If I trained it really well, probably yes.

Thank you so much for having me. I'm really, really happy to be here today.

So I think that this is something that if you would ask me three years ago, I wouldn't even know that I would be doing this today. But I suppose, well firstly, I have always been very into clothing and fashion since I was a little girl. I remember playing dress up with my sisters since I was five years old. So I think that that's something that's always kind of been there. And then kind of, you know, there was the evolving from that to do, like, you know, going and doing modeling in my early, early 20s. And then I studied in university business management, so I did a bachelor there, so that kind of then led me to kind of leave modeling for a bit and, you know, do and pursue a career in finance, which I found also very interesting. And they're kind of two very different kind of industries in that sense. And then I had a kind of personal problem or like a challenge that I faced here a year and a half ago in Dubai. And then I was like, well, what if I would kind of combine these two industries that I do kind of enjoy and build something on my own.

Yeah, I do still modeling. I actually just did a runway for Namira Group last Saturday. So I do a little bit there here and there, but at the moment Simbly is taking like most of my time.

I think that I have thought for years that ah, it's just so time-consuming to go like pages after pages, trying to find the right thing and still trying to Google things and not finding exactly what I want. So that's been there for years. But I think for me, it was in Dubai when I had very long working days, working like 12-hour days, working for my previous company I worked in finance with, that I was there that I simply do not have time to go anymore even, you know, and spend that time online or go to a mall and get something from the mall. So I think that's when I really started thinking I just wish that there would be something that, you know, would be in my doorstep in an hour.

Yeah, sure. So essentially I think that with Amazon and, you know, with search engines or going to clothing stores' online websites where you can purchase items, with Simbly we're kind of taking it one step further. So it really starts to track every single purchase you do, maybe how long you even have things on your basket, which things you end up buying and which not, and it really kind of studies your patterns of how you purchase items. And then it kind of starts building that record and then recommending products for you, which for example something typical like going to Amazon is not able to do.

Yeah, it studies things like what kind of price range products you normally buy, maybe colors, silhouettes, patterns, things like that. So it kind of really studies it. And the interesting thing is that we may think that okay, this is our style and this is what we buy, but you know, human eye can be blind to something that you may not see. So this is also then something that can help you to further evolve your personal style and maybe make you realize that, oh, actually, I never realized it, but this is actually also part of my style that I've never really consciously been thinking about that it's part of what I like to wear.

I think that in some ways I don't think so. I think that your style is still your style, and your style can also evolve through the years and across time. And there is obviously also factors that impact on that, like where you live, who you surround yourself with, maybe your career, etc. So I do think that AI can never fully be beyond understanding your style because your style is your style and it evolves throughout your lifetime. But I do think that it can help us to shop more efficiently. I think that it can also help you to get more inspired and get more understanding of certain things or aspects of your style that you may not be consciously aware of.

I actually did my thesis funny enough in university about consumer behavior. So it's been something that I was personally interested in. And I do believe that we do very heavily our decision making process when we buy something based on emotions or maybe some kind of memory that is attached to a brand or experience. So I do think that there is that side and it's a big part of the purchasing decision. But at the same time I don't think that shopping will be always there. People will always buy things sometimes spontaneously or even they don't need them. But then also there is people who really find that inspiring, they really enjoy it, with makeup, for example, that's durable good that it's going to run out eventually. So I do think that there is a fine balance finding that.

Yeah, yeah, I agree.

I think that there could be. So we're still working on the process with the applications. I think that that's something that could be potentially there. You will have to wait and see the final product. But yeah, absolutely. I think that that's the whole point that we want to really have almost like a shopping companion that really is kind of like your personal stylist. Because in today's society if you talk about someone having a human personal stylist, that's considered a little bit like a luxury. So this would be the kind of more simplistic way to have that without having to pay that big paycheck.

Yeah, Zalando. Yeah, they actually have it in Finland. It's massive there.

Yeah, exactly. Because I think that that's the thing with the AI, it can do the job way quicker, way cheaper. But then it can still give that opportunity to people without having maybe the money to have a personal stylist to have something that kind of feels similar to it. Even it's never going to replace in my opinion human stylist, but it can really help you to evolve your style as well.

Yeah, I agree. I feel like AI being implemented across all the industries really, it's just something that is inevitable. It's going to be more and more part of our daily lives. Whether you're going to your work and utilizing AI or using ChatGPT and it's just basically here to stay. So for me when it first started becoming a little bit more mainstream, I just thought that I need to understand it. As it's going to be part of everyone's life eventually. Now looking at the past two years, I can see how it has been integrated to businesses in a completely shocking and exciting kind of way. But how quick the evolving of AI being implemented to our everyday lives is very surprising.

