Yosuf Mohseni
I build media that works where nothing should work.
How I Got Here
I joined MOBY Group in Kabul in 2003 as one of its first employees. Over the next two decades, my role evolved from building the company's early systems, to Chief of Staff running Afghanistan operations, to Senior Vice President leading business development across the region. I helped launch Arman FM, TOLO TV, and Lemar TV. I led the launch of TOLOnews, Afghanistan's first 24-hour news channel, and founded the Afghanistan Premier League, the country's first professional football league.
I also ran Lapis, MOBY's social impact arm — campaigns for USAID, the UN, the British Embassy. In 2012, 21st Century Fox became a minority shareholder, and I managed the due diligence process and data room.
I built Lana TV in Iraq from the ground up — hiring 100+ staff and running operations until we had to shut down during the ISIS conflict. KANA TV in Ethiopia was acquired by Canal+ at a 3× return. Urdu1 in Pakistan became one of the most-watched entertainment channels in the country. Farsi1 targeting Iran and the region. VICE Arabia across the Middle East. Some succeeded, some didn't. All taught me something.
I also completed a medical degree at Kabul Medical University while building MOBY, later earned a master's in digital business, and finished Harvard Business School's CORe program. I work in five languages across the markets I've spent my career in: Persian, Pashto, English, Arabic, and Urdu.
In 2019, I launched Darya for MOBY Group, Afghanistan's first streaming platform. At its peak, it reached 1.5 million monthly active users. When the Taliban took over in 2021, I led the company's digital transformation, migrating infrastructure to the cloud so we could keep operating when everything on the ground fell apart. From outside Afghanistan, I launched Faza TV for entertainment and Shams TV for education to fill the content vacuum — and eventually started building on my own.
What I Believe
Frontier markets aren't broken markets waiting to be fixed by outsiders. They're underserved audiences waiting for someone to take them seriously.
The playbook doesn't work here — and that's the point. You build differently when there's no safety net. You listen harder when the stakes are real. The companies that last aren't the ones with the most resources — they're the ones that understand what people actually need.
Most investors see risk. I see audiences that have been ignored for decades — and the loyalty that comes when you finally show up for them.
Now
I run NexBlink, my own media and technology company based in Cambridge, MA. Through it, I also oversee MOBY Group's streaming platform, entertainment channel, and educational channel for Afghan audiences worldwide — alongside broader business development and new media ventures across the region.
I'm developing Laala — an early childhood learning platform for Afghan families at home and in the diaspora. It's the project closest to my heart: using media and technology to give kids a head start in their own language. I'm also building Shababzi for MOBY — a Gen Z media platform for the Middle East, based out of London. And I'm exploring how AI can serve languages and audiences that large models still struggle with.
If I could focus on one thing, it would be financial infrastructure for underserved markets: digital payments, the rails that make everything else possible. I started building this for Afghanistan, registering a fintech company with the Central Bank and initiating an electronic money license, before the political situation changed. The opportunity is still there. I intend to build it.
When I'm not working, I'm on my bike exploring trails around Cambridge, or practicing Persian calligraphy, a discipline I've carried since my youth.
Today
I run NexBlink, my own media and technology company based in Cambridge, MA. Through NexBlink, I continue working with MOBY Group as Strategic Executive Lead — running Darya, Faza TV (general entertainment for Afghans worldwide), and Shams TV (Afghanistan's first educational channel).
I'm building Shababzi for MOBY — a Gen Z media platform for the Middle East, based out of London. I'm also developing Laala — my own early childhood learning platform for Afghan families at home and abroad. And I'm exploring how AI can serve languages and audiences that large models still struggle with.
If I could focus on one thing, it would be financial infrastructure for frontier markets — digital payments, the rails that make everything else possible. I started working on this for Afghanistan before the political situation changed. The opportunity is still there. I intend to build it.
When I'm not working, I'm on my bike — exploring the roads around Cambridge, clearing my head, and occasionally getting lost on purpose.
Say Hello
Always interested in conversations about media, emerging markets, fintech, or education — especially anything related to early childhood learning. Cambridge coffee — or a bike ride — welcome.
Say Hello
Always interested in conversations about media, emerging markets, fintech, or education. Cambridge coffee — or a bike ride — welcome.