Women To Watch At GITEX Global 2021: Ashi Karun, Founder And CTO, Dude Just Dude Portal "I've learnt that being consistent, trusting myself and doing what I believe in, even without those often repeated '10 years of experience,' is the only way to achieve everything I want to with Dude Just Dude, and any other ventures that begin along the way."
By Tamara Pupic
You're reading Entrepreneur Middle East, an international franchise of Entrepreneur Media.
Besides showcasing how technology is redefining the way we live and work, GITEX Global 2021, which will be held in-person on October 17-21, 2021 at Dubai World Trade Centre, will shed light on the revolutionary role of female tech entrepreneurs in building the future. We take a closer look at some of the women in tech taking centerstage at the show- make sure to keep an eye out for them at GITEX Global!
Dude Just Dude is a Dubai-based marketplace that aims to "allows anyone to turn their "hobby' into a business," with founder Ashi Karun proudly stating that the portal has been developed by Gen Z creatives in the UAE to enable creators, designers, and influencers to monetize their work. "The rise of influencers on social media has created a talented and trendsetting workforce of individuals with the potential to turn opinions into sales," Karun says. "By solving the current need for a market that connects creators with their potential customer bases, what we want to accomplish can be summed up in one simple sentence: to scale to become the next Amazon or Noon, but for creators."
Source: Dude Just Dude Portal
While Karun says that she has not had to deal with any gender-related issues that typically come with being a woman in tech, she admits that being a 20-year-old entrepreneur has come with its own set of strings attached- although she refuses to let any of them hold her back. "I've learnt that being consistent, trusting myself and doing what I believe in, even without those often repeated "10 years of experience,' is the only way to achieve everything I want to with Dude Just Dude, and any other ventures that begin along the way," she notes. Karun adds that her entrepreneurial journey so far has been an incredible learning curve, with her location in Dubai being a major plus point. "Dubai to me is a magnet for tech talents from around the world," Kasun says. "There is still a lot for me to learn, but I know without a doubt that I am starting off in the right place. We have access to the whole world from this city, so it couldn't get better than that."
This would also explain Karun's participation in GITEX 2021, where she expects to meet with a lot of interesting people and businesses- and she's eager to encourage her peers in Dubai to be a part of it as well. "Make sure to save the dates for an event you do not want to miss," Karun says. "Personally, I'm really looking forward to learning about companies working in artificial intelligence and machine learning, which are tech trends that have notable effects on the way we live life, work, and even play. This will also open doors for so many new jobs in the field."
Dude Just Dude will be exhibiting at GITEX Future Stars, Za'abeel Halls 4-6
