This week's update comes with a list of fascinating reads. We have a revealing interview with Raisul Kabir of Brain Station 23, a distillation of hard-won insights from our conversation with Wahid Choudhury of Kaz Software, updates on the latest Accelerating Asia cohort, and news on Khaas Food's ambitious retail push.
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On to today's update.
Raisul Kabir is the founder and CEO of Brain Station 23, one of the largest and most interesting software services companies in Dhaka with clients worldwide. We last interviewed Mr. Raisul in 2019. At the time, Brain Station 23 was a 185-person company. Today, Brain Station 23 is a behemoth of nearly a 1000-people. It is one of the largest, if not the largest, software services companies in Dhaka and is growing at a rapid pace. In this fascinating interview, we discuss how Brain Station 23 has figured out ways to navigate the challenges of growth and scale. We discuss some of the key levers that have contributed to the growth of Brain Station 23: partnership, hiring a CFO, figuring out the structure, dedicated people, solving the science of B2B sales, a collective why that everyone believes in, consistent investment in people, and relentless focus on customer service and execution.
In a recent interview with Wahid Choudhury, founder and CEO of Kaz Software, we explored his personal journey from a self-described "failtoosh" student to building one of Bangladesh's most respected software outsourcing companies. The conversation offers rare insights into what makes consequential founders and organizations. Wahid's story reveals how childhood experiences, educational environments, and organizational culture combine to produce independent thinkers and successful ventures. That interview is long. In this article, we come up with a shortcut to offer you an easy access to his insights. Here are 15 key takeaways from the interview.
Singapore-based Accelerating Asia Ventures announced its investment in eight startups for its 12th cohort, with Bangladesh claiming half the spots. This matches Cohort 10's four Bangladeshi companies and trails only Cohort 2, which included five startups from Bangladesh. The four Bangladeshi startups—Chamak, biniyog.io, InsureCow Ltd., and Wellspring Global—represent diverse sectors from trade finance and SME lending to livestock insurance and consumer health products. They join companies from Singapore, Indonesia, and India in a cohort averaging $37,881 in monthly revenue, significantly higher than typical early-stage accelerator participants.
Khaas Food, the Dhaka-based safe food company, officially launched its honey sachet at Tk 10 on November 17 in an event at Dhaka Regency Hotel & Resort, marking what the company describes as a pivotal moment in its retail expansion strategy.
The move represents a significant strategic shift for a company that has, until now, built its reputation primarily through direct-to-consumer channels—starting as a Facebook page in 2015, then expanding to its own e-commerce platform, mobile app, branded outlets, partnerships with modern trade channels and e-commerce platforms like Rokomari and Arogga, and export. This brings to the fore the company’s steady retail expansion that it has been working on quietly for a while.
1. The Math of Why You Can't Focus at Work
Focus is a perpetual struggle for modern knowledge workers. This piece offers a fascinating analysis on how our days are wasted and how to deal with it.
Paul Graham’s one of the most famous essays on the kind of founders who eventually succeed.
3. The Shape of The Game We Play
One of the more interesting and useful articles you’ll read to understand the current state of tech and business and why it is important to understand the shape of the game you’re playing. Highly recommended.
