ESGobi Month: TaqwaTech –Technologically-Driven Islamic Investment Opportunities


1 July 2024


Gobi Partners (Gobi) has released its third sustainability report, detailing the firm’s Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) principles and implementations from April 2023 to March 2024. This report highlights Gobi’s focus on promoting the TaqwaTech strategy.

Through the TaqwaTech investment strategy, Gobi adopts a Muslim consumer-centric approach, empowering typically overlooked communities. According to the Global Halal Economy Report by AFRIEF, investments in Muslim Halal sectors stand at less than 0.1% of cumulative global investments.

The Muslim market offers vast potential, with an estimated projection of over US$4.9 trillion by 2025, according to the State of the Global Islamic Economy Report 2022 by DinarStandard and the Global Wellness Institute.

Key areas include:

Clothing: US$295 billion annually
Travel: US$102 billion annually (11% of global outbound travel expenses)
Healthcare: US$70 billion annually, primarily in Asian markets
Media and Recreation: US$231 billion annually

Gobi’s TaqwaTech strategy aims to uplift the global Muslim market through targeted, technological innovation by rising entrepreneurs and startups.

Armed with over 900 global TaqwaTech investment opportunities under their belt to date, Gobi has a proven track record of investing in companies primarily located in the ASEAN region, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and MENA regions. Gobi continues to identify relevant opportunities in Western markets, focusing on the United States, United Kingdom, and continental Europe.

Highlighted TaqwaTech Companies from Gobi:

Abhi | abhi.com.pk
Founded in 2021 by Omair Ansari and Ali Ladhubhai, Abhi is Pakistan’s first FinTech company offering Earned Wage Access (EWA), Invoice Factoring, and Payroll Solutions. Abhi helps combat rising food inflation in Pakistan by providing salary advances based on accrued wages, empowering the salaried workforce. Operating through a B2B2C model, Abhi partners with over 550 companies, driving economic growth and positive social change. The company has expanded to the Middle East and Bangladesh, solidifying its presence as a leader in employee funding solutions.

Adal Financial | adalfi.com
Adal Financial (AdalFi) is a Pakistani digital lending platform founded in 2021 by Salman Akhtar and Kewan Khawaja. AdalFi equips partner banks with credit-scoring solutions to serve more customers. AdalFi’s real-time credit journeys, run on its digital disbursement platform, help banks assess the creditworthiness of 95% of their customers. AdalFi also supports SMEs, an underserved segment of society.

Bitsmedia | bitsmedia.com
Established in 2009, Bitsmedia engages the global Muslim community with entertainment and lifestyle content. Its flagship app, Muslim Pro, has over 150 million downloads across 190 countries. The launch of Qalbox, a Muslim-centric streaming service, further celebrates Muslim identities. Bitsmedia supports Quranic learning and offers scholarships to disadvantaged Muslim students in Singapore.

Durioo+ | durioo.my
Founded in 2022 by Sinan Ismail, Durioo+ is a Malaysian subscription-based streaming service showcasing Islamic and kid-friendly content. With over 20,000 subscribers, Durioo+ provides original content that educates children about Muslim virtues and values. The platform has 27 strategic partnerships with various entities, driving the progress of Malaysia’s digital economy. Durioo+ aims to expand its audience to Muslim children worldwide.

To gain more insights, download the report (HERE