EXCLUSIVE REPORT ALPHARETTA, GA—Mi3, a company that offers IT outsourcing to Bangladesh as a less expensive alternative to India, China, the Philippines, and other countries, is raising a $6 million round of equity. The company is also developing IT products to sell in Bangladesh and envisions helping the country with healthcare and education, says founder and President Saiful Khandaker.
The company revealed that it is raising $6 million in equity in a filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. It has raised $1 million so far.
Bangladesh, which borders India and Burma, is the seventh most populous country in the world and has a high poverty rate. Khandaker, who was born in Bangladesh but lived half his life in the United States, says he saw the potential for establishing outsourcing in Bangladesh while working for Delta Airlines as a software engineer.
“We founded the company with the vision of following the model India took in outsourcing,” he says. The vision includes helping Bangladesh play a greater role in the global economy, he adds. He emphasizes that the company has philanthropic goals as well as business goals.
In 2003, Khandaker took on two U.S. partners in the firm. The company has 12 U.S. employees and 300 in Bangladesh.
The company is talking with several Fortune 500 companies about doing outsourcing to Bangladesh. “We’re offering an alternative that is untapped and better in cost and quality than outsourcing to Russia, India, China, the Philippines and other established outsourcing countries,” says Khandaker.
The company is also working on a deal to develop a mobile phone payment system for people in Bangladesh who do or do not have banks. “People will be able to send and receive money or go to McDonald’s and buy a burger with their phone,” via the system, Khandaker says. Launching a product in Bangladesh is easier than in the U.S., he adds, because there aren’t many competitors.
The company is also in discussion with the Bangladesh government on several deals. It is bidding on a project to develop electronic passports.
It is also developing a project that could help entice U.S. firms to build manufacturing or distribution facilities there. “We’re working to build a high tech park in Bangladesh,” Khandaker says. “We would manage the park and lease out space. We’re putting the plan together next month.”
Online: www.mi3inc.com
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