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Some of the major driving factors are the construction sector's growth in the region, increasing demand for cranes, and developing trends toward automation and telematics.
The GCC construction equipment/machinery rental market, which was valued at $3.77 billion in 2020, is poised for solid growth and is expected to reach $5.48 billion by 2026, growing at a CAGR of 6.15% over the next five years, said a report by ResearchAndMarkets.com.
The Covid-19 pandemic hindered the growth of construction machinery/equipment market across GCC region owing to shut down of manufacturing facilities and halt of investments into infrastructure sector.
However, post-pandemic, as economic activities resumed, the market expected to gain momentum during the forecast period, it stated.
Some of the major driving factors are the construction sector's growth in the region, increasing demand for cranes, and developing trends toward automation and telematics.
According to the report, the renting or leasing of construction equipment has been on the rise, owing to an effort to lower the equipment purchase and maintenance expenses.
Apart from the cost, there are also other benefits associated with renting of the construction equipment. Rental companies provide the machinery, along with the required professional machine operators and drivers, thereby ensuring a hassle-free operation, it added.
Moreover, advancement in the rental method of construction machinery such as digital platforms is providing ease to the consumer, which is further also acting as a big factor for the growth of the construction machinery market in GCC countries.
The construction sector is witnessing growth in the GCC countries such as the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Bahrain, due to the arise in the construction projects related to roads, buildings, hotels, stadiums, and other infrastructure.
In recent years, renting of earth moving equipment, such excavators, motor graders and loaders are on the rise due to growing infrastructural projects related to road and highway networks in countries such as Saudi Arabia, owing to the penetration of more construction contractors in the country due to Saudi Vision 2030.
For instance, in February last year, the Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman ordered the development of main roads in the heart of Riyadh in order to upgrade the city's transportation system.
The project objective is to transform Riyadh to be a major hub in providing sustainable transportation services as well as logistics services in the Middle East, stated the report.
The programme will work on developing junctions between Riyadh's ring roads and main routes. It will develop 400 km of the road network, by adding new roads and upgrading existing junctions.
source: zawya
Sectors will have to brace for constant changes to remain afloat as evolving trends give rise to new opportunities
Businesses in the UAE are all set for welcoming 2022, equipped to strive forward as new trends unfold. Thankfully, the robust digital adoption in the nation has ensured that the work will continue and remain uninterrupted. The new 4 1/2-day work week — Monday to Friday — starting from January 2022 will help the businesses to align with global markets and will help boost productivity. The tech-enabled industries will have to gear up as demand will only accelerate from key sectors, making it more competitive for existing players. Some of the sectors that will continue to evolve in 2022 are eCommerce, qcommerce, edtech, healtech, fintech, proptech, entertainment, cryptocurrency just to name a few.
The UAE is looked upon as a global role model to handle pandemic in 2020 and 2021 with business sentiment soaring to peak and industries applauding the visionary policies and strategies to not only combat pandemic impact but also ensure that the economy remains competitive enough to boost businesses.
Some of the milestones of 2021, include approval of the Dh290 billion federal budget for five years until 2026 and launch of the industrial strategy “Operation 300bn” to empower and expand the industrial sector. Further, the launch of ‘Projects of the 50’ will establish a new phase of internal and external growth of the state in various economic sectors which should make the Central Bank of the UAE (CBUAE) target of overall real gross domestic product (GDP) of 4.2 per cent in 2022 against 2.1 per cent in 2021 achievable. The mega-event Expo2020 Dubai has been a game-changer and catalysed business opportunities for the UAE and participating nations.
Bharat Bhatia, chairman, and CEO of Conares, said: “The challenges that we faced in the past are simply opportunities to learn, so we can build towards a better future. The economy is getting back to pre-pandemic levels and there is greater opportunity for growth in the construction sector in the UAE. Despite the many ups and downs, we have a lot to look forward to in 2022 as we move forward with hope in our hearts and a smile on our faces.”
Sustainability will continue to dominate in 2022 as businesses will strive to build sustainable growth making resilience a strong code of conduct for individuals and businesses. Businesses will have to brace for constant changes and continue to innovate to remain afloat as the evolving trends give rise to new opportunities too.
Healthcare
Dr Azad Moopen, founder chairman and managing director, Aster DM Healthcare, said: “As per The World Health Organisation, almost half of the world lacks access to essential health services and over 100 million are pushed into poverty due to out-of-pocket health expenses. This stark reality was brought to the forefront during the pandemic very strongly with public healthcare systems across the world collapsing to manage and cater to increasing demands. More than ever the need to make quality healthcare affordable and accessible on time has been felt strongly.”
While it is important to increase healthcare spending as a percentage of GDP by the developing countries, the key to the penetration is digitisation. This will make at least primary healthcare available even in the remotest corners of the world through the ubiquitous mobile phones.
Dr Moopen added: “As we step into 2022, with renewed vigour to deliver our caring mission with a global vision to serve the world with quality healthcare that is affordable and accessible, we at Aster DM Healthcare remain at the forefront of adopting digital technology. We hope this will help us to enable access to millions to our services in a cost-effective way. As a blessing in disguise, Covid-19 has played the role of a catalyst in pushing the sector to innovate and come up with need-of-the-hour solutions.”
Sustainability
Sustainability will be foregrounded in all facets of life in the UAE in 2022. If anything, the pandemic was a supply-chain lesson, which reinforced the need to pursue sustainability on all fronts, particularly in food and water.
