Building AI for Construction: Hashim's Journey with Zaper Inc.

Hashim Basheer — Founder, Zaper Inc.

Hashim Basheer, founder of Zaper Inc., shares his journey from software design to creating AI solutions for the construction industry. He talks about building products that integrate seamlessly with on-site operations.

Can you share a brief note about yourself?

I'm Hashim, founder of Zaper Inc., a deep vertical AI startup building Digital AI Managers to improve efficiency for construction companies, starting with the GCC region.

By training and instinct, I'm a designer — someone who values empathy, systems thinking, and real-world problem solving. I built up my career through Verizon US and Cisco, designing applications for early-generation mobile screens, even before iOS and Android app stores became mainstream.

Later, in the Middle East, I led digital transformations for sectors like aviation and retail — including airline operations, airport systems, and Carrefour's quick commerce rollout during the early pandemic days.

A turning point for me was running my family's construction services business in Oman. That's where I saw firsthand the huge tech gap for frontline workers — the ones who actually build and deliver projects. The industry won't scale top-down alone; it needs bottom-up intelligence and coordination.

At Zaper, we make technology not a hurdle to learn, but something natural and invisible. Workers interact with our AI Managers using simple voice messages and photos, either via WhatsApp or directly from our app. Our AI Managers speak the language of site workers — literally. Voice in Urdu, Pashto, Bangla, Malayalam, Arabic, Polish… even just clicking a photo of what's happening.