Yeah, absolutely. I think that with Simbly we are trying to solve actually multiple problems, but I think the three main things, we want to include personalization for your style, what you wear, what kind of cosmetics you use, and kind of combine that with convenience and speed.

Exactly. Yeah. That's kind of where we come in and try to kind of do a solution for that problem essentially.

I think that's actually an interesting topic and it's so widely discussed across all the AI tools really. But I think there is a fine line where the information we gather, we can clearly help to create a solution that helps you versus when it becomes invasive and creepy. And that's where you need to be careful and just respectful towards the clients' privacy. So there is that fine balance that you need to really find with that. But that being said, on the flip side of things taking Simbly, for example, certain things even the retail stores, they do have access to some of that information. For example, there is always those best sellers in terms of dresses or t-shirts with certain sizes that they are going to be the first ones to run out of stock and that is data essentially for the retail. So certain level of information that retails have, it's already something that they get from online shopping because they can see what you leave on the basket and then you get an email back. So there is already that kind of there, but this is just that we analyze it a tad bit further and give you just more innovative solutions of what you could potentially wear or what kind of cosmetics could fit your skin care routine or your makeup routine.

Oh yeah. Multiple times. Multiple times.

I think that this is something that is probably not something to think about yet. But in the future I could see that happening in a way that, because the way we are evolving, for example like AI kind of suggesting and giving me ideas to AI shopping with me. And then in the future it could look something like maybe if you do a setting kind of thing, the AI could even be like, you know.

Yeah, a budget, the style, size, everything. And be like go and shop for me. Yeah. It could involve to something like that because the technology already exists.

Let's say within the next five years.

I mean I do think that what you actually mentioned that could be relatively realistic in a way that you know we would just gather all the data if you use something like Simbly and then there could be even like a feature added later on down the line that then you can just do like OK, I want to get this purchase done. You put all the filters in and then it just completes the purchase for you. So then you have all your card details in and then the AI just kind of would finalize the purchase for you. But again, this is just me speculating things in five years down the line. But yeah, I think that the way AI is evolving, a lot of things are possible.

Yeah.

I mean it's not the same and it's way more complex and I think that with that as well, you know, it's a complicated topic in the sense that let's say that you have oily skin or dry skin and you buy particular solution for oily skin. But that same solution can still, even there is three different people with oily skin, it can impact on you differently. So there is always that element involved. But I do think that it can at least give you the benchmark of this I think that based on your skin type, you filter it there, and you know, if you have any challenges or problems, you can just add it with...

Prompts. And then it will give you things that are particularly mentioned in that particular product that should be the solution. So it's not rocket science and there might be, you know, trial and error. Like even when you buy and go to a cosmetic store and they suggest you a product based on you tell about your skin, so it's always a trial and error. But it can definitely help you at least to narrow down your options in a way quicker manner rather than spending...

Yeah, exactly. Yeah.

Yeah. I think that if it's like the same AI tool giving you ideas, the ideas will never be the same because everyone's style is slightly different. So you can see a lot of like different trends and obviously people who are fashion focused, they want to follow the trends, which kind of then results in people wearing similar things depending on the season, depending what's in and out. But I think that all in all in terms of the AI and personalization, it's just something that is nicely fit into the ecosystem of you creating your style and it will give you more personalized options that are not similar to other solutions that it's giving for another person. Because the personal style is always personal style.

Yeah, exactly, yeah. Get rid of the last stocks, etc. Yeah. But, um, yeah, what we want to do with Simbly is very much that we just want to help you to evolve your style, make it more speedy, easy, accessible, also with everything returns as well, that it's just not a headache.

I think that Dubai is... I love UAE in so many ways. I think that Dubai is such a vibrant city and there is so much opportunity and you can just see even looking at just Dubai how many international companies are continuously moving here and making Dubai a base. Obviously, it's very beneficial from taxation point of view. It's very safe. The weather is most of the year amazing. Apart from the summer time that can be a little bit hot. But I think that it's very much like a business hub. So I think it's an ideal market to launch and considering that the Dubai population is relatively young, I believe that over 70% of the population here is between 25 and 45 years old. So I think that that's kind of the target audience we are also targeting with Simbly. And then it's very much busy professionals, there is people who are very much health focused as well. There is so many gyms, people like the key fitness.

