"I listen to news and business podcasts All-in," — Abdul Sharapov, advisor at Aloqa Ventures, about his lifestyle

Abdul Sharapov, city — Tashkent, CEO of Sarmo Labs, advisor at Aloqa Ventures, board member of Prep.uz, Speaklish.uz, Scholars Hub, LinkedIn

About Me

I studied politics and economics at Yale University, which ranks eighth in the global rankings. Two years ago, I joined the team at Aloqa Ventures, and since then, we have invested in 27 startups from a fund with a volume of $8 million.

Then I became a consultant, focusing on launching Plug and Play in Tashkent — a Silicon Valley venture fund and accelerator that invests $30 million annually. Last year, I also advised and developed startups through my company Sarmo Labs, which creates and supports projects. The value of these projects exceeds $25 million, with most of them related to educational platforms such as Qalan.uz, Prep.uz, and Speaklish.uz. We are also launching a network of startups in London, Berlin, Riyadh, and Tashkent.

Work takes up most of my time, but I enjoy it because I don’t have bosses — only investors. I wake up around 11:00 AM, work after lunch until midnight, and meetings take place throughout the day, including weekends.

The main advantage of my job is the ability to take time off for trips if I’m invited to events.

Where and How I Learn

I usually listen to news and business podcasts, such as All-in. Every day, I learn from experts on the social network X, such as investors and artificial intelligence developers, as technology is rapidly evolving.

I most often gain new knowledge not through classes and training, but through networking, by communicating with interesting people. Specialized events focused on, for example, e-commerce or product management, are much more useful than general meetings on topics of technology and investments.

Environment

I am surrounded by people who strive for creativity and innovation in the field of technology. In addition to IT specialists, I am also interested in communicating with representatives of creative professions and financiers.

Networking events provide an excellent opportunity to find like-minded people in the IT field. By posting about your projects, you also attract the attention of the right specialists.

Where I Spend My Free Time

In my free time, I enjoy walking and cycling — I am particularly interested in events such as the Tour de France.

Where to Buy What

I most often order gadgets through the online platform Amazon.