About Us
Shoeboxx is a concept created by Avanet Ltd, a UK company specializing in IT, internet
and mobile technology based start-up businesses. Avanet brings cutting-edge business
ideas based on emergent technologies from concept through to implementation and
finally to launch through a combination of creative thinking and strong organizational
principles.
With a thorough understanding of web and mobile based services and strong financial
backing, Avanet is well positioned to evaluate, develop and take forward new business
concepts that others may have difficulty understanding. Avanet is involved in all
aspects of the projects it takes on, from concept development to feasability studies
and the provision or introduction of seed capital.
Shoeboxx is a concept that was created and developed internally by the 3 founding
partners of Avanet, Hilal Kanafani, Ashil Vaghela and Talal Fathallah. Through a
common dislike of paper receipts, the three set about looking for a solution that
would carry out all of the same functions in a way that was more cost-effective
and environmentally friendly. The solution would need to use technologies that are
available today and would have to be based around retailers’ current point of sale
systems.
After plenty of research and concept development, we came up with the Shoeboxx system
as it stands today. The Shoeboxx system is unique in that it is the only system
where receipts can be transmitted electronically direct from the point of sale to
the users account. Similar solutions involving the postage of receipts to a central
sorting depot have been running in the US for a year or two, however, this is a
less cost-efficient solution without any real environmental benefit. With Shoeboxx
we believe that paper receipts can be done away with all together.
The Team :
Ashil Vaghela
Ashil Vaghela graduated from Bath University with a degree in Economics and has
an investment banking background, having worked in capital markets at Societe Generale
and research at Deutsche Bank.
Hilal Kanafani
Hilal graduated from Brunel University with a degree in Information Sysytems. He
then went on to complete his Masters Degree in Business Information Systems at Royal
Holloway, University of London. He worked at several different institutions in IT
and network management before deciding to start Avanet Ltd with his two partners.
Talal Fathallah
Talal graduated from University College London with a specialist Bsc in Economics.
He has experience working in investment banking and has been involved in innovative
start-up businesses in a variety of different sectors including telecommunications
and low-carbon transport technologies.
Hideaki Hashizume
With a degree from Chu-o University in Tokyo Hide went on to work for the Technology
Transfer Institute for several years. This involved moves to both LA and New York
and extensive experience in consulting for Fortune 500 companies. Hide then returned
to Japan to start an independent international marketing consultancy establishing
strong contacts in various Japanese industries – including retail, IT and advertising.
Hide now works with Shoeboxx as the exclusive representative in Japan.