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Kazi Monirul Kabir
Kazi Monirul Kabir

Kazi Monirul Kabir, Founder and CEO of Spider Digital and several other tech companies is a man with a vision. Bangladeshi by birth, he knows firsthand about the significant impact that access to technology can make in a person's life, especially in emerging economies like his native country. During the pandemic, we came to realize the extent of things that can be done in the digital space without stepping out of the confines of our home. The internet made it possible for us to work, study, play, buy groceries and even visit a doctor, even with lockdowns and social distancing in place. Various political campaigns and cyberattacks also made it clear that it is important not just to protect the physical borders of a nation but also its digital space and data networks. Set against this backdrop, Kazi Kabir's efforts to democratize access to technology so that it is easily available and affordable even to those in emerging economies are truly noteworthy.

Kazi turned to entrepreneurship in 2015 after a stellar career with leading companies like Telenor, Accenture and Google. At these leading tech companies, he played a key role in taking technology to the masses in emerging markets where they had not yet gained traction. This made him understand the scope that technology offered to change lives in a significant manner. He realized that with access to technology, people can definitely improve the quality of their lives. For example, instead of going to banks and standing in queues, people can use online banking to perform transactions in a few seconds. In many developing countries, the greatest barriers in terms of technological savvy are lack of access and affordability. People who have the means have access to technology and can afford the equipment.

This set him thinking on what he could do to help people on the bottom rung or what is referred to as the "unbanked" gain access to banking platforms through fintech, especially as he has a background in fintech. He successfully launched and exited two major fintech platforms over the last 5 years. He is now focusing on setting up a blockchain-based fintech platform for small businesses and micro-entrepreneurs.

Another key concern is data protection and cybersecurity. His company Spider Digital deals with cybersecurity at the micro and macro levels and works closely with several government agencies spread across the world to track the flow of data and protect their citizens from the threat of malicious cyber attacks and disinformation campaigns.

Said Kazi Kabir, "One of the key drivers of poverty is people not being able to access a lot of products and services. My mission is to break the barriers between the digital haves and have-nots by opening up access to technology and making it more affordable so that even people belonging to the poorest classes can gain access to the internet and thus learn new things that can raise the quality of their lives. We need to have a three-pronged strategy to improve access, reduce costs and address the lack of awareness about how technology can be used in different fields like healthcare, education and entrepreneurship to raise people's standard of living. Lack of education and awareness is one of the major issues we face, especially in developing countries. Technology can help people to supercharge their businesses and achieve exponential growth. Once we help them realize this, we are well on our way to democratizing access to information through technology.

Another major area of concern for Kazi is sustainability. He calls his country, Bangladesh, a poster child of climate change as 40% of the country would soon be underwater if climate change continues to advance at its current pace. The famous mangrove forests of the Sundarbans, the largest such mangrove forests in the world, are already in danger due to the encroaching seas and the soaring level of salinity.

Concluded Kazi Monirul Kabir, "Even climate change is an area in which technology can make a difference. Our flora and fauna are at a crisis point due to increased temperatures and flooding. With satellite IoT, we will be able to provide valuable climate data to Governments, NGOs and voluntary organizations that can drive positive change. I believe that as citizens of the world, we should do all we can, in our own small ways to make the world a better place."

Media Contact:
Name: Kazi Monirul Kabir
Email Id: monirul@spiderdigital.io