The ImHalal.com the only HALAL MUSLIM SEARCH ENGINE working since 2009 is shutdown due to lack of funds. Its a great loss
This is what they said on their main page
It All Ends Here
Posted on July 11, 2011
Dear ImHalal Users,
In the holy month of Ramadan 2009 we introduced the world to ImHalal, a search engine initially build to serve Muslim Internet users. We were driven by a noble cause: To attract more Muslims to the World Wide Web by providing all households a clean and safe search portal to gather information and explore the web. We decided it was time for all households in the MENASA region to be able to make use of mankinds biggest invention to educate themselves independently: The Internet.
We truly believed that ImHalal could become the entry point of Internet access in the MENASA region and would increase the Internet penetration in the region as more people would gain confidence in engaging search and explore activities in a more trustworthy environment.
A few months after our launch we had already attracted our 10 Millionth unique visitor, over 70 Million search queries had been conducted on ImHalal.com, we had won the Best Halal Innovation award and we were right on track to make a difference in the world.
Regardless all the tremendous successes weve achieved our story unfortunately doesnt have a happy ending.
Our overnight success eventually resulted in our inability to exist. As our operating cost kept rising we failed to secure funding to power our growth.
The past few months weve been trying to find a good investor from the MENASA region, but we failed. This forced us to stop the development of ImHalal a few months ago and unfortunately weve got to announce that ImHalal will be shut down within the next few weeks.
There is something structurally wrong with the status quo in the Middle East, North Africa and South East Asia, our political leaders but most of all the investors that have the capital in these regions are only interested in funneling all the Oil money into standard investment opportunities like real estate. Technological advancement is almost non existing in the Middle East because nobody supports the innovators building all kinds of technologies for various industries.
As the region becomes more and more dependent of Western technology, the region keeps provocating and fighting innovation they dont control. Instead of blocking Twitter, Facebook and Google why doesnt the region invest less in real estate and more in technology? You know that Oil in your soil will definitely deplete at some point The Middle East used to be an important center of knowledge, science and innovation. What happened to the golden days?
Wake-up global leaders! The next Facebook or Google can only come from the Middle East if you support your bright youth. Unemployment among the youth is ridiculously high tackle this problem by supporting all young entrepreneurs by helping them instead of fighting them.
The Internet is in its infancy it isnt too late yet! However the gap is getting wider and wider and if you dont act accordingly you might never overcome this problem.
Enough complaining on my behalf: lets move on
ImHalal has truly been an amazing adventure for all of us and its really sad that this project hits the deadpool. We had great plans to shape the Internet landscape into a more hyper-localized and cultural biased media but that unfortunately isnt up to us anymore at this point. We might come back in the future better organized, prepared and funded.
We would like to thank all our advisors, partners and associates for supporting us. Youve all been great and will not be forgotten.
Last but not least we know our service wasnt perfect so thank you our dear users that have supported us trough thick and thin. Weve received tens of thousands of fantastic emails from supporters from all around the world and of all beliefs. Your support has been utterly inspiring!
I would like to close with a quote: The only failure in life is the failure to not try.
Yours truly,
Reza Sardeha on Behalf of the ImHalal Team
This is what they said on their main page
It All Ends Here
Posted on July 11, 2011
Dear ImHalal Users,
In the holy month of Ramadan 2009 we introduced the world to ImHalal, a search engine initially build to serve Muslim Internet users. We were driven by a noble cause: To attract more Muslims to the World Wide Web by providing all households a clean and safe search portal to gather information and explore the web. We decided it was time for all households in the MENASA region to be able to make use of mankinds biggest invention to educate themselves independently: The Internet.
We truly believed that ImHalal could become the entry point of Internet access in the MENASA region and would increase the Internet penetration in the region as more people would gain confidence in engaging search and explore activities in a more trustworthy environment.
A few months after our launch we had already attracted our 10 Millionth unique visitor, over 70 Million search queries had been conducted on ImHalal.com, we had won the Best Halal Innovation award and we were right on track to make a difference in the world.
Regardless all the tremendous successes weve achieved our story unfortunately doesnt have a happy ending.
Our overnight success eventually resulted in our inability to exist. As our operating cost kept rising we failed to secure funding to power our growth.
The past few months weve been trying to find a good investor from the MENASA region, but we failed. This forced us to stop the development of ImHalal a few months ago and unfortunately weve got to announce that ImHalal will be shut down within the next few weeks.
There is something structurally wrong with the status quo in the Middle East, North Africa and South East Asia, our political leaders but most of all the investors that have the capital in these regions are only interested in funneling all the Oil money into standard investment opportunities like real estate. Technological advancement is almost non existing in the Middle East because nobody supports the innovators building all kinds of technologies for various industries.
As the region becomes more and more dependent of Western technology, the region keeps provocating and fighting innovation they dont control. Instead of blocking Twitter, Facebook and Google why doesnt the region invest less in real estate and more in technology? You know that Oil in your soil will definitely deplete at some point The Middle East used to be an important center of knowledge, science and innovation. What happened to the golden days?
Wake-up global leaders! The next Facebook or Google can only come from the Middle East if you support your bright youth. Unemployment among the youth is ridiculously high tackle this problem by supporting all young entrepreneurs by helping them instead of fighting them.
The Internet is in its infancy it isnt too late yet! However the gap is getting wider and wider and if you dont act accordingly you might never overcome this problem.
Enough complaining on my behalf: lets move on
ImHalal has truly been an amazing adventure for all of us and its really sad that this project hits the deadpool. We had great plans to shape the Internet landscape into a more hyper-localized and cultural biased media but that unfortunately isnt up to us anymore at this point. We might come back in the future better organized, prepared and funded.
We would like to thank all our advisors, partners and associates for supporting us. Youve all been great and will not be forgotten.
Last but not least we know our service wasnt perfect so thank you our dear users that have supported us trough thick and thin. Weve received tens of thousands of fantastic emails from supporters from all around the world and of all beliefs. Your support has been utterly inspiring!
I would like to close with a quote: The only failure in life is the failure to not try.
Yours truly,
Reza Sardeha on Behalf of the ImHalal Team
