• TradeHub, founded in December 2023, raised $1.4M pre-seed but shut down after failing to reach product-market fit.
• Despite capital left, the founders chose not to pivot again, citing lack of conviction in pursuing a third idea.
• Co-founder Ahmed Gaber calls the closure a sign of maturity, stressing lessons on failure, growth, and responsibility.
  

TradeHub

Egyptian founder Ahmed Gaber, best known for co-founding logistics giant Bosta, recently announced the closure of his second startup, TradeHub. The company, which launched in December 2023 with co-founder Ahmed Atef, had raised a USD 1.4 million pre-seed round by February 2024.

Initially envisioned as a cross-border B2B marketplace, TradeHub later pivoted into a B2B sales automation SaaS tool. After 18 months of testing, iterating, and refining, the team still could not reach product-market fit. It

Why Not Another Pivot?

A big question is why the team didn’t pivot to a third idea, especially since they still had capital in hand. According to Gaber, the answer is simple: conviction. “Continuing just for the sake of trying something else didn’t feel responsible,” he explained. Without strong conviction in a third direction, the founders decided that shutting down was the right call.

Reflections on Failure

Gaber stressed that winding down was not a sign of giving up, but a mark of maturity. “Knowing when to let go is just as important as knowing when to push forward,” he wrote.

He also highlighted that failure is part of success. While Bosta became one of the region’s biggest logistics startups, TradeHub did not succeed. Yet both journeys, he argued, were equally valuable for the lessons they provided.

TradeHub’s story is not only about a startup closing its doors. It’s about recognizing that markets don’t forgive ideas without real demand. 

True courage in entrepreneurship is not just about pushing forward, but also knowing when to stop. Capital can open doors, but lasting businesses are built on deep knowledge of markets and customers.

What’s Next?

After nine years between Bosta and TradeHub, Gaber plans to take a break before exploring new ideas. He intends to spend the coming months resting, traveling, and doing light market discovery.