In the ever-evolving landscape of business communication, platforms like WhatsApp are no longer just messaging apps but have transformed into powerful platforms enabling businesses to connect with their customers in groundbreaking ways. In the latest episode of Startups in Focus, our Managing Director Carlos Espinal and our Principal Felix Martinez, dive deep into this topic with Tarek Khalil and Mohamed Elbadwihi, co-founders of Rasayel, exploring how they are leveraging WhatsApp to redefine business communication. They also explore: - the evolution of WhatsApp as a platform and its impact on business communication, driven by its mass usage and business demand, highlighting the complexities of compliance and global usage variations; - the strategic choice of focusing on WhatsApp due to its global prevalence and trusted infrastructure; - the potential of building a billion-dollar company on platforms like WhatsApp, drawing parallels with Salesforce and Shopify; - how to navigate platform risks. About Rasayel: Rasayel focuses on enabling businesses to interact with customers via WhatsApp, which they see as the future of business communication, offering a more personal and immediate interaction compared to emails and phone calls. Tarek and Mohammed foresee significant business opportunities as WhatsApp evolves, aiming for Rasael to become a leading player on the platform. Show Notes: Tarek Khalil - linkedin.com/in/tarek-khalil-wa/ Mohamed Elbadwihi - linkedin.com/in/amuno Carlos Espinal - linkedin.com/in/carloseduardoespinal/ Felix Martinez - linkedin.com/in/felixjmartinez/ Rasayel - rasayel.io Seedcamp - seedcamp.com Get in Touch with Rasayel: For businesses, investors, or users eager to explore further into Rasayel, the easiest way to reach them is—fittingly—through WhatsApp via their website. Dive Deeper: Betting on WhatsApp - Tarek Khalil, Co-founder and CEO of Rasayel, wrote a thesis for anyone who wants to understand, build, or invest in the future of the WhatsApp platform. [https://justmessaged.substack.com/p/betting-on-whatsapp] Overview: 00:00 Can WhatsApp Sustain a Billion-Dollar Company? 00:25 Introduction to the Podcast and Guests 01:05 Founders' Backgrounds and Journey 03:16 Lessons Learned from Previous Startups 05:29 The Birth of Octopods and Rassayel 08:10 How Rassayel Helps Businesses 10:36 WhatsApp as a Platform 13:34 Platform Risks and Meta's Strategy 21:24 Global Usage of Messaging Apps 23:53 Global Messaging Trends and WhatsApp's Dominance 24:47 Trust and Confidentiality in Messaging Platforms 25:47 WhatsApp's Strategic Development and Market Penetration 27:45 Navigating Multiple Messaging Channels 32:07 WhatsApp Business Platform: Features and Compliance 37:34 Future of Business on WhatsApp 45:03 Conclusion and Final Thoughts