Chandra Dake, executive chairman and group CEO of Dake Group, said: “In the new year, as the great reset pans out, we will witness greater activity around Agtech, low-input farming, and decarbonisation in the agriculture sector. I’m glad to be entering the new year with so much to look forward to. All credit goes to leaders, whose proactive measures, crisis response, and science-based targets made today’s upbeat sentiment possible. I speak for all residents and business persons in the UAE when I say that we are grateful for the rulers’ ceaseless work in handling the pandemic. I wish everyone in the UAE a happy new year, and sincerely hope that personal sustainability features in their resolutions as it does in mine.”
Similarly, Dr Mostafa Al Guezeri, managing director, Hitachi Energy, said: “Our goal in 2022 is to advance the world’s energy system to be more sustainable, flexible, and secure. As the pioneering technology leader, we collaborate with customers and partners to enable a sustainable energy future for generations to come. Since the pandemic prompted changes in the energy market through supply line disruptions and inflationary trends, we intend to differentiate that in this competitive sector with burgeoning growth in areas such as electric transportation, renewable energy, and smart infrastructure.
E-commerce
Dubai has ranked as the fastest-growing e-commerce market in the Middle East and North Africa thanks to a very advanced technological infrastructure and the growing number of tech-savvy consumers. Dubai Customs expects e-commerce sales to rise 23 per cent to $27 billion (Dh100 billion), in 2022.
Real estate
The year 2022 will see greater market-driven developments, increased proptech adoption, and retrofitting activities, informs Sanjeevv Bhatia, chairman of SB Group and CEO of Netix Global BV.
“The UAE’s 4.5-day workweek will come into effect on January 1, 2022. So, we are about to witness a paradigm shift from day one. For a global company like the SB Group, this change is consequential — our teams can reduce operational latency and manage time zone differences effectively, adding to overall productivity. This move is one among the many that the UAE leadership has made to enhance the nation’s competitiveness. More power to them as they pursue greater causes in 2022. Real estate, in particular, continues to be the sector generating maximum initiatives and favourable policies from the government,” added Bhatia.
The UAE economy is likely to see an upward movement in 2022. History says that the country that hosts the Expo sees a steady growth in the months to follow. “Around 93 per cent of the UAE’s population is vaccinated, which makes the country a safer place and people are looking forward to visiting the country. This will give a major boost to the economy fuelled by the growth in tourism and investment as the country’s culture is a perfect mix of East and West. All this is majorly due to the exemplary initiatives by the UAE Government,” said Anis Sajan, vice-chairman, Danube Group.
“The UAE has seen quite a few changes like ease in doing business, golden visa for select residents and the recent one being the change in the working week to get in sync with the rest of the world.”
Imran Farooq, Group chief executive officer, Samana Group, said: “The year 2021 was very different and challenging. It would not be wrong to say that it changed the dynamics of the entire world and impacted the entire humanity, created ripple effects on every section of society, the industry, the economy, and the way we work and look at things.”
Cryptocurrency
The Central Bank of the United Arab Emirates (CBUAE) announced in July 2021 a roadmap to integrate a Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC) into the country’s financial, investment, and trading ecosystem. This followed years of research, analysis, and idea-sharing by the CBUAE and some of the key entities in the UAE’s Crypto ecosystem and forms part of the country’s 2023-2026 strategy to promote digital transformation. Evidently, Crypto has been evaluated as an innovative and important asset class in improving the efficiency and effectiveness of the financial, investment, and trading landscape.
Arshad Khan co-founder and CEO of Arabian Bourse, said: “I see the UAE economy strengthening further in the next year. Several initiatives taken by the government in 2021 will add to improving the economic parameters. Expo 2020 and initiatives in the areas of blockchain and cryptocurrencies, in particular, will add significant strength to the overall growth.”
Jolivette Dela Cruz, Managing Director of Chef Signature
Year 2021 was a challenging year for everyone due to the Covid-19 situation. For me as Entrepreneur, I’ve been through a lot with our businesses. Moreover, before the year ends – the Emirate open us with other opportunities. One is opening the first Franchise of OFF THE HOOK in Sharjah. We have given the chance to be part of the team to operate and to manage OTH Sharjah. My other two businesses are back on track, start moving forward and quietly recovering.
There are Government measures in place to support and to boost this recovery for businesses like stimulus package, the discount offered during license renewal or new licensing and more. There are changes in UAE legislations which are aligned with the international best practices which improve the ease of doing business in UAE. Herewith UAE become appealing with the entrepreneurs .
I believe UAE economic will strongly recover from pandemic in 2022 and surely will be back with it’s pre-pandemic stage. UAE good governance, best practices in handling the pandemic situation and changes in doing business will boost the Emirate’s Economy in 2022. One indicator I have seen is the positive impact of the Expo 2020 with different sectors of business.
Abdul Jebbar PB, Group Managing Director, Hotpack Global
2021 was a challenging year for everyone. The disruption of the global supply chain was difficult to deal with for everyone and the new year is going to bring new challenges with it as well. However, it will also bring new opportunities, so I hope that everyone is able to reflect on the past with humility and move forward in hope of a better future.
Naren Vijay, Executive Vice President – EMEA, Lumenore
The new year is a cause for celebration because it’s always exciting to think about what new innovations and opportunities the next year is going to bring. What makes the new year special is that it serves as a reminder that things will keep changing and that it is up to you to make the most of the opportunities that these changes present.
