Residing in Malaysia, Noor Neelofa Mohd Noor (Neelofa) is a well-liked superstar that you simply’ve most likely heard of. She’s an actress, TV host, business mannequin, and an entrepreneur.
Arguably essentially the most notable firm beneath her belt is Naelofar, a neighborhood modest-wear model that’s gone worldwide. However certainly one of her different, newer companies, is TheNoor—a lifestyle Muslim app created together with her co-founders, Mohd Izzairi Yamin (Izzairi) and Ahmad Tajuddin Idris (Tajuddin).
It has been going worldwide, with areas in Turkey, Indonesia, and shortly, Saudi Arabia. The model has lately opened its Collection A fundraising for US$2.5 million too, based on Izzairi.
To not point out that it’s additionally well-liked amongst native customers, rating Quantity 28 within the Lifestyle class of the Apple App Retailer on the time of writing.
However listed here are seven different interesting enjoyable facts that you simply most likely didn’t know about the model, primarily based on what they shared on the current Entrepreneurs Summit IV hosted by NEXEA.
1. The concept began after witnessing an embarrassing second in a mosque
Just a few years in the past, Izzairi was ready for the subsequent prayer time in a mosque. He seen an aged man sitting in entrance of him doing the identical, whereas opening up a Muslim app.
It was then that an intrusive advert popped up that includes a bikini-clad lady, the sort that may not go away for about 10 seconds. “He was fairly ashamed,” Izzairi relayed. “He hid his telephone, however I used to be behind him so I noticed all the pieces.”
This left Izzairi questioning, “Why is that this taking place to this aged man?” Then he realised that it was most likely a results of not subscribing to the app.
The subscription charge for that app is round RM5 a month, which can not seem to be a lot. However for some of us, that cash could possibly be higher spent elsewhere.
That’s when it hit him—he wanted to create a premium Muslim app that’s given out totally free. So, he first roped in Tajuddin to kick issues off.
2. The co-founders needed to wait half a 12 months for an appointment with Neelofa
Quick ahead to a couple months later in 2019, Izzairi had an issue with consumer acquisition. He introduced this as much as Tajuddin, who occurred to be an in depth buddy of Neelofa.
Tajuddin instructed Izzairi, “Let’s type a group and suggest this to her.” That’s precisely what they did, and the remaining is historical past.
However Izzairi brazenly shared that the interval between this concept forming and really assembly her to pitch the app was an extended one. With Neelofa’s busy schedule as a star and businesswoman, they needed to wait in line for about half a 12 months, and the pandemic didn’t assist.
It was solely in Could 2020 that they lastly proposed TheNoor to her. And luckily for everybody concerned, the wait was price it as a result of Neelofa was keen to affix.
3. TheNoor obtained 160,000 downloads on its first day
When Izzairi and Tajuddin met Neelofa, they offered the imaginative and prescient and mission of TheNoor. This included what they had been planning on doing and what they’re constructing.
“She obtained and excited. She mentioned, ‘Sure, I’m in it and let’s do that’,” Izzairi recalled. “‘We’re doing one thing good, one thing totally different than what’s already on the shelf’. When she mentioned that, I used to be actually joyful.”
So all of them set to work and the app was efficiently launched in January 2021. Based on Izzairi, it was fairly successful on the primary day itself, garnering 160,000 downloads on the Apple App Retailer.
On the identical time, they had been the primary app for no less than seven days and had been within the High 10 of classes for about three and a half months, Izzairi shared.
4. A prince of Saudi Arabia helps TheNoor develop to Madinah
Izzairi mentioned that whereas they had been planning for growth, Khailee Ng from 500 World launched him to Prince Saud bin Khalid Al-Faisal of Saudi Arabia, who can be the deputy governor of Madinah.
And it was this introduction that accelerated TheNoor’s growth plans into Saudi Arabia.
Khailee made the decision and instructed the prince about Izzairi and TheNoor, and the prince invited Izzairi to his home in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia to debate it additional.
“I instructed him about the growth plan and what we’re going to do in Saudi, and what’s the larger plan and imaginative and prescient for this app,” Izzairi mentioned. “The prince listened for one and a half hours. He was impressed and pleased with the progress we’ve made.”
The prince then assisted in connecting them with native enterprise companions in Madinah, and even supplied to pay for TheNoor’s workplace in Saudi Arabia.
5. Partnering with Neelofa wasn’t simply due to her superstar standing
Very early on throughout the speak, Izzairi credited a big a part of TheNoor’s success to Neelofa. Sure, she’s a businesswoman and has a considerable amount of public affect. However Izzairi defined that greater than that, she was their proper product-market match.
Neelofa has a powerful presence within the native market, and it’s not merely because of her superstar standing. For numerous years now, he shared that Neelofa has been actively embracing and selling her Islamic religion to her followers.
Due to this fact, partnering together with her was extra impactful in comparison with onboarding somebody well-known who didn’t have a powerful connection to their beliefs.
Had they carried out the choice as a substitute, “When it comes to progress and course, it could not be working as it’s proper now,” Izzairi confided. That is additionally as a result of Neelofa contributes concepts, like what the model ought to do and the way they need to penetrate the market, and isn’t only a spokesperson.
6. TheNoor is a lot greater than an app to test prayer instances
“I needed to create one thing that would positively impression Muslim lives all over the world,” Neelofa said.
Sharing this mission, the group behind TheNoor discovered methods to supply extra tangible advantages to customers. This consists of developing with strategic and distinctive partnerships with different manufacturers.
For instance, TheNoor group reached out to Zurich Malaysia, an insurance coverage and takaful options supplier, to give you its personal private accident protection (known as Nurani Takaful). At RM12 a 12 months, candidates of the takaful plan achieve a most protection of RM15,000.
“That is one thing that Zurich has specifically crafted for TheNoor,” Izzairi shared. In addition to that, customers can simply carry out zakat and donations to partnering NGOs from the world over. There are additionally companies to assist with worldwide cash transfers, will writing, and even an ecommerce platform.
7. However its objective remains to be to boost the Muslim expertise by way of innovation
Nonetheless, TheNoor stays steadfast in its objective of being an app to ease the every day lives of Muslims. That is what the model has recognized to be the core of TheNoor.
“Folks don’t purchase TheNoor simply to pay takaful or zakat. That’s not the primary intention of customers after they obtain the app,” Izzairi reiterated.
Therefore, they’ve invested money and time into the extra religious elements of the app as properly. Which is why the app affords options like a digital Quran, every day hadiths and prayers, Islamic lectures, and a Qibla locator.
Beneath TheNoorTV Collections, customers may study Arabic and improve their Islamic data by way of recorded talks.
Izzairi shared that they’ve even constructed an AI checker to detect and proper a consumer’s recitations of the Quranic verses. “Proper now, we’re within the strategy of constructing different AI options within the app.” He teased that the subsequent AI characteristic is the hadith part, which is able to most likely be realised by Q1 subsequent 12 months.
- Learn articles we’ve written about Malaysian startups right here.
Featured Picture Credit score: Neelofa / Vulcan Put up