Chattogram-based startup Bonik announced that it has raised $47,000 in pre-seed investment from prolific angel investor Mohammad Maaz, managing director of Steeltech Industries Limited.
Founded by Salman Saafi (CEO), Jonayed Tanjim (COO), and Atikur Rahaman (CTO), Bonik describes itself as a “mobile-first, no-code digital tools for small businesses to get online in minutes from smartphones and run online businesses without thinking to manage technology.” In a simpler term, the company enables SMEs to launch their e-commerce store within minutes using its mobile app.
As the smartphone and internet penetration accelerates, digitizing small businesses has become a lucrative vertical for tech startups across markets. B2B e-commerce startups have gained significant investors’ interest over the last few years. The core thesis of most of these B2B startups is simple: with the rise of digitization and consumer ecommerce, it is now time to bring small and medium businesses online. The expectation is that digitization will increase efficiency, and improve profitability.
Dhaka has a couple of companies looking to digitize small businesses. Prominent ones include Sheba, TallyKhata, and Shopup. All three companies offer a wide range of services to small and medium businesses. Compared to other players, Bonik targets a different segment—small merchants who run their businesses mainly through Facebook and Instagram pages but don't have their own eCommerce website yet, and offers a differentiated service in the form of simplified e-commerce with no-code, mobile-first tools to let them create, run and grow online.
Bonik is one of the first Chattogram-based companies to raise investment. With the fresh capital, the company plans to invest in products, hire new talents and expand the product across the country.
