Arabnet Arabnet

Founded by Shadi Tabbara and Sameeh Harfoush, Brate, an acronym formed from the words "Browse" and "Rate", is an online business social network and a local search engine. Brate’s engine promises more accurate search, fetching results based on products and services rather than category, complemented by consumer reviews.

Shadi Tabbara, Brate’s Cofounder and Operations Manager, had been working with content management since his early days in college. During his university studies he launched an online magazine that has reached 11 million hits since 2004. His experience also extends into trade planning & development and team restructuring, having completed 7 projects in 8 different countries in the Middle East and Eastern Europe. But the story behind Brate dates back to 2008 when Shadi met Sameeh Harfoush, a seasoned veteran in java enterprise technology, in Saudi Arabia. The two quickly agreed that there was a need for information in the business domain and brainstormed ways to fill that specific gap. Fast forward two and a half years, after extensive research, the two came up with an idea to create a novel search algorithm that promises better results for both businesses and consumers.

What makes Brate different?

Searching for the word coffee on the business directories will in all likelihood return coffee shops near you. Brate on the other hand searches “the universe of businesses” based on their products and services and not just categories. Searching for coffee using Brate for instance will return not just coffee shops, but also restaurants, pubs, or even bookshops that serve coffee. Searching for Armani Jeans will return all clothing shops that sell that particular brand. In short, search is more precise and consequently more beneficial for businesses and shoppers alike.

How does it work?

“Our algorithm is definitely better,” explained Shadi. Once subscribed to Brate, business owners can supplement the engine with an additional layer of information including brands, items and subservices which would translate into more accurate search results.

Brate’s mission also includes helping business owners to identify opportunities. All queries and interactions will translate into reports and insights, which will prove invaluable for businesses in identifying trends early on and reacting accordingly by using Brate's live deals: 24 hour deals that don't require a minimum number of buyers, with no coupons or vouchers.

Finally, Brate’s social dimension comes “from consumers' ability to rate businesses and write reviews,” explains Shadi. The team is also in the process of developing new interactive features that “digitize word of mouth,” where consumers will be able to follow each other’s reviews and recommendations, and businesses to get their news feeds and live offers.

Brate has been operational in beta since April and has since accumulated 2700 unique visitors and 27000 hits. The full launch is expected within 6 months, while the mobile app will be released by the end of the month.