Abdulla Nalapad, MD Nalapad Investments
The year 2021 was a welcome return to normal for children, parents and teachers. We should all be proud to have shown such resilience in these trying times and understand that we are capable of achieving anything if we want it. We hope to keep that momentum going through to 2022 and not slow down, no matter what life throws at us next.
Mohammed Mahabub Alam, Chairman of Tokyosat Group and Mahabub Perfumes, Dubai
The year 2021 has been a year of recovery, while 2022 will be a year of growth for all of us. The Expo 2020 has helped the overall UAE economy and we are witnessing the benefits of it through increased tourist traffic, higher spending in the retail sector and increased investment in real estate. Dubai International Airport once again has become the world’s busiest airport that shows the increase in passenger movement, thanks to the visionary leadership of the country.
Shahinoor Shah, Director of E-First Global, Dubai, UAE
The year 2021 was a learning period for all of us in the UAE as we all were in growth mode and to adapt to the changes quickly and diversify with changing demands in the market.The 2022 will be a year of growth for the UAE economy, much better than what we have seen last couple of years. The Government of the UAE has opened the doors to so many new opportunities for all over the world.”
Shabbir Merchant, Chairman, Champion Group
The UAE economy is all set to grow in the coming year. Most industries that were impacted during peak Covid times have revived and are getting back on track. Companies are hiring and scaling up their resources to be able cater to growing market demand.Additionally the oil price gains and sustained demand will work to UAE’s economy advantage. I am confident that the economy will grow further by bold initiatives and policies by the UAE government.
2021 in UAE was unprecedented where we witnessed the launch of the world’s greatest show - Expo2020. We were privileged to work on projects at Expo, launched new solutions, invested in the latest machinery, and scaled up resources to gain new clients. More importantly, the pandemic was curbed which helped the overall healthcare scenario in UAE and brought back everyone’s confidence.
Ahmed Shaikhani, President, Pakistan Business Council, Dubai.
2021 was a challenging year but we have witnessed how the UAE and its leadership had showdown with it, overcame and managed the Covid-19 crises so well that the country, especially Dubai, has become a role model in the world in handling such situations. Dubai has done a great by organizing the vaccination drive and sanitizing the entire city.
Covid-19 temporarily affected the Expo plans but did not stop it. Dubai delayed it for a reason - to manage the vaccination drive first. And when the Expo was launched, it went with a big bang and is now an extremely successful event among all international events. Till mid December 2021, Expo 2020 Dubai visit numbers climbed to more than 6.3 million and it is boosting the visitors by a range of entertainment and country pavilion activities.
The new Covid-19 variant is impacting again but I am pretty sure the UAE will overcome it as the country has the experience of handling such crises.
Looking at the success of Expo and revival of Dubai real estate and other industries, I can say with conviction that the year 2022 will be a promising year for every business.
We at Pakistan Business Council always supported the initiatives of the local government and followed the new guidelines from the rulers. Pakistan Business Council works hand in hand with local authorities and ministries, especially Dubai Chamber, for supporting the bilateral trade between Pakistan and the UAE, which has started showing up the results. I, on behalf of Pakistan Business Council, wish a very happy New Year and even greater successes to the UAE and expatriates living here.
source: Zaway
UAE-based digital authentication startup Nice to Meet You (NTMY), has raised a $1 million Seed round to hire new talent and improve its customer experience.
Founded in 2018 by Mohamad Baydoun, NTMY provides its clients with a set of tools to use when authenticating employees, customers, and members.
Across the Middle East, startups working to ease companies' transition to the digital realm are rapidly gathering pace. UAE-based digital authentication startup Nice to Meet You (NTMY), has raised a $1 million Seed round, according to a statement issued today on the company's website.
Founded in 2018 by Mohamad Baydoun, the startup aims to help business owners minimise physical contact within premises. The company initially started off as a business card exchange process. Now, NTMY provides its clients with a set of tools to use when authenticating employees, customers, and members.
These include organisational IDs, access cards, membership cards, and insurance cards.
According to the statement, the new round will enable NTMY to hire new talent, enhance its tech stack as well as its customer experience.
A month earlier, FACEKI, a UAE-based facial recognition and identity verification platform also raised a pre-Seed round.
Source: Wamda
Jordan-based Arabic mobile games publisher Tamatem Games, has raised $11 million in a Series B funding round led by South Korea-based video game developer KRAFTON Inc.,with participation from Venture Souq, Endeavor Catalyst and existing investors including Wamda and 500 Global.
Founded in 2013 by Hussam Hammo, Tamatem works with international game developers to localise and publish mobile games in the Arabic-speaking market. The startup has leveraged 100 million game downloads, one million monthly active users and over 50 published games.
The investment will be used to fuel its expansion strategy across the region with initial focus on Saudi Arabia where it will hire local talent.
Plans of launching a gaming academy to train, educate and elevate employment in the industry are also on the horizon for Tamatem.
Press release:
Tamatem Games, leading Arabic mobile games publisher, raises $11 Million in Series B funding round led by South Korean video game developer KRAFTON, Inc. The round that was led by KRAFTON, Inc., makers of the phenomenally popular battle royale game PUBG, also saw participation from Venture Souq, Endeavor Catalyst and existing investors.
Tamatem has seen great successes since its launch, leveraging over 100 million game downloads and gaining widespread international recognition for its publishing efforts in the region.
With the investment in play and following its previous publishing successes, Tamatem plans on amplifying its efforts even further by bringing a wider selection of games with bigger and more popular titles to the Arabic speaking market. “The demand for relatable and enjoyable mobile games is higher than ever and our mission is to provide our region with the best gaming experience possible” CEO & Founder Hussam Hammo.
