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Jani pasha
Co-Founder and CEO at Lokal, Forbes 30 under 30 Asia 2020, writes about growth & innovation in Tier2, Tier3 cities & towns of India
Jani Pasha is the Co-Founder and CEO of Lokal, a content, community, and classifieds platform focused on serving tier 2 and tier 3 cities and towns in India.1 He founded the company in April 2018 and has been leading it since then.1
Background and Achievements
Jani Pasha is an entrepreneur with a notable presence in India's tech startup ecosystem. Some of his key accomplishments include:
- Forbes Recognition: He was featured in Forbes' 30 Under 30 Asia list in 2020.3
- Y Combinator Alumnus: Lokal was part of Y Combinator's 2019 batch.3
Lokal: Bridging the Digital Divide
Lokal, under Jani Pasha's leadership, addresses a significant gap in India's digital landscape:
- Target Audience: The platform caters to users who are new to the internet and prefer their native languages over English.2
- Services: Lokal provides content, community engagement, and classified services in regional languages.14
- Market Presence: The platform operates in over 250 districts across India.2
- User Trust: In many locations, Lokal has become a trusted source of local information, surpassing traditional newspapers in reach.2
Entrepreneurial Journey
Before founding Lokal, Jani Pasha had experience in other tech ventures:
Jani Pasha's journey with Lokal is particularly interesting as it evolved from a simple WhatsApp group into a well-funded app, raising approximately Rs 225 crore in funding.6
Vision and Impact
Jani Pasha's work with Lokal aims to:
- Provide access to digital services for non-English speaking users in India.1
- Build trust and relationships between brands and users in tier 2 and tier 3 cities.2
- Accelerate digital transactions in smaller Indian cities and towns.2
Through Lokal, Jani Pasha is working to bridge the digital divide in India, making internet services more accessible and relevant to a broader population beyond the English-speaking urban centers.