Yeah. There is tech development involved. People you know, like to keep fit and healthy. And I think that that's also where kind of like fashion and self-expression and makeup and just feeling good all kind of intervenes and it all kind of becomes like one complete thing. So I do think that Dubai as a market as a whole is an ideal place actually to launch simply. As our target audience is present here.

Honestly, sounds a little bit of both. I love that there is so much innovation in Dubai and there is more and more similar companies or different type of companies coming up with very innovative and great ideas. And I love connecting with other founders and entrepreneurs here as well. But the competition and just all that sort of thing can be also kind of terrifying. And obviously everyone utilizing AI, when you build like even myself, I used a lot of different AI tools whilst building Simbly, and then obviously if you ask questions, you do get the same answers. But I think that's where it becomes extremely important that you also use your critical thinking. Like AI is amazing tool that can make everything more speedy, it can give you ideas, structure. But then that's where critical thinking comes in. And actually even with Simbly, a lot of the ideas they were not from AI, those were my ideas, the innovation, how you're going to market, for example, your company. All these things comes from you, so it's just yeah, I...

Yeah exactly. And that's something that AI can never replace.

And then if you combine those two smartly, that gives you the competitive advantage that then, you know, you can then maybe if you have a direct competition do a tad bit better than them, especially if they are just only using mainly AI.

I think that like this is personally for my first time building a startup, so there is just a lot of things that when you do first start building a startup, you just don't know, so it's a lot of learning new skills and wearing multiple hats and, you know, just all that is there. But I don't really know actually. That's a very very good question.

So at the moment, so we have investors. A couple and one of them is also kind of, we're quite likely working close together, so they are very much like a angel investor and there's been like that kind of a little bit of a mentor element there, which is great. But I do have a team ready to go and I have a COO who is actually a really good friend of mine from my years when I lived in London. So he's there involved. But as soon as we are maybe given a month or two, then we will have our core team that will be on boarded. Then full-time basis, so yeah, we have a team ready to go on a stand by at the moment.

I think that at least two years ago there was some people who said that oh yeah, this is just gonna be one of those hyped things that is gonna disappear. So I think that that's already...

Yeah. And then I think that maybe people are saying now that oh yeah but it can't like, for example let's take the purchasing decision for making a complete purchase for you. I think that now some people may say that no, it's never gonna get there or that advanced. And how I see evolving is that we don't have any clue just how big or how groundbreaking it can be because you see what happened with internet.

No, no, no, it's here to stay. And like you said, I think that it can be beautifully used for educational purposes, health, and you can already see that with different companies, and even governments taking AI into lot of the different areas that they are managing. Like it's here to stay for sure.

I think that it's going to be so much quicker for you to find what you want. That's I think the first thing. Like just the speed and the efficiency is going to be on the next level. I think it's going to be way quicker. I think that the level of personalization you are going to get is going to be something that you never thought that artificial intelligence could actually be able to do it. And somehow I want to say, and this is just like a thinking a little outside the box, that I would want it to be also more fun. Like, you know, that there would be something that would really also maybe even challenge how you think about your style and kind of push you to maybe like, you know what, maybe I'm going to try that thing. That's so not me, but let me try.

Yeah. Or something that you could like, I don't know, build a whole new style for yourself or something, something that's kind of innovative and fun. I'm all about that so.

Yeah. Like it's like you go there, you pick that thing, but then think about if you would just ask the AI to challenge you like, ok I'm going to challenge you and you know.

So we don't have an official launch date yet, but definitely should be on the market by 2025 earlier side of that. So and it will be found in Apple Store and App Store you can just, you know.

Okay.

I would take AI stylist.

Depends how much I like the guy.

If I trained it really well, probably yes.

Absolutely. They always will.

Depends what you scroll.

My best friend.

I think like traditional retail shopping.

Human mind can never fully replace human mind.

Um, I think that I don't know, I would just say that all in all, that keep an open mind with everything evolving in the society because everything is so fast paced and just, yeah, enjoy the ride.

Yeah. It's exciting, it's something new and everything like rather than being pessimistic and not wanting to get on board with it, evolve, grow your personal knowledge, see how you can utilize it and get the benefits out of it because technology and everything around us changes and evolves and rather than just going against it, it's better to embrace it and just adapt to it. whilst having then still that critical thinking involved with that.

How it kept going. Oh I would absolutely love that. Yeah I would love that.

That sounds amazing. I'm looking forward to it too. Thank you so much.

Okay, that was quite nice.