MENA’s leading publisher will also carry out its growth strategy of increasing its presence in the region by expanding offices in Saudi Arabia to hire local Saudi talent and have a stronger foothold in the country that harbors 70% of its users. Alongside its expansion efforts in Saudi Arabia Tamatem also plans to expand into more countries in the region.
Plans of launching a gaming academy to train, educate and elevate employment in the industry are also on the horizon for Tamatem in pursuit of pushing market growth and maturity. “Big things are happening for the mobile games industry in the region, we are reaping the rewards of our past successes and pushing forward with more experience and more grit.
We are at the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the massive potential of mobile games in MENA and I am always super elevated when more people invest in the industry and the region” - CEO & Founder Hussam Hammo Tamatem is recognised as one of the most funded gaming startups in the region, raising over $17 million in funding since its establishment in 2013.
Commenting on the investment, Anuj Tandon, Head (India and MENA), Corporate Development, KRAFTON, Inc. said, ‘We see huge potential in the MENA region and are happy to have started our investment journey here with a prolific publisher like Tamatem. We are committed to the MENA region and willing to take more bets in the overall Media and Entertainment Sector, and this investment is aligned with our efforts to strengthen our commitment to the startup ecosystem.
This is just the beginning of our many investments in this region.’ He further added, ‘As we continue our focus to provide the best experience for our MENA users of our various games including PUBG:NEW STATE, Tamatem’s deep understanding of the local landscape and this collaboration will be very helpful.’
Source: Wamda
جاءت حصيلة أكبر خمس صفقات تمويل للشركات الناشئة في الشرق الأوسط وشمال إفريقيا لشهر ديسمبر 2021 بأكثر من 154.5 مليون دولار وهو ما يمثل زيادة عن شهر نوفمبر تقدر بحوالي 6% قياساً بأكبر خمسة صفقات تمويل للشركات الناشئة في شهر نوفمبر، كما شهد شهر ديسمبر عودة قوية لقطاع التجارة الإلكترونية تمثلت بصفقة تمويلية بقيمة 75 مليون دولار! سنتعرف فيما يأتي على الشركات الناشئة التي حصلت على الصفقات الأكبر في شهر ديسمبر.
أولاً: ساري
القطاع: التجارة الإلكترونية
البلد: المملكة العربية السعودية
التأسيس: 2018
المؤسسين: محمد الدوسري وخالد السياري
نجحت شركة ساري السعودية المتخصصة في التجارة الإلكترونية بين الشركات في المملكة العربية السعودية بجمع 75 مليون دولار (حوالي 281 مليون ريال سعودي) في جولة من الفئة C بقيادة سنابل للاستثمار، وبمشاركة من شركة وفرة للاستثمار الدولي وإنديفور كاتاليست إلى جانب عدد من المستثمرين الحاليين في ساري وهم STV وMSA Capial وRocketship.vc وVentureSouq ورائد فنتشرز. علماً أن هذه الجولة التمويلية الثانية لساري خلال عام 2021 حيث سبق أن جمعت نحو 30.5 مليون دولار. ستسخدم ساري جولة التمويل الجديدة للاستثمار في تطوير المنتجات والتوسع الجغرافي.
ثانيا: أوبونشيا
القطاع: التجارة الإلكترونية
البلد: الإمارات العربية المتحدة
التأسيس: مارس 2021
المؤسسين: Philip Johnston وManfred Meyer
جمعت شركة أوبونشيا مبلغ 42 مليون دولار من حقوق الملكية والديون في جولة من السلسلة الأولى بقيادة STV. انطلقت أوبونشيا، في مارس 2021 بعد جمع 20 مليون دولار من جولة البذور من Founders Capital، وPresight Capital، وRaed Ventures، وKingsway Capital، بمشاركة العديد من المستثمرين الملائكيين. تتطلع أوبونشيا إلى تسريع نمو العلامات التجارية للتجارة الإلكترونية وتمكينها من التوسع السريع والمغامرة في الأسواق العالمية. تنشط أوبونشيا حالياً في الإمارات والسعودية وبولندا وتركيا وستعمل بفضل التمويل الجديد على توسيع اعمالها في أسواق مصر ونيجيريا وباكستان.
ثالثاً: Calo
القطاع: تكنولوجيا الطعام
البلد: البحرين
التأسيس: 2019
المؤسسين: أحمد الراوي ومؤيد المؤيد
نجحت شركة Calo في جولة تمويلية مبدئية مبلغ قدره 13.5 مليون دولار، التي شارك في قيادتها كل من خوارزمي فينتشرز، ونوى كابيتال، وSTV بمشاركة من مجموعة الفيصلية، وVision Ventures، و500 Startups، وSavor Ventures، و Nama Ventures فضلا عن المستثمرين الملائكيين الآخرين.
تهدف Calo إلى استخدام التمويل لزيادة الاستثمار في تقنيتها، وتعزيز مكانتها في كل من البحرين والمملكة العربية السعودية حيث تعمل حالياً وتتوسع في مناطق جغرافية جديدة.
رابعاً: GrubTech
القطاع: التكنولوجيا الغذائية
البلد: الإمارات العربية المتحدة
المؤسسين: حمد الفايد وعمر الرفاعي ومحمد حميدي
جمعت شركة GrubTech الناشئة في مجال التكنولوجيا الغذائية، ومقرها الإمارات العربية المتحدة، استثمارًا بقيمة 13 مليون دولار من الفئة A بقيادة Addition، جنبًا إلى جنب مع BY Ventures وHambro Perks Oryx Fund. تعد جولة GrubTech من أكبر الجولات التمويلية للشركات الناشئة في مجال التكنولوجيا الغذائية.
