Tajir

Tajir operates as a B2B marketplace specifically targeting the fragmented retail sector in Pakistan. Founded in 2018 by brothers Babar Khan and Ismail Khan, the company provides a mobile application designed to streamline inventory procurement for small, independent mom-and-pop stores, locally known as "kiryana stores". The founders' familiarity with the industry stems from their father's 30-year career in FMCG retail distribution in Pakistan, which gave them firsthand insight into the inefficiencies of wholesale trade. Babar holds a Bachelor's degree from Tufts and an MBA from Berkeley, while Ismail earned a computer science degree from Brown.

The platform addresses the chronic challenges these small retailers face, such as dealing with numerous suppliers, unpredictable deliveries, and opaque pricing. Traditionally, storeowners would spend hours each week waiting for salespeople or closing their shops to visit wholesale markets. Tajir consolidates this process into a single digital solution, offering a large selection of products, transparent pricing, and 24/7 ordering with the promise of next-day delivery. The company's business model is based on taking a percentage of the orders placed through its platform. The app, which is available in Urdu, allows stores to browse and purchase a wide array of FMCG products including beverages, snacks, personal care items, and food staples.

The company's journey includes a significant pivot in November 2019, when it began managing its own deliveries, which catalyzed its growth. A major milestone was its acceptance into Y Combinator's Winter 2020 batch, making it the first startup focused on the Pakistani market to be backed by the prestigious accelerator and receiving an initial investment of $150,000. This was followed by a seed round of $1.8 million in June 2020. In June 2021, Tajir secured a substantial $17 million in a Series A round led by Kleiner Perkins, a prominent American venture capital firm, with participation from Y Combinator Continuity Fund and other investors. This funding has positioned Tajir as a well-capitalized player in Pakistan's burgeoning B2B e-commerce space, with plans to expand from its initial base in Lahore to other major cities like Karachi.

Keywords: B2B marketplace, Pakistan retail, FMCG supply chain, kiryana stores, mobile commerce, inventory management, procurement platform, wholesale e-commerce, Lahore startup, Babar Khan, Ismail Khan, Y Combinator, Kleiner Perkins, supply chain digitization, last-mile delivery, retail logistics, emerging markets tech, South Asia e-commerce, digital distribution, informal retail