Building a Perplexity Alternative on Weekends: Alex’s Dubai Builder Story 🇦🇪

In this episode, Alexander Shagov, a Dubai-based software engineer and creator of: "Pocket Search AI", shares how a weekend side project turned into an AI-powered deep research product that challenges the traditional subscription model of tools like Perplexity. What started as a personal project to help his brother, an architect, navigate complex technical documents eventually became Pocket Search, an AI research tool capable of exploring hundreds of sources, analyzing lengthy PDFs, and generating detailed research reports without requiring a monthly subscription. Alex shares why he initially abandoned the idea, what convinced him to give it another try, and how he is navigating the challenges of building a product alongside his full-time job. We also talk about Dubai's startup ecosystem, why getting support as an early-stage founder isn't always straightforward, how Alex secured his first B2B customer, and why he uses Claude Code and Pocket Search in his own development workflow. Beyond building software, Alex shares one of his most powerful AI habits: recording his thoughts, turning them into a personal knowledge base, and using AI to identify patterns in his thinking over time. *Key Takeaways:* ▪️ *Start with a real problem:* Pocket Search began when Alex's brother needed help navigating complex architectural regulations and technical documents. ▪️ *Challenge the subscription model:* Alex saw an opportunity for people who need advanced AI research occasionally but don't want to pay for an expensive monthly subscription. Pocket Search offers a pay-per-report alternative. ▪️ *Build alongside your full-time job:* Alex developed Pocket Search outside his regular working hours, starting with a personal experiment before turning it into a product. ▪️ *Understand the challenges of Dubai's startup ecosystem:* While Dubai has accelerator programs and founder communities, Alex found it difficult to access structured support at the earliest stage, before having customers or an established MVP. ▪️ *Find your first customer:* Alex and his friend Regina decided to focus on B2B opportunities, testing how Pocket Search could integrate into companies' existing workflows. ▪️ *Use AI to build AI:* Alex uses Claude Code for software development and Pocket Search for research, competitive analysis, and validating new product ideas. He even stopped paying for Perplexity. ▪️ *Build your own AI knowledge base:* Alex records voice notes about his thoughts and experiences, transcribes them, and uses the information to generate insights and recognize recurring patterns. ▪️ *Don't forget critical thinking:* AI can support personal reflection, but Alex emphasizes the importance of questioning its responses rather than accepting everything it suggests. ▪️ *Overcome the fear of putting yourself out there:* In a surprise question from their mutual friend Regina, Alex reflects on what he would do if fear and failure weren't factors. Whether you're building a side project in Dubai, exploring AI tools for your business, or wondering how to turn a technical idea into a real product, this episode offers a practical look at what it takes to build, experiment, and find your first customers. ⏰ Timestamps: 00:00 – Can a Dubai side project beat Perplexity? 00:23 – Meet Alex, founder of Pocket Search AI 00:35 – What is Pocket Search AI? 01:07 – How a problem for his brother sparked the idea 02:01 – Challenging the AI subscription model 03:26 – Building a startup alongside a full-time job 03:42 – Finding startup support in Dubai 04:56 – From B2C to B2B: Finding the first customer 06:27 – Testing Pocket Search against competitors 07:38 – Alex’s favorite AI tools and workflow 09:35 – Building a personal AI second brain 11:37 – Community Question: What would Alex do without fear? 13:00 – Special Pocket Search offer for listeners 🎁 13:20 – Where to connect with Alex 🤖 AI product featured: ➡️ Pocket Search AI: https://pocketsearch.ai Pocket Search provides autonomous deep research with a pay-per-report model instead of a monthly subscription. 🎁 Special offer for Dubai Builder Podcast listeners: Alex shares an invitation to try Pocket Search. Visit https://pocketsearch.ai and contact the team through the website, mentioning that you discovered Pocket Search through the Dubai Builder Podcast, to request the complimentary trial package discussed in the episode. Connect with Alex & Pocket Search: 🌐 Pocket Search AI: https://pocketsearch.ai 🤝 Alexander Shagov on LinkedIn:   / alexshahau   Social Contacts Franzi (Podcast Host): 🎥 YOUTUBE: @FranziChopra 📱 Instagram:   / franzichopra   🤝 Franzi Chopra on LinkedIn:   / franzi-chopra