The Spark Behind Aladin: How Childhood Memories Inspired a Rural Commerce Revolution in Vietnam
When Đinh Văn Quyết was just a child, he grew up watching his mother tirelessly manage her small shop in rural Vietnam. Her everyday reality was a frustrating cycle—keeping shelves stocked meant dealing with over 20 different suppliers, handling late deliveries, and constantly juggling prices just to stay afloat. For her, and millions of “mom-and-pop” shop owners across the country, what should have been a business rooted in community often turned into a daily struggle.
Years later, that childhood memory became the spark behind Aladin, a rural commerce startup redefining the way mom-and-pop stores source products. Founded in 2024 by Quyết along with co-founders Naile Wayne (CMO), Karthick Sivaraj (CTO), and Be Luc Thi (COO), Aladin’s mission is clear: bring efficiency, transparency, and trust to one of Vietnam’s most underserved markets—rural retail. And in just one year, the startup has already begun to prove its doubters wrong.
The journey didn’t begin in a shiny office but door to door, one conversation at a time. Quyết himself went shop-to-shop, patiently explaining to store owners how Aladin’s app could change their lives: giving them direct access to FMCG goods straight from manufacturers, free from the labyrinth of middlemen.
Their first paying customers weren’t acquired through flashy ads or slick funnels; it was pure grit—walking into small shops, pitching the idea, and convincing owners to give digital procurement a chance. That grassroots beginning became Aladin’s DNA: a people-first, ground-up startup built around solving problems as real as the dirt roads many of its customers still walk on.
At its core, Aladin is rethinking rural supply chains through a mobile-first B2B platform, allowing small retailers to buy either individually or in groups.
👉 This model directly addresses the staggering reality: 95% of rural shops in Vietnam still run on manual systems and can pay up to 10x higher prices than urban or large-scale retail counterparts.
The numbers show how ready Vietnam’s rural economy was for disruption:
Beyond numbers, it’s the human story that best reflects Aladin’s impact: small store owners finally empowered with tools that simplify lives and improve margins.
Together, the team blends technology, market know-how, and entrepreneurial grit.
Like any startup, Aladin faced hurdles. Hiring aligned talent proved tough. A bigger challenge came when a co-founder left early on, leaving Quyết facing doubt and loneliness. Instead of giving up, he reignited his belief and rebuilt his team.
This resilience became Aladin’s cultural mantra: when one door shuts, persistence opens another.
Vietnam’s ecosystem often assumes rural-focused B2B startups can’t scale. Aladin proves the opposite: community trust + technology = sustainable scale.
One pivotal choice: joining a startup incubator early.
Instead of finishing an MVP before customer outreach, the team flipped the script—sell first, build later. This lean approach ensured real customer needs shaped their product.
In five years, Aladin aims to become the go-to platform for rural commerce across Southeast Asia, expanding beyond Vietnam into neighboring countries.
Its North Star: empower shopkeepers and communities with technology, trust, and transparency—without erasing tradition.
When asked about advice, Quyết simply said: “Believe in your instincts.”
Aladin exists because its founders trusted their lived experiences and saw opportunities where others saw obstacles.
Aladin isn’t just digitizing procurement; it’s redefining economic empowerment in Southeast Asia. By blending empathy, technology, and grit, it’s changing how small shops operate—and how an entire industry views rural commerce.
One year in, 160 shopkeepers have already joined the movement. This is more than a startup. This is a mission.
🌐 Website: www.aladin.it.com
👥 Founders: Quyet Dinh, Karthick Sivaraj, Naile Wayne, Be Luc Thi
I am an entrepreneur, marketer, and mentor with a certification in entrepreneurship from IIT Delhi, one of the most prestigious institutions in India. I have a passion for connecting businesses with their ideal customers, solving real-world problems, and inspiring the next generation of founders.I founded and lead DevoByte, a digital marketing agency that provides a range of services, from SEO a
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