News

Egypt’s Tech Startup OneOrder Raises $3M In Funding

Investors have now injected a total of $10.5 million into the Egypt-based catering logistics firm.

Published

2 years ago

December 6, 2022

Nour Nasir

OneOrder

OneOrder, the Egyptian catering logistics and technology startup, has just raised another $3 million after a recent round of funding, with a view to boosting the firm’s core technology offering and upgrading in-house operations.

The latest funding round was led by Nclude, an investment platform that describes itself as an “Innovation Engine powered by tech startups”, as well as venture capital firm A15, and delivery giant Delivery Hero.

The fresh capital injection will help boost OneOrder’s in-house operations, improve sales and market share, and allow the firm to recruit top talent and improve its proprietary technology. In addition, OneOrder will now be able to scale its offline operations, expanding its network of warehouses further across Egypt and the MENA region.

“Aside from improving efficiency, we are reducing costs and impacting restaurants’ bottom lines. Joined by prominent global investors with deep knowledge and extensive expertise in our sector, we look forward to our next phase of rapid growth,” says Tamer Amer, co-founder and chief executive of OneOrder.

Also Read: Hub71’s Startup Ecosystem Now Boasts Over 200 Members

OneOrder has only been in existence since October 2021 and has already made a name for itself by using technology to address the inefficiencies faced by restaurants when sourcing supplies. The company’s platform allows restaurants to interact with a fragmented supplier base to efficiently source their supplies, such as meat, vegetables and catering equipment.

In Egypt, OneOrder has a potential market of 400,000 restaurants with an aggregate annual spend of $40 billion. Due to non-integrated supply chains, these businesses spend between 6-7% of their revenue to ensure logistical stability, so the future certainly looks interesting for this prominent startup.

News

Viasat Satellite Messaging Tech Showcased In Saudi Arabia

The direct-to-device (D2D) demonstration highlighted the technology’s potential to revolutionize remote communication.

Published

3 days ago

November 28, 2024

Nour Nasir

viasat satellite messaging tech showcased in saudi arabia

Satellite communications firm Viasat announced yesterday that it had completed its first demonstration of direct-to-device (D2D) satellite connectivity technology in Saudi Arabia. The live broadcast took place during the “Connecting the World from the Skies” event in Riyadh, organized by Saudi Arabia’s Communications, Space & Technology Commission (CST) alongside the International Telecommunication Union (ITU).

Attendees witnessed successful satellite-based two-way messaging and SOS alerts sent using commercial Android smartphones and a combination of Viasat’s robust L-band satellite network and the Bullitt over-the-top messaging app. Signals were transmitted using the company’s L-band spacecraft positioned over the Indian Ocean, while the infrastructure for 3GPP NTN services was deployed by Viasat’s partner Skylo.

Sandeep Moorthy, Viasat’s Chief Technical Officer, emphasized the significance of the demonstration, explaining, “By expanding our direct-to-device innovation to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, we’re showcasing the potential for D2D services in the fast-growing Gulf and Asia-Pacific region. D2D could help reduce barriers to connectivity in regions where terrestrial services are spotty and unavailable to help transform industries and supply chains, enable new opportunities, and to become more efficient, sustainable and safer. We’d like to thank the CST for their support in carrying out this exciting demonstration”.

Also Read: Joby Begins Construction Of Dubai’s First Vertiport For Air Taxis

D2D technology allows devices like smartphones, vehicles, and industrial equipment to connect seamlessly to both satellite and terrestrial networks. Unlike traditional satellite setups, D2D eliminates the need for extra hardware, thanks to emerging global standards that are gaining traction among satellite operators, mobile network providers, and tech manufacturers.

What makes this approach particularly promising is that Viasat uses a licensed, dedicated satellite spectrum to deliver its D2D services. This avoids any interference with existing terrestrial networks, allowing smooth integration with mobile network operators in the future.

The demonstration clearly showed the potential of D2D technology to bridge connectivity gaps in remote regions while opening up opportunities for innovation, improved safety, sustainability, and efficiency.