News

eCommerce Fashion Platform Namshi Acquired By Noon

The deal worth $335 million will consolidate the region’s eCommerce market by bringing together two of the largest online retailers.

Published

2 years ago

August 22, 2022

Nour Nasir

Noon

Emaar, Dubai’s premiere real estate developer, has revealed that it will be selling off ownership rights to the eCommerce fashion platform Namshi, which it has owned outright since 2019, after purchasing a 51% stake back in 2017.

Namshi is being acquired by rival company Noon, who will pay $335.2 million for the acquisition, a price set by an independent valuer and approved via Dubai’s Securities & Commodities Authority. The figure represents a hefty profit for Emaar, who paid $281 in total for full ownership of the company.

“The company would like to announce that its board of directors has, in principle, approved the sale of Namshi to Noon (subject to the approval of the Noon board of directors). Detailed information will be disclosed once the approval of Noon’s board is received formally,” says Ahmad Thani Rashed Al Matrooshi, board member at Emaar.

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The move will considerably consolidate the region’s eCommerce space, as Noon and Namshi are two of the biggest online retailers in the United Arab Emirates, with shopping giant Amazon taking the top spot.

Noon was founded in 2017 by Mohamed Alabbar, the founder of Emaar properties, along with help from Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund. The sale is the second major investment switch for Emaar, who recently bought a stake in the Dubai Creek Harbour development for a massive $2 billion.

News

Paymob Extends Series B Funding To $72M Amid Continued Growth

The financial services provider has secured an extra $22 million after strong performance in its core market of Egypt.

Published

18 hours ago

September 12, 2024

Nour Nasir

paymob extends series b funding to $72 million amid continued growth

Leading financial services provider Paymob has secured an additional $22 million in a funding extension, bringing its Series B total to $72 million.

The funding was spearheaded by EBRD Venture Capital, with support from Endeavor Catalyst. Existing backers such as PayPal Ventures, BII, FMO, A15, Nclude, and Helios Digital Ventures also participated, reaffirming their confidence in Paymob’s business model and potential in the regional fintech industry.

This extension comes on the back of Paymob’s strong performance in its core market of Egypt, where it has experienced 6x revenue growth since the initial Series B in Q2 2022. With the Series B extension and continued profitability in Egypt, Paymob is well-positioned to further its expansion strategy across the MENA region.

Islam Shawky, Co-founder and CEO of Paymob, commented: “We are very excited by our strong prospects in Egypt – where we hold a market-leading position – and the significant traction experienced in the UAE since launching operations there. This funding will help Paymob fully capitalize on the momentum in our established markets, as we accelerate our GCC roll-out. We remain committed to creating cutting-edge infrastructure enabling SMEs across the region to thrive in the digital economy and are proud of our continued impact”.

Also Read: Zoho Expands Qatar Operations & Releases New Survey Data

The expansion into GCC markets has been driven by Paymob’s initial Series B funding of $50 million, raised in 2022 and led by Kora Capital, PayPal Ventures, and Clay Point. The investment fueled Paymob’s growth, allowing it to launch its mobile app in 2023 and grow its merchant base by 3.5 times, now serving nearly 350,000 merchants across MENA.

Paymob has also expanded its payment acceptance suite to offer 50 payment methods through its gateway, POS terminals, and the Paymob app, providing the region’s most comprehensive fintech solution. The company recently introduced embedded checkout services for Shopify and WooCommerce, further demonstrating its commitment to empowering small and medium businesses across the region.