خامساً: طماطم
القطاع: برمجيات الألعاب
البلد: الأردن
التأسيس: 2013
المؤسس: حسام حمو
نجحت شركة الألعاب الأردنية "طماطم" في جمع 11 مليون دولار في جولة تمويلية من السلسلة "ب" بقيادة شركة تطوير الألعاب KRAFTON Inc، وبمشاركة من Venture Souq وEndeavor Catalyst و بمساهمة من مستثمري الشركة الحاليين مثل Wamda Capital و500 Startups.
استطاعت طماطم تحقيق نجاحات سريعة منذ انطلاقها في عام 2013 بسبب قدرة العابها على محاكاة لأذواق جمهورها المستهدف في دول مجلس التعاون الخليجي، وتقدر القيمة السوقية لشركة طماطم اليوم بأكثر من 80 مليون دولار. تخطط طماطم في الوقت الحالي لاستخدام أموال جولة التمويل الأخيرة في تعزيز جهودها في جلب العديد من الألعاب الشعبية إلى السوق الناطق باللغة العربية. كما ستعمل على توظيف مواهب سعودية في هذا المجال لغرض التوسع أكثر في السوق السعودية الذي يشكل نحو 70% من مستخدمي تطبيقها.
كما كان متوقعاً نجحت الشركات الناشئة في الشرق الأوسط وشمال إفريقيا في جمع تمويل كبير خلال شهر نوفمبر وصل إلى 284 مليون دولار بنمو وصل إلى نحو 89% مقارنةً بشهر أكتوبر وبزيادة تصل إلى 666% مقارنةً بنوفمبر من العام الماضي. يأتي هذا الارتفاع في حجم تمويل الشركات الناشئة في المنطقة بعد انخفاض ملحوظ في شهر أكتوبر حيث لم يتجاوز حجم تمويل الشركات الناشئة حدود الـ150 مليون دولار. نستعرض فيما يأتي حالة الشركات الناشئة في الشرق الأوسط وشمال إفريقيا خلال شهر نوفمبر 2021 من حيث عدد الصفقات وحجمها ومراحل الاستثمار وتوزعها قطاعياً وجغرافياً.
التوزع الجغرافي لعدد وحجم صفقات الشركات الناشئة
تظهر المنافسة بين الشركات الناشئة في المنطقة العربية على اشدها في شهر نوفمبر، فرغم تصدر الإمارات الاعتيادي لقائمة أكثر الشركات التي حصلت على تمويل بعد أن نجحت في جمع ما قيمته 114 مليون دولار إلا أن المراكز اللاحقة ظهر فيها اختلاف كبير، حيث احتلت الشركات الناشئة الأردنية للمرة الأولى المركز الثاني بعد أن نجحت في جمع نحو 46 مليون دولار خلال شهر نوفمبر، فيما حلت مصر ثالثاً بحوالي 44 مليون دولار تليها السعودية بـ35 مليون دولار ومن ثم الجزائر التي جمعت فيها تطبيق ياسر متعدد الخدمات نحو 30 مليون دولار وهو أكبر مبلغ تحصل عليه شركة ناشئة جزائرية خلال شهر واحد على الإطلاق.
على صعيد توزع التمويل على الشركات الناشئة جاءت الإمارات أيضاً بالمركز الأولى بعدد صفقات وصل إلى 24 صفقة تليها مصر بنفس العدد، ثم السعودية بـ12 صفقة.
رغم الحالة التنافسية- الصحية- التي باتت تؤثر على اتجاهات تمويل الشركات الناشئة في الشرق الأوسط وشمال إفريقيا خلال الفترة الماضية إلا المركز الثاني الذي احتلته الأردن جاء عبر تمويل 3 شركات ناشئة أما في حالة الجزائر التي جاءت في المركز الخامس متخلفةً عن السعودية بفارق 5 مليون دولار فقط، فكان التمويل محصوراً بشركة واحدة فقط.
التوزع القطاعي لعدد وحجم صفقات الشركات الناشئة
احتل قطاع التكنولوجيا المالية الذي ينمو باضطراد في السنوات الثلاثة السابقة المركز الأول من حيث عدد الصفقات وحجم التمويل، حيث جمعت الشركات الناشئة العاملة في هذا القطاع على أكثر من 72 مليون دولار، بنسبة نمو عن الشهر فائت تصل لنحو 100%، في المركز الثاني جاء قطاع التكنولوجيا الغذائية بتمويل وصل إلى نحو 44.8 مليون دولار، وهو قطاع أخذ بالنمو بسبب الاهتمام بهذا القطاع من قبل الحكومات والمستثمرين في المنطقة.
مراحل الاستثمار في الشركات الناشئة
بخلاف الأشهر السابقة من هذا العام تركزت صفقات التمويل من حيث مراحل الاستثمار في شهر نوفمبر في صفقات التمويل شركات مسرعة للنمو بواقع 22 صفقة، فيما جاءت مرحلة التمويل الأولي في المركز الثاني بـ15 صفقة يليها صفقات تمويل في مرحلة ما قبل التأسيس بـ14 صفقة.
