth of our portfolio companies, we offer our value creation capabilities to assist them in building commercial partnerships, receiving guidance from experienced experts, and more.
You can also learn more about our Direct Investments deal lifecycle process here.