Priya M Nair – A Committed Entrepreneur, The Founder of zwag

Priya has co-authored Amazon #1 Bestseller Formula-G: Scale your Start-up to a Growth Machine. She has an MBA from The University of Wolverhampton (UK). She has also been recognized as Top 10 Women Entrepreneurs in Abu Dhabi.

About Priya:

Priya: I started my career with Tata Consultancy Services, India, as a Technical Writer. It was a great learning experience. I decided to enhance and hone my learning and knowledge, so I moved to the UAE in 2006, where I joined the IT department of the UAE Air Force and Air Defence. The experience I got during this stint was my driving force to join AECOM, a US engineering company based in the UAE, in 2010. I was appointed as a Projects Report Specialist, and I climbed the ladder to head the Strategic Bids team in the Middle East.

All of my work is focused on the need to create an impact. I have always been committed to building a business based on ethics, security, trust, quality, and delivering the best value. With a mission in mind, I left the corporate job in 2021 and joined a B2B marketplace, Doukani, as the CEO. The marketplace connected verified sellers with B2B customers who were on the lookout to buy back-of-house supplies and office stationery. My aim was to simplify the e-commerce ecosystem and provide the best-quality information, products, and technology required by the users.

I left Doukani last year to focus full-time on my Start-up – zwag Ai Solutions. This tech start-up is my baby and has been incubated by in5 in the UAE. We are a team of passionate individuals with a mission to use explorative technology to employ, engage, and empower the youth. Our company is compassionate, gender-cool, and cause-driven.

We are developing a conversational Ai platform to revolutionize the way you buy, learn, search, and make daily decisions. The career I started as a technical writer has now scaled to a point where my Tech start-up Zwag Ai has been incubated by in5Tech in Dubai.

The professional goal I have at the moment is to grow and climb the ladder of success and lay a strong foundation for zwag Ai. My desire has always been to create something that aims beyond financial gain. I wish to excel in this entrepreneurial path and always see the bigger picture. I enjoy the entire process of brainstorming, conceptualizing, strategizing, and overcoming obstacles.

Priya’s greatest contribution as an impact maker in the field of technology:

Priya: Zwag will be a revolutionary app for Gen Z. It is first of its kind. Beyond the app, we are a community for this new generation. I have been very passionate about my start-up, and seeing it grow gives me immense satisfaction.

The zwag app uses artificial intelligence to deliver the best search results, assist in messaging, shop on an e-commerce platform, and help as virtual assistants. Yes! All in this single app. The app looks like Whatsapp but will function like any intensive search engine. Zenie: Our chatbot will assist with all the queries regarding your next purchase, job, course, weekend fun, or even a vacation plan. The zwag app and this amazing bot are an effective way to search, learn, buy, and make day-to-day decisions.

People benefitting from Priya’s journey and work:

Priya: I have always aimed to empower the audience. Providing a safer online environment to Gen Z has been a priority. They are the real digital natives living virtual lives. The community I wish to create is centered on respecting the ideologies of this generation. Our app is a product created for Generation Z. The primary audience that benefits from the app are young Millennials, and Gen Z but is open for everyone. Though launched in UAE, we plan to expand into wider markets soon.

The team at zwag is a healthy combination of Millennials and Gen-Zers who are passionate about explorative and new technology to employ, engage, and empower numerous people. Zwag app aims to shorten, simplify, and personalize the buying decision by letting you search-review-decide with the power of conversational Ai.

We are all overloaded with information, confused by choices, and chased by ads that may influence the purchase decision. On zwag, we have a personal chatbot Zenie to assist the users. For tasks as simple as picking a movie to watch, this personal chatbot will help you to narrow down the search, bring to you the movie trailer, fetch some honest reviews, plan with friends, and book your tickets, all with a single command.

Priya’s Vision:

Priya: I have always carried a vision to provide the best to the users and never compromise on the user experience. We look forward to disrupt the conversational commerce space with zwag. The conversational Ai has been catering to the B2B segments, so we aim to take the benefits directly to the app users. On the user end our app offers verified, hyper-personalized, and actionable referrals that can help in effective decision-making. For business, we deliver cost-effective leads.

Priya’s views on Facing the glass ceiling and gender preferences:

Priya: I have had a rich experience in the corporate space, but I left my corporate job as I felt the need of a bigger purpose. As an entrepreneur, I have observed that investors are reluctant to invest in women owned startups, but I am hope things will change soon.

Priya’s Game plan for the next 5 years:

Priya: Next five years, I definitely wish to expand zwag Ai globally. I believe in no upper limits for growth. Zwag has started as a recommendation app to make decision-making easier. I see it growing to become a super app that will offer utility payments & money transfers; venture into the metaverse, and succeed globally. With a work culture we have tried to inculcate at Zwag, we aim to feature among the best workplaces for Millennials and Gen-Z of all profiles and gender.

On a personal level, I wish to grow in an advisory role in the company and simultaneously nurture a team of Gen-Z leaders who will lead zwag Ai to new heights. I also wish to start investing in promising start-ups in the coming years.

Her Message for the women to excel in the field of technology:

Priya: I would say, strive for excellence. Always do your homework, try to learn something new every time, and enrich your information and skills. You need to be aware of your competitor’s strategy, understand your industry, and know the needs of the customers. Gather the right information, never hesitate to implement new ideas, and never feel intimidated of people judging you. Be confident in your actions and focus on creating a niche for yourself.