News

Kuwait’s Raha Is An E-Grocery And Logistics Tech Startup

The company has already raised $7 million and plans to secure further funding to fuel GCC growth.

Published

1 year ago

January 2, 2024

Nour Nasir

Raha

Launched in 2022, Raha, a Kuwaiti e-grocery and logistics startup founded by Saleh Al Tunaib, plans to disrupt the local food delivery sector using a mixture of advanced robotics and automation.

Raha offers a full range of fresh produce, groceries, and other household essentials. The company’s smart ordering platform leverages user data to provide a personalized experience, while a robot fulfillment team manages a mixture of products and made-to-order recipes inside Kuwait’s first fully automated distribution center.

Despite upfront costs, the robot-operated systems have better profitability margins from the third year onwards compared to conventional labor-intensive sorting and picking systems, Al Tunaib says: “it saves on manpower, it saves you the amount of real estate you require […] and it’s also very energy efficient”.

Saleh Al Tunaib began his career in Kuwait in 2010 and co-founded the crowdfunding platform Jaribha in 2011. By 2013, Al Tunaib was working at the OnCost Cash and Carry chain of grocery stores and had risen to the position of chief executive by 2016.

Also Read: Mobile Trends Shaping MENA In 2024

Due to changing habits in the wake of the pandemic, the MENA online grocery market is currently booming and was valued at $4.5 billion last year. The sector is forecast to grow massively by 2030, reaching a peak of $25 billion, according to consultancy firm RedSeer.

Since the launch, Raha has raised nearly $14 in seed funding and grown to become a multi-sector technology provider. The startup now has its sights firmly set on further GCC expansion.

News

Will Upcoming Changes Turn Instagram Into A TikTok Clone?

Updates are rolling out for the grid layout and Reels length, while new editing tools clearly imitate those of the rival Chinese platform.

Published

7 hours ago

January 24, 2025

Nour Nasir

Instagram

Instagram recently faced backlash for swapping its iconic square grid for rectangles, disrupting the aesthetic of thousands of carefully curated profiles. However, the Meta-owned platform isn’t stopping there, after announcing more incoming TikTok-like changes designed to give users greater control over their profiles.

“We launched a new tall grid on profiles this week and I got a lot of feedback, both positive and quite negative,” Instagram head Adam Mosseri shared in an Instagram caption on Monday. “The goal is a simpler, cleaner place that maintains, and even increases, creator control”.

Here are some of the details about further changes we can expect:

Customizable Grids: Users will soon be able to tweak how their posts appear on the grid, including adjusting image crops and reordering posts entirely.
Direct-To-Grid Posts: A new option will allow users to post directly to their profile grid without automatically adding it to their main feed.
Highlights Relocation: Instagram’s Highlights feature will move from above the grid into a dedicated tab, while also becoming part of the profile grid itself.
Longer Reels: Reels are getting a significant upgrade, with the maximum video length jumping from 90 seconds to 3 minutes.

The updates are part of Instagram’s ongoing effort to compete with TikTok, which narrowly avoided a US ban following a 75-day delay granted by President Donald Trump. With the Chinese video platform’s future remaining uncertain, Instagram seems eager to capture disillusioned users by offering features that feel increasingly similar to those of its rival.

Also Read: How To Find & Cancel Pending Instagram Requests

In fact, Instagram’s recent changes go beyond just the app’s layout: On Sunday, parent company Meta launched the standalone Edits app, a clear imitation of TikTok’s popular video-editing tool, CapCut. Additionally, Meta has been enticing creators with cash bonuses to encourage them to post their videos on Instagram and Facebook.

It’s clear Instagram is shifting its strategy to appeal to the short-form video crowd. Whether these changes will win over users or continue to spark discontent remains to be seen.