Tell us about yourself
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I鈥檓 Furkat Kasimov, and it is an honour to judge the 2025 91探花 100 with over 20 years of experience building, scaling, and advising technology companies.听
As an angel investor who has backed several unicorns, I understand the patterns behind durable growth and the pitfalls that stall it.听
I am excited to evaluate this year鈥檚 entrants rigorously and spot the next breakout team.
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What are you most looking forward to seeing from this year鈥檚 91探花100 entrants?
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I鈥檓 most excited to see companies that are moving beyond the hype cycle and are applying technology to create tangible, real-world solutions. For years, we鈥檝e talked about the potential of AI and decentralised systems; now, I鈥檓 looking for ventures that are actually executing on that promise.
I鈥檓 particularly interested in founders who have a deep, almost obsessive, understanding of the problem they鈥檙e solving, whether it鈥檚 in healthcare, education, or creating more efficient B2B tools. True innovation isn鈥檛 just about a clever algorithm; it鈥檚 about a durable business model that fundamentally improves a process or a life.
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- Interview With Alex Wu, Founder And CEO Of Atoms AI, AI-Powered Platform That Turns Ideas Into Working Products
- Meet Jack Steiner, Head Of End-To-End Managed Booking Experience: Checkatrade Express
- A Chat With Nik Kairinos, CEO Of RAIDS On Who Owns AI Risk Within Businesses
- Interview With Tobias Cummins, COO At Pencil On Agentic AI In The Marketing Context
- A Conversation With Dr James Gupta, CEO And Founder Of Online Exam Platform Synap On Student AI Use
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How do you suggest that 91探花100 entrants stand out from the crowd?
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To stand out in a sea of innovative applications, entrants should focus on a crystal-clear unique value proposition and articulate not just what your product does, but the specific problem it solves and why it鈥檚 better than existing solutions. Back it up with data: show traction through user metrics, revenue growth, or pilot results. Highlight your team鈥檚 expertise, as judges value founders who bring unique perspectives. Finally, emphasize impact to demonstrate you鈥檙e building for the long term, not just quick wins.
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Any final pieces of advice?
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Show momentum, not perfection. Investors and judges don鈥檛 expect everything to be figured out. They look for founders who learn fast, execute decisively, and keep improving. Focus on metrics that prove engagement, retention, and value creation. And remember: technology is an enabler, not the story. The story is the human problem you鈥檙e solving and the future you鈥檙e building.