التوزع الجندري
للشهر الثاني على التوالي يظهر التوزع الجندري ميلاً نحو المزيد من التمويل للشركات الناشئة المؤسسة أو التي تدار من قبل إناث حيث حصلت هذه الشركات في شهر نوفمبر على تمويل يقدر بنحو 14 مليون دولار، بنسبة 5.1% من إجمالي التمويل لشهر نوفمبر، وهو أعلى رقم تحصل عليها الشركات المؤسسة من قبل الإناث لهذا العام، فيما حصلت الشركات الناشئة المؤسسة من فرق مختلة على 54 مليون دولار، بنسبة 18.5% من إجمالي التمويل.
أن المنطقة المغاربية ما زالت بعيدة إلى حد كبير عن تصدر قوائم التمويل للشركات الناشئة في المنطقة لضعف البيئة الاستثمارية الحاضنة للشركات الناشئة من جهة وغياب المبادرات الحكومية التي من شأنها أن تعزز من حركة ونمو الشركات الناشئة في المنطقة.
Jordan-based Hello World Kids, an online coding tutoring platform, has raised an undisclosed pre-Series A funding round to accelerate its expansion into the Saudi market. The round was led by Daam Almonsha'at Holding, Oman Technology Fund (OTF) and saw participation from Vision Ventures.
Founded in 2015 by Hanan Khader, Hello World Kids offers courses in programming, coding courses and science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) for children.
In 2020, the company launched HelloCode, an online interactive platform that offers a coding curriculum for schools.
Beyond Saudi Arabia, the startup will use the newly raised funds to expand into Egypt and Pakistan.
Press release
The Jordanian EdTech company Hello World Kids closes their latest funding round of undisclosed amount. The Pre-Series A round was led by Daam Almonsha'at Holding, Oman Technology Fund, and with participation from Vision Ventures.
Founded in 2015, Hello World Kids aims to develop unique and fun coding education for kids, at home or in class. In 2020, the company launched HelloCode, an online interactive platform that offers coding curricula for schools to arm new generations with crucial skills like problem-solving, analytical thinking, and data analysis, obtained by teaching them text-based coding science in simplified and interesting methods. HelloCode platform is recognized as the biggest Arab community to teach programming for kids.
The Edtech sector is slowly becoming one of the most growing industries within the MENA VC ecosystem. The sector also grabbed the attention of both consumers and investors with the onset of the pandemic. Following a consecutive 4-year growth in funding for the sector, funding in MENA-based EdTech startups has grown by 525% since 2018, raising stellar rounds in 2021 YTD across geographies. One of the top EdTech players this year has been Jordan-based Abwaab, raising $20M by the likes of BECO Capital following its acquisition of Pakistan-based counterpart Edmatrix.
Hanan Khader, founder, and CEO of Hello World Kids started the company out of a strong belief in children's capabilities to accomplish amazing work if they were given the right tools. She decided to help in providing such tools and teach kids programming through HelloCode. She added, "Our mission is to simplify the coding education for kids, that's why we have created a new programming language, which we called SmoothY; a unique programming language specifically designed for children to serve as a transitional bridge to the command-based programming languages. Once children learn SmoothY, they will be capable of reading and writing code using Python, Java, JavaScript, or any other professional programming languages in the world."
Today, Hello World Kids has over 350,000 projects submitted by kids younger than 12 years old, and over 4 million lines of code recorded by children using SmoothY on the platform. Commenting on their investment, Ahmed Diab, The CEO of Yazeed Al-Rajhi & Brothers Holding and Authorized Manager at Da’am Al-Monsha’at Limited Holding said, “We truly believe in the importance of EduTech ventures, and the unique importance of providing the coming generations with the right tools to build their future skill-set. We could see clearly the big ambition to grow the business, in addition to the true passion for making the learning process of programming a joyful journey for our kids. These factors were the main determinants to invest in Hello World Kids, and lead the investment round.”
Maha AlBalushi, Managing Director at Oman Technology Fund added, “In OTF Wadi we are eager to invest in the Ed-tech sector which aligns with Oman 2040 vision and have a myriad of untapped opportunities that are worth exploration and investment. Especially after the Covid-19 pandemic, the EdTech solution grabbed the attention of both the consumers and the investors significantly. Therefore, we are proud to co-lead this round in HWK as we see the right dynamics of the team and a huge potential for expansion and growth.”
Hello World Kids has launched a big awareness campaign targeting the Saudi market with the tagline (Barmej-min-Badri) or (Start-Coding-Early) to emphasize the skills gained by children when they learn coding early, such as creativity, problem-solving, critical thinking, and the positive reflection on the kids' personalities. Kais Al-Essa, Founding Partner and CEO of Vision Ventures commented: “I learned programming relatively early, which have highly improved my problem-solving abilities, creativity and confidence. Investing into Hello World Kids empowers Hanan and her team to build the best tools possible for our kids to learn coding in a simple and fun way so they can improve their lives and their chances at participating actively in building the future.”
Hanan concluded by adding that Hello World Company would also be finalizing a new investment round soon to continue their expansion into the Saudi, Egyptian, and Pakistani markets. The purpose of the current round is to kick off the expansion activities in the Saudi market.
source: Wamda
Stars of Science, the first innovation program in the Arab world - an educational and entertainment TV initiative of Qatar Foundation - enables young Arab innovators to develop technology solutions for their communities with the aim of improving people's well-being, providing investment opportunities in their communities, and advancing sustainable development.
Over the course of 12 weeks, in a race against time, contestants compete to demonstrate the effectiveness of their innovations - solutions to diverse challenges, supported by a team of experienced engineers and product developers.
