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The Cloud Secures $12M For GCC And European Expansion

The startup is affiliated with Abu Dhabi’s Hub71, and has ambitious plans to evolve the global food tech sector.

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the cloud secures $12 million for gcc and european expansion
The Cloud

The Cloud, a startup in the food technology sector affiliated with Abu Dhabi’s Hub71, has revealed the successful initial closure of its Series B funding round, securing $12 million out of its total target of $30 million with the help of Aluna Partners and a fresh investment from MENA Moonshots.

The Cloud has also initiated a strategic takeover of KBOX, a leading food tech startup based in the UK. The move gives The Cloud access to an additional 200 UK establishments, and the firm also has ambitious plans to reshape the virtual dining domain across the UAE, the broader GCC region, and Europe.

georges karam ceo the cloud

Georges Karam, CEO of The Cloud, was enthusiastic about the funding round, stating: “Our Series B funding and the KBOX acquisition reinforce our position as innovators in the global food tech landscape. Having raised a total of $22 million, we are now focused on enhancing our market presence in the UAE and beyond”.

Meanwhile, Stefano Sciacca, Managing Director at Aluna Partners, added, “The online food delivery market is a megatrend that is here to stay. We believe that The Cloud will gain significant market share in the UK market through the acquisition of KBOX. Having looked at many food tech business models, we believe The Cloud is emerging as a global market leader and are excited to support such a fast-growing venture”.

Also Read: Fintech In The UAE Is Set To Add $900 Per Capita By 2030

The additional capital secured from the Series B financing will play a pivotal role in expediting growth for The Cloud, which already boasts a strong presence in seven countries and 91 cities, coupled with aspirations to extend to 8,000 locations by the close of 2027.

The Cloud is now on course for a dual listing in Abu Dhabi and Riyadh, heralding a new phase of expansion for the virtual chain in the EMEA region. As the company progresses along this growth trajectory, it remains committed to revolutionizing the global dining landscape, empowering restaurateurs, and setting new standards for excellence and innovation in the food sector.

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LUVED Is A New Curated Preloved Marketplace For The UAE

Sellers keep 100 percent of every sale and AI can build a listing in five seconds — though the app’s smartest tools are still coming.

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luved is a new curated preloved marketplace for the uae

Secondhand shopping has become mainstream in the UAE, but the experience is still scattered across resale sites, social media and informal group chats. LUVED, a mobile-first marketplace that launched in Dubai this month, is betting it can pull that activity into one place — and that the thing buyers and sellers actually want is not more inventory, but trust.

The app trades in what it calls circular luxury: preloved fashion and lifestyle pieces across men’s, women’s and children’s categories, bought, sold or given away peer to peer. Its main pitch is economics, with sellers keeping 100 percent of every sale under a zero-commission, fast payout model, while buyers are promised vetted pieces at lower prices.

Where LUVED is staking its reputation is verification. Sellers pass a KYC check, and items run through a two-layer authentication system powered by Entrupy that pairs instant AI screening with human expert review for high-value pieces. Authenticity certificates travel with each item, payments sit in escrow, and a buyer-protection package the company calls The Safety Net adds a 48-hour return window and dispute resolution. Door-to-door logistics removes the in-person meetups that make most resale deals awkward.

An in-app assistant called Luvbot — offering selling insights and demand-based recommendations — is soon to be introduced to the platform. Other features include autofill and dynamic pricing that lets users build a listing in as little as five seconds from three photos, plus a swipe-based feed, story-style drops and in-app chat in English and Arabic. Finally, a gifting layer, Luved & Gifted, lets users pass items to others inside the app rather than sell them.

Also Read: Logitech’s New Folding Mouse Is Designed For Work On The Go

“After moving to Dubai, I saw how difficult it was to sell or even give things away,” says founder and CEO Shaima Sibtain. The friction is real, and so is the competition. In resale, trust is won transaction by transaction — and that is the test LUVED has set itself.

The app is live on the App Store now, with Google Play to follow. The company also plans to expand across the region, which will be the real test for a marketplace staking everything on trust.

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