Shorooq

Congratulations to our portfolio companies for their remarkable achievements in being featured in Forbes Middle East’s 𝗙𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗰𝗵 𝟱𝟬 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟱! 🎉 Sarwa ثروة : Allows users to trade U.S. stocks, ETFs, cryptocurrencies, and options through Sarwa Trade. It also provides hands-off investing with managed portfolios and an estimated 4.6% annual return with Sarwa Save Plus. Sarwa hit its first-ever profit milestone in Q1 2024 and has sustained it since, recently marking its first full calendar year profitability. Tamara: Is a leading Buy-Now-Pay-Later platform based in Saudi Arabia, allowing customers to split their payments into installments. It boasts 16 million registered users across Saudi Arabia, the U.A.E., and the wider GCC, partnering with 60,000 merchants. In 2024, Tamara obtained in-principle approval to operate a finance license in Saudi Arabia, enabling expansion into new products. Lendo | ليندو: As Saudi Arabia’s leading P2P SME lending platform specializing in invoice factoring, Lendo addresses the financing gap in the SME sector, which represents over 95% of the country’s economy. Offering Shari’a-compliant, crowd-lending solutions, Lendo provides innovative financing options starting with invoice factoring, generating revenue through SME registration fees, annual management fees per funded invoice, and profit sharing from investors’ returns. Pemo: Enables businesses to streamline their financial operations with solutions, including expense management, corporate cards, accounting automation, and invoice payments. It serves over 5,000 companies, including Mövenpick, Condé Nast, Anantara Hotels & Resorts, and Talabat. Transactions on Pemo cards have increased six times in 2024 compared to the previous year, reaching an annualized volume of $380 million by the end of 2024. In November 2024, the company raised $7 million in funding, co-led by Shorooq and Augmentum Fintech, bringing its total funding to $19 million. Lean Technologies: A Saudi-based B2B scale-up, Lean is fueling the next generation of financial innovation across the Middle East. Its API suite enables businesses to seamlessly access their customers’ financial data and initiate instant bank transfers. With offices in Riyadh, Dubai, Cairo, and London, Lean is rapidly expanding its geographical footprint and product suite to meet the evolving needs of the market. As they continue breaking new ground in fintech, we remain committed to supporting their journey toward even greater success 🚀 🔥 🔗 Read more about it: https://lnkd.in/df8c9Su3 #shorooq #venturecapital #credit #privateequity #investments #forbesmiddleeast

QED Investors marks its first Gulf investment with a $33M Series B in our portfolio company NymCard, reinforcing confidence in MENA’s payments infrastructure growth. This funding fuels NymCard’s expansion as an embedded finance leader, redefining how fintechs and businesses seamlessly integrate financial services. 🔹 A Strategic Investment Coalition – Alongside us, are Lunate, Dubai Future District Fund, Mashreq, Knollwood Investment Advisory, Reciprocal, FJ Labs, Endeavor, and Oraseya Capital, this coalition reflects a shared belief in NymCard’s transformative potential. 🔹 Innovating Payments Infrastructure – NymCard’s proprietary nCore platform provides local autonomy, advanced API infrastructure, and unmatched flexibility, enabling efficient and scalable payment processing. As embedded finance transforms the way businesses operate, this investment signals a new era for MENA’s digital payments ecosystem. Congrats to Omar Onsi and the team at NymCard for achieving yet another grand milestone! 📖 Read more in this exclusive on Forbes Middle East by the talented Amr Abdelhameed: https://lnkd.in/dSPHQcMH #shorooq #venturecapital #credit #privateequity #investments #QEDInvestors #Fintech #MENAStartups #NymCard

