Funding Secured for Alaan (UAE), Salasa (Saudi Arabia), and Wuilt (Egypt) Startups

Funding Secured for Alaan (UAE), Salasa (Saudi Arabia), and Wuilt (Egypt) Startups

Wuilt, an Egyptian e-commerce enablement platform, has announced its plans to expand its free website and e-store builder across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. The expansion begins with a launch in the UAE in Q4 2025, followed by rollouts in GCC countries and Turkey by Q1 2026.

After pivoting in April 2021, Wuilt started monetizing through value-added services such as Wuilt Shipments, Wuilt Pay, and Wuilt Wallet. The recent $2 million funding round, led by Flat6Labs and MTF VC, will be used to scale operations and launch these free platforms in the targeted regions.

Since shifting to a completely free core platform, Wuilt has seen rapid merchant adoption with over 20,000 merchants joining since the change. The company is also developing AI-powered tools to help merchants manage and scale their businesses.

Key Points About Wuilt

• Funding and Expansion: The funding aims to support regional expansion and platform development.
• Free Platform Launch: The UAE launch is scheduled for Q4 2025, with GCC nations and Turkey rollout planned for Q1 2026.
• Business Model Shift: The company has transitioned to a completely free core platform, eliminating subscription fees to drive adoption.
• Monetization: The focus is on ecosystem services like logistics, payments, and digital wallets for revenue.
• Technology Development: Wuilt is building AI-powered merchant tools to aid business management and growth.
• Market Positioning: The platform targets small merchants, social sellers, and informal businesses traditionally excluded due to cost and complexity.

This positions Wuilt as a foundational infrastructure layer for digital commerce in MENA, aiming for broad inclusion and scalability over immediate profits.

Other Developments in the MENA Region

• Deep.SA, a Saudi-based artificial intelligence startup, raised $1.2 million in a pre-seed funding round led by Tam Development and Raed Ventures. The startup is developing advanced AI solutions for Saudi businesses.
• Salasa, an Iraq-based logistics aggregator, secured $30 million in a Series B funding round led by Artal Capital. Salasa offers end-to-end logistics services, including warehousing, inventory management, last-mile delivery, bonded zones, and cross-border shipping.
• RIFD, a Saudi Arabian SME receivables securitization platform, received strategic investment from global early-stage venture capital firm Antler. RIFD facilitates institutional financing for SME suppliers by securitizing receivables from large, creditworthy corporations.
• Alaan, a UAE-based B2B fintech, raised $48 million in a Series A funding round led by Peak XV Partners. The company provides businesses with card issuance, automated data extraction, and consolidation services.
• Suplyd, an Egyptian procurement solutions platform for restaurants, raised $1.6 million in a pre-seed round in 2022. The firm plans to use the fresh funding to develop new services and deepen its footprint across Egypt.
• Iraq-based logistics aggregator Boxy closed a $1.5 million pre-seed round from EQIQ. Founded in 2024 by Ahmed Baqer and Mehrshad Pezeshk, the company aims to streamline Iraq's fragmented last-mile delivery sector by integrating couriers into a unified shipping platform.

These developments highlight the growing investment and innovation in the MENA region's digital commerce and logistics sectors.

[1] Wuilt Press Release [2] Flat6Labs Press Release [3] MTF VC Press Release [4] Arab News Article [5] Wamda Article

1. As Wuilt expands its free website and e-store builder across the MENA region, it aims to leverage technology and finance ecosystem services for revenue while positioning itself as a foundational infrastructure layer for digital commerce.
2. Amid the growth in digital commerce and logistics sectors in the MENA region, other notable developments include a Saudi AI startup's pre-seed funding for advanced AI solutions, the $30 million Series B round for an Iraqi logistics aggregator, and a strategic investment for a Saudi Arabian SME receivables securitization platform, highlighting the region's increasing focus on finance and lifestyle innovations.

Read also: