Ishto

What Ishto does

Ishto is a Dubai-based B2B social networking platform targeting wholesalers, importers, and exporters. Founded in 2015 and operating as a Free Zone Establishment (Ishto fze.) headquartered at Dubai Technology Entrepreneur Campus inside Dubai Silicon Oasis, the company provides a free web platform and Android mobile app that lets users create product showcases with SEO-optimized shareable URLs, conduct real-time chat with other traders, participate in an industry Q&A forum, follow industry contacts via a timeline, discover products and people of interest, and host virtual exhibitions. The platform organizes listings across 16 product categories spanning Agriculture, Textiles, Food & Beverage, Consumer Electronics, Apparel, Furniture, and more, and has attracted organic user signups from 25+ countries across South Asia, the Middle East, Europe, Africa, North America, and Asia-Pacific.

The underlying technology is a web-based social networking platform with a complementary Android app distributed via the Google Play Store. Core components include a product showcase builder, instant messaging module, discussion forum, timeline feed, search/discover functionality, and virtual exhibitions module. The platform exposes no public API and has no documented SDK or integrations.

Commercially, Ishto operates an entirely free, freemium-style model with no disclosed pricing tiers, no subscription fees, and no transaction commissions. The only capital raised on record is $20,000 in October 2015, and the company has 1-10 employees with no documented management team or institutional investors. The go-to-market is community-led and product-led: users sign up independently, invite contacts via email and SMS, share product links on external social media, and benefit from SEO discoverability of individual product profile pages. Listed partnerships include Dubai Silicon Oasis as host and informal 'friends with' affiliations with Wamda, MIT, Queensland University of Technology, the University of Mannheim, and edX. The platform remains operational but unmonetized, with no disclosed revenue or ARR.

Name

Ishto

Legal name

Ishto fze.

Website

https://ishtoapp.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Ishto is a free B2B social networking platform headquartered in Dubai that connects wholesalers, importers, and exporters worldwide through product showcases, instant chat, Q&A forums, and discovery features. Founded in 2015, the platform serves long-tail SMB traders across 25+ countries with no disclosed monetization.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

B2B Wholesale Trading Platform

NAICS

Web Search Portals and All Other Information Services (519290)

SIC

Services-Advertising Agencies (7311)

akta.pro primary industry

B2B Marketplaces & Wholesale Platforms (BPAMAGAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Marketplace Enablement, Seller Tools & E-commerce Infrastructure (BPAMAGAK), Wholesale/B2B Generalist Marketplaces (CRAFAAAF)

Keywords

• B2B social network
• Wholesale trading platform
• Import export marketplace
• Product showcase builder
• Trade community networking

Headquarters

HQ city

Dubai

HQ country

United Arab Emirates

HQ region

Middle East

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Software

Cost components

Technology or R&D, Personnel, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Operations

Revenue model

1. Free Platform Access: Basic platform features are free for all users including product showcase, chat, Q&A, and search capabilities

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Ishto is a free B2B social networking and community platform that connects wholesalers, importers, and exporters worldwide. Users create SEO-optimized product showcases and personal profiles, chat in real time with industry peers, post and answer trade-related questions on a dedicated Q&A forum, browse a Timeline/Discover feed, and run virtual Exhibitions to display their catalog. The platform is delivered as a web application and Android mobile app, with all core features offered at no cost to drive community network effects.

Product overview

Ishto is a B2B social networking platform and community for wholesalers and importers/exporters, offering a suite of integrated features including Product Showcase, Instant Messaging, Q&A Discussion, Timeline, Discover search, and Exhibitions. The platform operates as a free service enabling users to create online product profiles with shareable links, connect with industry peers through real-time chat, ask and answer trade-related questions, and discover new business opportunities. All core features are offered at no cost to users.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Ishto Platform Free web-based social networking and community platform for wholesalers, importers, and exporters, offering integrated product showcase, chat, Q&A discussion, timeline, discover, and exhibitions features for international B2B trade networking.
• Ishto Mobile App (Android) Android mobile application available on Google Play that gives wholesalers, importers, and exporters on-the-go access to the Ishto platform's product showcase, chat, Q&A, timeline, discover, and exhibitions features.

Quantifiable outcome

• Free platform access with no subscription costs

Named customers3 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• WamdaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization shown in 'Friends with' section on website footer
• Queensland University of Technology (QUT)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partner shown in 'Friends with' section on website footer
• Dubai Silicon Oasis (DSO)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHost organization - company is based at DTEC in Dubai Silicon Oasis
• edXminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOnline education platform partner shown in 'Friends with' section
• University of MannheimminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partner shown in 'Friends with' section on website footer
• Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partner shown in 'Friends with' section on website footer

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Global Sources: Global Sources is a Hong Kong-based B2B media and marketplace platform connecting international buyers with suppliers in Asia, with a stronger emphasis on verified manufacturers and trade shows. Overlaps with Ishto as a B2B sourcing channel but with established trade-show roots.
• DHgate: DHgate is a Chinese cross-border B2B/C2C e-commerce platform connecting international buyers with Chinese wholesalers. Broader incumbent in the wholesale/import-export space that overlaps with Ishto on cross-border trade flow.
• Alibaba.com: Alibaba.com is the dominant global B2B e-commerce marketplace for wholesale trade, with vastly larger scale, supplier verification, escrow, and logistics services. Broad incumbent overlap with Ishto's category but with a much wider portfolio (1688, AliExpress, Lazada).
• Made-in-China: Made-in-China is a B2B portal focused on connecting international buyers with Chinese manufacturers and exporters. Directly overlaps with Ishto on cross-border wholesale trade, especially in product categories like consumer goods and textiles.
• ThomasNet: ThomasNet is a long-established B2B industrial sourcing platform connecting North American buyers with manufacturers and suppliers. Comparable to Ishto as a B2B discovery/marketplace, though focused on industrial/MRO categories rather than consumer wholesale.

Direct peers

• TradeKey: TradeKey is a global B2B marketplace focused on connecting importers and exporters, particularly from South Asia and the Middle East. Highly comparable to Ishto's wholesale-import-export positioning and emerging-market trader audience.
• EC21: EC21 is a global B2B e-commerce marketplace connecting buyers and suppliers worldwide, with strong penetration in Korea and emerging markets. Comparable to Ishto as a cross-border wholesale trading platform targeting SMB exporters/importers.
• IndiaMART: IndiaMART is the largest B2B marketplace in India connecting buyers and suppliers across product categories. It is directly comparable to Ishto as a horizontal wholesale/import-export platform serving SMBs, though with far richer paid features (verified supplier, trust badges, lead management).

Emerging players

• ExportHub: ExportHub is a smaller B2B marketplace aimed at global exporters and importers with a product catalog approach similar to Ishto's showcase feature. Comparable as an emerging horizontal wholesale platform, though with less community/social networking emphasis.
• Wholesale Central: Wholesale Central is a US-oriented wholesale directory and marketplace connecting retailers with wholesalers across categories. Emerging peer that overlaps with Ishto's wholesale-discovery use case but is more retailer-buying focused than importer/exporter.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/ishtoapp

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Ishto