As generative AI becomes the new search engine, your content has a new mission: be the source that ChatGPT quotes. In this edition of The Spotlight, our very own Tarek Fouad breaks down the rise of Generative Search Optimization (GEO) — what it is, why it matters, how it works, and how startups and marketers can future-proof their content strategies in the LLM era. 🔥 Bonus: Plenty of sarcasm, pop culture, and cold truths about why your content might already be invisible. 👉 Read the full edition below! #GEO #GenerativeSearch #ContentStrategy #MarketingPlaybook #LLM #AIContent #Shorooq #SEO

talabat’s CPO Yi-Wei Ang joins Ricci Putnam co-founder of numi on Breaking Down Barriers to share insights on their $10B IPO, the shift to a tech-first mindset, and the key decisions that fueled their growth. 🚀 🔹 Product-led founders – What it really takes to build a tech-first company 🔹 The CPO debate – Why hiring one might not be the smartest move for a startup 🔹 Dubai’s booming tech scene – How it’s shaping a new generation of global product talent 🔹 Customer obsession – Why Yi-Wei spends time each week speaking directly with Talabat users 🔹 Talent & leadership - The power of saying “I don’t know” and learning from others Discover how product-led innovation, data-driven decision-making, and a strong leadership culture are shaping Talabat’s future—plus, strategies for attracting and retaining top talent in today’s competitive market. 🔥 If you’re a founder, product leader, or tech executive, this is a must-watch masterclass on scaling with a tech-first mindset while balancing speed, scale, and customer needs. 🎧 Tune in to the full episode now! 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝘁𝘂𝗯𝗲: https://lnkd.in/djUn83d2 𝗦𝗵𝗼𝗿𝗼𝗼𝗾 is the investment partner for numi’s Breaking Down Barriers podcast with Amazon Web Services (AWS) as a supporting partner to bring fresh perspectives to our community. 🚀 #Shorooq #wearenumi #Tech #Innovation #investment #wearehiring

What makes a VC say yes or walk away? Join us on March 19 for a fireside chat with Walid Mansour Co-Founder & Co-CEO at Middle East Venture Partners (MEVP), Bilal Baloch, Partner at Shorooq, and Rana Abdel Latif, Partner at Speedinvest, as they break down the key traits and decisions that shape investor confidence. Moderated by Stephan Heller, Founding Partner at AlphaQ Venture Capital & Senior Advisor at #Hub71, this session will offer practical insights for founders looking to secure funding. 🗓️ 4:30 PM - 5:00 PM | Networking 🗓️ 5:00 PM - 6:00 PM | Fireside Chat + Q&A 🗓️ 6:30 PM | Iftar Dinner Register now: https://lnkd.in/d6qrPHZb #VCInsights #StartupFunding #InAbuDhabi

𝗦𝗵𝗼𝗿𝗼𝗼𝗾’𝘀 𝗣𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗹 & 𝗦𝘂𝗵𝗼𝗼𝗿 𝗡𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 was the perfect way to embrace the spirit of Ramadan—bringing our community together for an evening filled with energy, laughter, and meaningful connections. The padel tournament was a blast! From intense rallies to last-minute comebacks, the competition was fierce, but the camaraderie was even stronger. Huge congratulations to our champions—you owned the court! 🏆👏 But more than the game, this night was about coming together, strengthening bonds, and celebrating the essence of Ramadan. A heartfelt thank you to our valued partners NVIDIA, EY, and FUTURA Digital for making this evening possible. Your support means the world, and we’re grateful to share this journey of innovation and collaboration with you. To everyone who joined us—thank you for making it unforgettable. Wishing you all a blessed Ramadan filled with joy, connection, and success! Already looking forward to the next one. Who’s up for a rematch? 🤩 🎾✨ #Ramadan #Shorooq #Padel #Suhoor #Community #Gamenight

