The entrepreneur says the UAE’s business-friendly environment helped turn his vision into reality.
A Small Loan That Changed Everything
In 2014, Anas Abdul Latheef needed Dh350.
The amount was small. The opportunity behind it was not.
At the time, Latheef was building Hash Include, a young technology company trying to establish itself in the UAE’s highly competitive digital sector. His team had identified a government project they wanted to bid for, but there was one problem. They needed to purchase the official tender document, and the company did not have the money.
So he called his mother. She lent him Dh350.
More than a decade later, Latheef still remembers that moment.
“Looking back, that Dh350 was probably the best investment my mother ever made,” he says.
Today, Hash Include has grown into an established technology company serving clients across government and private sectors, but Latheef believes the real story is not about money. It is about belief, persistence, and the opportunities available to those willing to build something from scratch in the UAE.
A Childhood Connection to the UAE
Latheef’s relationship with the UAE began long before he became an entrepreneur.
As a child, he spent part of his early years in the Emirates before eventually returning to India. Yet the country left a lasting impression on him.
“I always knew I wanted to come back and build my future here,” he recalls.
Like millions of expatriates who have chosen the UAE as their home, he was drawn by the country’s ambition, diversity, and culture of growth.
After completing his university education, he returned to Dubai in 2008 with a vision of creating a successful career in technology.
The reality was far from easy. He arrived without investors, business connections, or a ready-made network. Like many young professionals, he had to earn every opportunity.
Learning the Value of Execution
Latheef’s first years in the UAE were spent working as a software engineer.
The experience exposed him to large-scale projects, demanding clients, and high-performance environments. One assignment, in particular, became a defining moment.
While working on a project for the Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority, he was part of a team tasked with delivering an event platform within just one week.
The deadline seemed nearly impossible. Yet the project was completed successfully.
“There is no room for excuses in those environments. You either deliver, or you do not,” Latheef says.
The experience reinforced a lesson that would later shape his entrepreneurial journey. In the UAE, ideas are important, but execution matters more.
Building Hash Include From the Ground Up
After gaining industry experience, Latheef decided to build his own company.
Founded in the UAE, Hash Include focuses on technology solutions, software development, digital transformation, and enterprise platforms.
However, winning business as a small startup was far from easy.
“We were a small company competing against larger and more established players, and earning trust was never easy,” he explains.
Coming from an engineering background created another challenge.
“I came from a technical background rather than a sales background, so I had to learn how to communicate value and build strong business relationships.”
Rather than relying on aggressive sales tactics, Latheef focused on delivering quality work, building long-term relationships, and establishing credibility one project at a time.
Over the years, that approach helped the company grow steadily.
The UAE’s Startup Ecosystem
Latheef believes the UAE played a significant role in his entrepreneurial success.
According to the UAE Ministry of Economy, the country is home to more than one million registered businesses and continues to rank among the world’s leading destinations for entrepreneurship and innovation.
Dubai and Abu Dhabi have emerged as regional technology hubs, attracting startups, investors, and talent from around the world.
For founders like Latheef, this environment creates opportunities that may not exist elsewhere.
“The UAE rewards people who are willing to execute, adapt, and continuously improve,” he says.
That culture of ambition has helped many expatriate entrepreneurs transform ideas into sustainable businesses.
Technology Is Ultimately About People
Despite building a technology company, Latheef does not see technology as the most important part of his work.
For him, people matter more than software.
“Technology is ultimately about people, not systems,” he says.
This perspective influences how he leads his company and how he supports young entrepreneurs.
Over the years, he has mentored students, advised aspiring founders, and shared lessons from his own journey. Many of these efforts happen quietly, away from public attention.
“We intentionally keep these efforts small and personal. Giving back is not about publicity or scale. It is about helping talented young people move forward.”
Some of his proudest achievements have come not from winning contracts but from helping others discover confidence in their own abilities.
More Than a Business Success Story
Today, Latheef’s life looks very different from when he first arrived in Dubai in 2008. Yet when he reflects on his journey, he rarely talks about revenue figures, business milestones, or major contracts.
Instead, he remembers the challenges familiar to many expatriates: leaving home, starting over, building credibility, facing rejection, and finding people who believed in him before success arrived.
At the heart of that journey is a simple memory, a phone call to his mother asking for Dh350 to get started. The amount was small, but the trust and faith behind it proved invaluable, helping lay the foundation for what would eventually become a growing technology company in the UAE.
What’s Ahead
As technology continues to reshape industries across the Middle East, Latheef remains focused on building solutions that create real impact.
His journey serves as a reminder that successful companies are not always born from large investments or wealthy backers. Sometimes they begin with a single opportunity, a supportive family member, and the determination to keep moving forward despite uncertainty.
For aspiring entrepreneurs, Latheef’s story offers a simple but powerful lesson: success does not always begin with large investments or perfect circumstances. Sometimes, it starts with a small amount of money, a bold idea, and someone willing to believe in you.
In his case, that someone was his mother, whose Dh350 loan and unwavering faith helped lay the foundation for a thriving technology company in the UAE.
Source: Gulf News
Anas Abdul Latheef, founder of Hash Include
Supplied
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