Abraham Burak describes Airalo as an "Egg of Columbus" - a brilliant idea that seems obvious after the fact. As a self-confessed digital nomad, he had first-hand experience of the "personal agony" of expensive roaming bills and searching for local SIM cards.

The Problem

"One of the biggest problems I had was connectivity," Burak explains. "I was either on expensive roaming packages, or I was offline or looking out to find the nearest hotel or coffee shop for Wi-Fi."

The Solution

Founded in 2019 by Burak and co-founder Bahadir Ozdemir through Antler's Singapore residency, Airalo brings instant connectivity in 200+ countries by allowing travelers to purchase virtual eSIM packages. Users download an affordable plan directly to their eSIM-capable devices without needing physical SIM cards.

The Timing

"When Apple launched eSIM iPhones, it struck me and my co-founder that the fundamentals of travel connectivity had to change." They responded to their own pain point creatively.

Surviving COVID

Just four months old when the pandemic hit, Airalo had the luck of closing their Series A right before COVID. "It was a good runway. The timing was just right."

The Scale

Airalo now has 20M+ users, achieved unicorn status ($1B+ valuation), and employs 190 people working from 44 countries. "A Canadian staying a week in France would pay hundreds of dollars on roaming. They can get an eSIM from us for as cheap as $4.50."