A panel of experts evaluates the innovations of the participants in this program and excludes the least competitive innovation weekly, within several rounds that include different stages starting from proof of concept, product modeling, and testing, to reach four finalists and compete for a prize of $600,000 USD (special terms and conditions apply program). The final ranking is determined by jury voting and online audience voting.
Stars of Science empowers Arab innovators
The Stars of Science program has a proven track record of empowering young Arab innovators and problem solvers through science, transforming ground-breaking ideas into successful businesses.
Stars of Science serves as an innovation accelerator, as an experiment to promote a culture of innovation, and as a catalyst for social progress across the region.
Stars of Science enhances the entrepreneurship ecosystem across the region.
The program encourages young people between the ages of 15-35 years to sign up via https://www.starsofscience.info/
The Stars of Science program reflects the Arab world's leadership in scientific discovery and innovative thinking, which once again helps make Stars of Science a global leader in innovation. This is in line with Qatar's goal of becoming the preferred destination for innovators in the Arab world.
Stars of Science promotes local and international cooperation that transcends disciplines and borders, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond, where digital transformation has become the basis for dealing across sectors, making virtual collaboration around the world the norm today.
Qatar Foundation's Key Messages
Stars of Science is part of the research, development and innovation ecosystem at Qatar Foundation.
The Stars of Science program is a Qatar Foundation media initiative directed at Arab youth.
Stars of Science reflects Qatar Foundation's commitment to investing in people's capabilities and ideas, helping aspiring innovators succeed, and accelerating innovations that can make a difference in people's lives and create future jobs.
Objectives of communication in the 13th case
Emphasizing that the “Stars of Science” program is an initiative launched by Qatar Foundation, and that the Foundation is the owner of this brand, and that the program reflects the Foundation’s commitment to investing in creative ideas and its support for innovation and entrepreneurship, in addition to the position of “Stars of Science” in Qatar Science and Technology Park and within the ecosystem Research, development and innovation.
Highlight the successes of the program through the achievements of Stars of Science graduates, and the development of an entrepreneurial culture.
80 percent of posts are via digital platforms and 20 percent via traditional media.
Encouraging young creators from the Gulf Cooperation Council, Arab countries and the world to participate in the 14th season of the programme.
Emphasize the status of Stars of Science as a part of Qatar Science and Technology Park.
Priority Topics - Season 13
Effectively rebuilding society after COVID-19, made possible by scientific discoveries and technological capabilities, helps promote healthy living, an eco-friendly economy and comprehensive development.
Focus on the role of Qatar Foundation's innovation ecosystem in the success of Stars of Science graduates.
Focusing on the impact and mission of the "Students for Change" campaign launched by Qatar Foundation and what it represents through the innovators participating in the thirteenth season, in addition to the achievements of the program's graduates.
Continuously increasing the results of past innovations as well as the results of 12 years of operations, networks and partnerships.
أعلن برنامج "نجوم العلوم" عن فتح باب التسجيل للاشتراك في موسمه الـ14 للمبتكرين العرب!
نبذة عن البرنامج
يُمكّن نجوم العلوم، برنامج الابتكار الأول في العالم العربي- وهو مبادرة تلفزيونية تعليمية وترفيهية لمؤسسة قطر- الشباب المبتكرين العرب من تطوير حلول تكنولوجية لمجتمعاتهم بهدف تحسين رفاهية الناس، وتوفير الفرص الاستثمارية في مجتمعاتهم، ودفع عجلة التنمية المستدامة.
على مدى 12 أسبوع، وفي سباق مع الوقت، يتنافس المتسابقون لإظهار فعالية ابتكاراتهم وهي عبارة عن حلول لتحديات متنوعة، يدعمهم في ذلك فريق من المهندسين ذوي الخبرة ومطوّري المنتجات.
تُقيم لجنة من الخبراء ابتكارات المشاركين في هذا البرنامج وتستبعد أسبوعياً الابتكار الأقل تنافسية، وذلك ضمن عدّة جولات تشمل مراحل مختلفة بدءاً من إثبات الفكرة، نمذجة المنتج، واختباره، ليصل أربعة متسابقين إلى التصفيات النهائية ويتنافسوا على جائزة قدرها 600000 دولار أمريكي (تطبق شروط وأحكام خاصة بالبرنامج). يحُدد الترتيب النهائي من خلال تصويت لجنة التحكيم وتصويت الجمهور عبر شبكة الإنترنت.
"نجوم العلوم" يُمكن المبتكرين العرب
يتمتع برنامج "نجوم العلوم" بسجل حافل في تمكين المبتكرين الشباب العرب وحلّ المشكلات عبر العلوم، وتحويل الأفكار الرائد إلى مشاريع وأعمال ناجحة.
يعمل "نجوم العلوم" كمسرّع للابتكار، وكتجربة لتعزيز ثقافة الابتكار، وأيضاً كمحفزّ للتقدّم الاجتماعي عبر المنطقة.
يعزز "نجوم العلوم" النظام الإيكولوجي لريادة الأعمال في جميع أنحاء المنطقة.
يشجع البرنامج الشباب ممن تتراوح أعمارهم بين 15- 35 سنة على الاشتراك عبر https://www.starsofscience.info/ar
يعكس برنامج "نجوم العلوم" ريادة العالم العربي في الاكتشافات العلمية والتفكير الابتكاري، ما يساعد مجدداً على جعل "نجوم العلوم" منصة رائدة عالمياً في مجال الابتكار؛ ويتوافق ذلك مع هدف دولة قطر بأن تصبح الوجهة المفضلة للمبتكرين في العالم العربي.