Saudi Arabia continues to demonstrate economic resilience amid shifting global conditions. The Kingdom’s commitment to Vision 2030, alongside strong financial policies and investment in non-oil industries, is shaping a robust and diversified economy. Here is a quick glimpse of Saudi Arabia’s economic outlook and key takeaways. 𝗞𝗲𝘆 𝗧𝗮𝗸𝗲𝗮𝘄𝗮𝘆𝘀: ✅ Non-Oil Growth Remains Strong – Despite a slight dip in the PMI, non-oil exports surged by 18% YoY, and cement sales grew by 9% YoY in January, signaling sustained demand. ✅ Consumer Spending on the Rise – Total spending increased 11% YoY, with strong POS transactions across multiple sectors supporting economic activity. ✅ Monetary Expansion Continues – Money supply (M3) rose 9% YoY, while new residential mortgages jumped 37% YoY, indicating growing financial confidence. ✅ Inflationary Pressures Persist – Inflation climbed 2% YoY, primarily driven by housing and utilities, though price growth has slightly moderated. ✅ Oil Market Volatility – Brent crude fell to $71pb as OPEC+ confirmed gradual output increases from April, influencing global market dynamics. ✅ Stock Market Fluctuations – TASI declined by 2.4% in February, weighed down by lower oil prices and global uncertainties. 📖 For a deeper dive into these insights, read the full report by Jadwa Insights here: https://lnkd.in/dbrMAcHc #shorooq #venturecapital #credit #privateequity #investments #SaudiEconomy #EconomicTrends #SaudiVision2030 #Investments #OilMarkets #Shorooq #MarketInsights

Tamara has become the first Saudi fintech startup to receive a fully-fledged consumer finance license from the Saudi Central Bank – SAMA. This milestone reflects Tamara’s commitment to compliance, transparency, and innovation while delivering secure and reliable financial solutions. 🚀 To further uphold governance and Sharia compliance, Tamara has also established a Sharia Committee led by esteemed Islamic scholars, ensuring adherence to Islamic finance principles. This is a pivotal step in Tamara’s expansion, strengthening its presence in Saudi Arabia and the GCC while unlocking new financial solutions for its customers. The future of finance is here! ✨ 🔗 Learn more about it: https://lnkd.in/dvq-NHVk #shorooq #venturecapital #credit #privateequity #investments #Tamara #SAMA #Fintech #SaudiArabia

Banking is evolving at light speed. Fintechs are breaking down barriers, AI is making decisions, and A2A payments are challenging card networks. So, will traditional banks adapt—or become obsolete? 👀 On Breaking Down Barriers, Ricci Putnam co-founder of numi, sits down with Ashu Gupta, Co-Founder & CTO of Lean Technologies, to unpack the future of finance: 💡 AI-powered platforms are reshaping banking, automating decisions, and optimizing customer experiences. 💳 A2A payments are gaining traction, putting pressure on Visa and Mastercard’s dominance. 🌍 The MENA fintech scene is rapidly evolving, attracting global talent and innovation. 🤖 AI is transforming product development, streamlining coding, and accelerating financial technology. Ashu Gupta shares insights on open banking, AI-driven decision-making, and building in-house tech expertise in the new financial landscape. If you’re in fintech, AI, or tech leadership, this is one conversation you can’t afford to miss. 🎧 Tune in to the full episode now! 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝘁𝘂𝗯𝗲: https://lnkd.in/dA-3yDma 𝗦𝗵𝗼𝗿𝗼𝗼𝗾 is the investment partner for numi’s Breaking Down Barriers podcast with Amazon Web Services (AWS) as a supporting partner to bring fresh perspectives to our community. 🚀 #Shorooq #wearenumi #Tech #Innovation #investment #wearehiring

MANTRA is on a mission to bridge the gap between traditional finance and blockchain, with a bold target of bringing $100 billion in real-world assets (RWAs) on-chain by 2026. 🚀 Ecosystem growth and the convergence of retail and institutional investors are key to this vision, marking a transformative moment for blockchain and the future of finance. Are you ready to join the revolution? 🔗💰 🎧 Tune in to watch the full episode now!  𝗬𝗼𝘂𝘁𝘂𝗯𝗲: https://lnkd.in/dDEUDVWw #shorooq #venturecapital #credit #privateequity #investments #crypto #mantra #tokenization #rwa #blockchain