Led · Seed · Apr 2023

Intellia operates a project delivery platform that engages vetted remote talent from emerging markets to provide finance, strategy and public policy advisory. The company uses AI-powered vetting and training and says its on-demand analysts can be deployed within 24 hours. It claims clients can save up to 80% on recruiting and advisory budgets by using its analysts. Intellia launched out of Dubai in 2020 and is led by founder and CEO Saad Raja. The startup reports that half of its analysts are female and frames its mission around building frontier markets as knowledge economies aligned with ESG principles. It plans to expand operations to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia and Lagos, Nigeria next month.

Participated · Seed · Jul 2022

DealCart operates a social-commerce, gamified platform to bring low-cost everyday necessities to consumers. The company partners with regionally produced brands and sources products directly from manufacturers to reduce costs. It targets low- and middle-class Pakistani households who spend a large share of income on necessities, and younger, digitally savvy shoppers who favor online purchasing. DealCart raised $3 million in seed funding to expand reach and make essentials more affordable and accessible. The funding is intended to help the company scale, fill market gaps in Pakistan’s underdeveloped e-commerce sector, and increase digital transactions. The article cites Pakistan’s inflation above 30% in 2023 and the State Bank of Pakistan’s RAAST instant payment platform as contextual factors that could affect the company’s growth. DealCart is a social-commerce platform enabling price-conscious Pakistani consumers to join or create group buys that unlock lower prices when a purchase threshold (usually about four people) is met within 24 hours. The app emphasizes social sharing—primarily via WhatsApp—and gamification features such as progress updates, referral credits, spin-the-wheel promotions and lucky draws to drive engagement and lower customer acquisition costs. DealCart sources products directly from manufacturers and local brands, purchases and warehouses inventory, and offers same-day delivery for group buys (delivered by 11 p.m.). Available items include staples like cooking oil, rice, wheat, pulses, tea, milk, baby formula, diapers, beverages, produce and household care products. The founders say the target market already spends upwards of 50% of household income on groceries; DealCart reports $1.1M in annual recurring revenue. The startup plans to use new funding to build its tech and product teams and to grow its brand while focusing on sustainable, tech-driven growth rather than aggressive discounting.

Participated · Equity · Jun 2022

Rider builds a network of sorting hubs, delivery centers and a digitized fleet to enable online sellers to offer next-day delivery with route optimization, live tracking and scheduling. Founded in 2019 by former UPS Pakistan executive Salman Allana, the company runs 16 hubs covering 60 cities and has delivered 3 million parcels, claiming coverage of roughly 60% of Pakistan’s e-commerce demand. Since its September 2021 pre-seed round, Rider says monthly revenues have grown 110% and its customer base has doubled to 650 online sellers. Its delivery center model uses mobile warehouses, pre-sorted vans and flexible spaces in mall parking lots, petrol stations and potentially kirana stores to adapt as high-volume zones shift. Rider is piloting B2B overland trucking and plans to invest in in-house technology like plug-ins and built-in wallets to help largely women-owned SMEs scale. The company acknowledges logistics is a cash-burning sector and is focused on proving its last-mile solutions are operationally and financially sustainable before expanding into other verticals. Founded in 2019, Rider provides last-mile delivery services to e-commerce retailers in Pakistan via a tech-enabled logistics platform. Its tech stack includes route optimization software, live tracking, live scheduling, and automated warehousing, alongside offerings like 24-hour cash repayment and one-day delivery lead times. Rider operates a fleet of over 500 drivers across 80 cities and claims to have delivered 1.5 million parcels to date with a 93% success rate. Its clients include top online retailers in Pakistan such as Khaadi and Daraz. The company uses in-house delivery agent behavioral analysis and geo-tagging to reduce fake delivery attempts and improve delivery outcomes. Rider plans to expand its offerings and presence to cover all of Pakistan and build an end-to-end e-commerce logistics solution.

Participated · Series A · Apr 2022

Abhi is a company that recently secured new financing. The article does not reveal the firm’s industry, product line, or business model. No details are provided on its user base, revenue, or other key operating metrics. The company’s year of founding, headquarters, and leadership team are also not mentioned. The only concrete information available is that it has obtained additional capital, suggesting a need to fund growth or extend runway. Beyond the funding headline, no future plans or strategic initiatives are described.

Led · Series A · Apr 2022

Fasset operates a stablecoin-powered banking and payments platform that moves money across more than 50 corridors spanning Asia, Africa and the Middle East. The company serves over 1,000 small and medium-sized businesses across 125 countries and processes more than $32 billion in annualized transaction volume. It emphasizes Shariah-compliant digital banking and custody, and has built proprietary infrastructure branded as "Own Network" for stablecoin payments. Fasset has launched product partnerships such as a gold-backed neobanking card tied to tokenized assets with USDT issuer Tether. With the $51 million Series B, the firm plans to expand into new markets and develop lending and trade finance products for its SME customers. The company positions itself as part of a wave of fintechs rebuilding cross-border payments on blockchain and dollar-backed stablecoin rails.