The Islamic Republic remains in many ways cut off economically from the rest of the world. Big-name Western brands shun the market for fear of violating sanctions that remain in place even after the country's landmark 2015 nuclear deal with world powers.
That means no KFC—just local upstarts like "Iran Fried Chicken"—or credit and ATM cards connected to global banking networks. Visitors to the country must carry in thick wads of dollars. Many popular social-networking sites like Facebook are blocked by government censors.
Order from Amazon or call an Uber? Forget about it.
In their place, a surprisingly active tech startup scene has sprung up. It's driven by a growing number of Iranian millennials who see their country of 80 million people not as an isolated outcast but as a market ripe with opportunity.
Among the fastest-growing companies in the digital transformation is Snapp, the ride-hailing app Meisami uses.
He estimates he makes more than $900 working in a good month, pulling in a much larger cut per fare than he would driving for a traditional taxi-style car service. His hours are long—12 hours a day most days a week—but he likes being able to pick when and where he works.
(Score: 2) by meustrus on Tuesday June 06 2017, @04:48PM (1 child)
It sounds like Iran is in an isolated environment perfect for testing isolationist policies. We shall see how their economy fares without pressure from the global economy. Do they succeed without cheap foreigners undercutting their labor costs? Or do they fail without foreign markets for their surplus goods and services?
If there isn't at least one reference or primary source, it's not +1 Informative. Maybe the underused +1 Interesting?
(Score: 2) by bob_super on Tuesday June 06 2017, @07:36PM
Will need to run a double-blind test with North Korea...