In Iran, cars are like gold. Instead of putting their money in a bank where it could lose value due to inflation, Iranians buy used cars. Even the worst cars appreciate in value. It's not unusual for a person's entire life savings to be tied up in their car.

In this episode, we hear the story of Amir Pahlevanzadeh and how he used this idea to build a multimillion dollar company that completely disrupted the used car market in Iran.

Credit: Voiceover work by Ethan Herschenfeld

Iran's tech ecosystem is thriving, in spite of challenges like heavy international sanctions and increasing inflation. At the center of that world is Digikala, Iran's own version of Amazon. In this episode, we hear the story of how Digikala co-founder Hamid Mohammadi and his brother Sayid built their billion dollar business, the struggles they overcame and his ideas for the future of the online marketplace.

Most people probably don't think of Iran as a place with thriving tech companies. But even with severe sanctions and increasing inflation, some Iranians have managed to build successful companies in their country. This podcast is about those brave and innovative people and the challenges they've overcome in order to grow their business.

Episode 1 drops Dec. 8.