News

UAE Startup Dukkantek Raises $10 Million In Funding

The digital storefront management platform for retailers hopes to expand its service to North Africa after a successful round of funding.

Published

4 years ago

August 16, 2022

Nour Nasir

uae startup dukkantek raises $10 million funding

A technology startup in the United Arab Emirates, known as Dukkantek, has recently raised $10 million in funding, helping the company to get closer to its aim of expanding into new markets and improving core technologies.

The latest round of funding, which venture capital company Beco Capital led, included additional participation from Colle Capital, Rocketship, Comma Capital, Chaos Ventures, AMK Investment Office, and Wamda Capital.

The funding boost will help Dukkantek more easily expand globally by improving the firm’s technology and enabling them to hire more talent. The store management platform raised $5.2 million last October, taking the total investment figure to $15.2 million.

“We are pleased to have witnessed an exponential growth of our company as we provide a technological solution to SME businesses across the world. This second round of funding comes at the perfect time as we are looking to explore growth in additional markets, increase our team size and further advance our technology,” says Dukkantek co-founder, Sanad Yaghi.

Dukkantek was founded in January 2021 and provides a digital storefront management platform that allows retailers to offer advanced point of sale systems that can be accessed online from any location in the world, using the power of cloud computing.

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The Middle East’s eCommerce market is expected to reach $49 billion by 2025, representing a 55% increase from 2021, with the United Arab Emirates alone forecast to grow 60% to more than $8 billion by 2025.

“Launching seven countries in 18 short months since founding is no easy feat, yet the Dukkantek team has managed to do it in such a seamless and capital-efficient manner,” says Abdulaziz Al Sagha, venture partner at Beco Capital.

Dukkantek, named after the Arabic word for corner shop, already supports 13 million small and medium-sized businesses across the Middle East and soon hopes to expand operations to North Africa.

News

Syria Just Got Its First Super App Featuring Built-In Digital Payments

Built by UAE-based Syrian founders with the Ministry of Tourism’s backing, My Syria lands as visitor numbers more than double.

Published

5 days ago

August 1, 2026

Nour Nasir

syria just got its first super app featuring built-in digital payments

For most of the past decade, paying for anything in Syria with an international card was effectively impossible. Sanctions, a collapsed banking sector, and years of isolation left the country running on cash. That is what makes the launch of My Syria — the country’s first super app — more than a routine product announcement.

Developed by 121 Living, a company founded by four UAE-based Syrian entrepreneurs — Rami Kaiem, Feras Kaiem, Waseem Qudmani, and Kinan Madi — the app launched in Damascus on July 30 under the patronage of Minister of Tourism Mazen Al-Salhani. It bundles hotels, restaurants, transport, attractions, food delivery, and other lifestyle services into a single platform, currently offering eight services with plans to expand to more than 40 verified tourism and hospitality providers across the country.

Although the app already sounds enticing, the headline feature is its built-in payments. My Syria is the first platform in Syria to support cross-border digital payments through Apple Pay, Google Pay, Visa, Mastercard, and American Express — familiar tools for international visitors, and a route into the digital economy for local businesses that have long operated outside it.

my syria super app launch event

The launch rides on a sharp rebound for the troubled country. Syria’s tourism sector recorded 3.52 million visitor arrivals in the first half of 2026, a 111 percent increase over the 1.67 million during the same period in 2025 — a mix of returning expatriates, regional visitors, and international tourists.

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The Ministry of Tourism, which supported and supervised the app’s development, frames the launch as proof of concept for a wider strategy. “Digital transformation is one of the Ministry’s strategic priorities because it enables us to build a more competitive, connected and investment-ready tourism sector,” Al-Salhani said, inviting technology companies “globally, regionally and locally” to explore opportunities across the wider economy.

For 121 Living, this is phase one, with additional services and expanded geographic coverage planned. Whether a super app can flourish in a market still rebuilding its infrastructure is an open question, but for the first time in years, a visitor to Damascus can pay for dinner with their phone.