يُعزز "نجوم العلوم" التعاون المحلي والدولي الذي يتخطّى التخصصات والحدود، خاصة أثناء جائحة كوفيد-19 وما بعدها، حيث أصبح التحول الرقمي أساساً للتعامل عبر القطاعات مما يجعل التعاون الافتراضي في جميع أنحاء العالم هو القاعدة السائدة حالياً.
الرسائل الرئيسية لمؤسسة قطر
نجوم العلوم هو جزء من منظومة البحوث والتطوير والابتكار في مؤسسة قطر.
برنامج نجوم العلوم هو مبادرة إعلامية لمؤسسة قطر موجهة للشباب العربي.
يعكس نجوم العلوم التزام مؤسسة قطر بالاستثمار في قدرات الأفراد وأفكارهم، ومساعدة المبتكرين الطموحين على النجاح، وتسريع الابتكارات التي قد تحدث فرقاً في حياة الناس ويمكن أن توفر وظائف المستقبل.
أهداف التواصل في الموسم الـ13
التأكيد على أن برنامج "نجوم العلوم" هو مبادرة أطلقتها مؤسسة قطر، وأن المؤسسة هي المالك لهذه العلامة التجارية، وأن البرنامج يعكس التزام المؤسسة بالاستثمار في الأفكار الخلاقة ودعمها للابتكار وريادة الأعمال، بالإضافة إلى مكانة "نجوم العلوم" في واحة قطر للعلوم والتكنولوجيا وضمن منظومة البحوث والتطوير والابتكار.
إبراز نجاحات البرنامج من خلال إنجازات خريجي "نجوم العلوم"، وتطوّر ثقافة ريادة الأعمال.
80 في المائة من المشاركات تتم عبر المنصات الرقمية و20 في المائة عبر الوسائط التقليدية.
تشجيع المبدعين الشباب من دول مجلس التعاون الخليجي والدول العربية والعالم على المشاركة في الموسم 14 من البرنامج.
التأكيد على مكانة نجوم العلوم كجزء من واحة قطر للعلوم والتكنولوجيا.
موضوعات ذات أولوية- خاص بالموسم 13
إعادة بناء المجتمع بشكل فعال بعد كوفيد- 19 والتي أصبحت ممكنة بفضل الاكتشافات العلمية والإمكانيات التكنولوجية، ما يساعد على تعزيز الحياة الصحية والاقتصاد الصديق للبيئة والتنمية الشاملة.
التركيز على دور منظومة الابتكار الخاصة بمؤسسة قطر في نجاح خريجي نجوم العلوم.
التركيز على أثر حملة "طلاب التغيير" التي أطلقتها مؤسسة قطر ورسالتها وما تمثله من خلال المبتكرين المشاركين في الموسم الثالث عشر، بالإضافة إلى إنجازات خريجي البرنامج.
الزيادة المستمرة لنتائج الابتكارات الماضية بالإضافة إلى نتائج 12 عاماً من العمليات والشبكات والشراكات.
Riyadh-based fintech Lamaa has secured a $5.5 million Seed round led by Raed Ventures and Saudi Aramco’s entrepreneurship arm, Wa’ed.
Founded in 2021 by Sumeet Khutal, Lamaa provides financing solutions such as Supply Chain Finance & B2B buy now pay later for SMEs with the aim to create more efficient working capital management for suppliers.
The newly acquired funding we enable Lamaa to start offering B2B BNPL and expand its services into Egypt, UAE and Qatar.
Press release:
Lamaa, a Riyadh-based fintech startup that provides invoice financing solutions for SMEs, has announced one of the largest seed rounds in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
The $5.5 million seed round of Lamaa is being led by Raed Ventures and Saudi Aramco’s entrepreneurship arm Wa’ed.
Lamaa provides financing solutions such as Supply Chain Finance & B2B Buy Now Pay Later for SMEs with the aim to create more efficient working capital management for suppliers and maximise return on the treasury for corporate, in line with Vision 2030 to enable and digitalise SMEs and raise their contribution to 35 per cent of GDP by 2030.
“Since our initial launch in March 2021, Lamaa has gathered significant traction with over 100 corporate clients in the pipeline and a projection of over $1 billion dollars worth of invoices to be soon launched in Lamaa’s marketplace,” Sumeet Khutale, founder and CEO of Lamaa said.
“In addition to supply chain finance, we will soon start offering B2B Buy Now Pay Later which would be the first of its kind offering in the region. We also plan to expand in Egypt, UAE and Qatar in the next few months.”
Established in early 2021 by Sumeet Khutale, who has recently relocated from London to Riyadh and who has extensive experience in Investment Banking Technology and Cloud banking with Global consulting companies such as Barclays Capital and JP Morgan, Lamaa seeks to address available funding gaps for SMEs whose size presents a challenge in obtaining credit risk ratings, having a direct impact on their cashflow.
"What excites us about Lamaa is that it’s a great platform to empower SMEs in Saudi Arabia, and it's managed by a well-experienced team led by Sumeet," founding partner at Raed Ventures Omar Almajdouie stated.
"For Lamaa, creating tremendous value from already-available cash will generate a win-win scenario in almost every transaction."
Lamaa’s market potential in MENA is huge; the region’s GDP is $3 trillion, 30 per cent of which at least is attributed to SMEs. In parallel, 22 per cent of Saudi’s current GDP ($700 billion) comes from SMEs.
source: wamda
