Led · Equity · Mar 2024

Ahlan App is a Bahrain-based delivery platform and loyalty programme founded in 2021 that offers dine-in, pick-up, and home delivery while rewarding patrons with cashback directly on the platform. The company has served over 200,000 clients, onboarded more than 1,400 vendors, and has rewarded users with over $10 million in cashback credit to date. Ahlan provides listed vendors with analytics and actionable insights to help optimize delivery operations, cut costs, and improve customer satisfaction. With the new funding, Ahlan plans to grow its market share and expand its existing offerings. The company is also exploring tech products to support the F&B industry, including point-of-sale solutions and other B2B platforms. Hope Ventures intends to use its regional network and resources to help Ahlan accelerate growth into new markets and forge strategic partnerships.

Led · Equity · Mar 2024

Fabric Aid, founded by Omar Itani (Co‑Founder and General Manager), operates a socially and environmentally focused apparel value chain that collects, sorts, upcycles and resells second‑hand clothing. The company partners with socially conscious and sustainable brands to make decent clothing more affordable while minimizing environmental and social harm. Fabric Aid’s mission emphasizes both accessibility and sustainability across the apparel lifecycle. The team announced a successful fundraising milestone achieved on the Beban TV show, which the company says will propel its mission and growth plans. The article highlights Fabric Aid’s role as a social enterprise addressing waste and affordability in the fashion sector. No operating metrics (revenue/users) were provided in the article.

Led · Equity · Mar 2024

Glamera, co-founded by Mohamed Hassan and Omar Fathy, provides an all-in-one SaaS platform that powers and supplies lifestyle service providers. The company participated in the Beban entrepreneurship TV show, where its founders received bootcamp training and mentorship from industry experts to prepare their pitch. Glamera raised $350,000 through a co-investment supported by the show. The funding came with involvement from Hope Ventures, the investment arm of Hope Fund, and Saudi investors Mr. Fahad AlRajhi and Dr. Khalid Altawil. Company leadership has said the Beban support was crucial to the success of the fundraising and expressed commitment to transforming their industry locally. No operating metrics or valuation details were disclosed in the article. Glamera provides an all-in-one SaaS platform and B2B2C marketplace for beauty and lifestyle service providers such as salons, barber shops, spas, gyms and makeup artists. Its software helps providers reduce wasted products and booking friction, manage their businesses remotely, and attract users through marketing tools. Founded in 2020 and headquartered in Riyadh, Glamera has expanded across Saudi cities including Riyadh, Jeddah, Dammam, Taif, Qassim, Madina and Tabuk, and into Cairo and Alexandria in Egypt. The company plans to continue developing and launching new services and to expand further into GCC markets. Management says it has validated market need and targets working with 2,500+ clients and achieving $500M GMV by the end of 2023, aligning with Saudi digital transformation goals per CEO Mohamed Hassan.

Led · Seed · Feb 2024

Thiqa Tutoring is an edtech platform offering tutoring services across the United Arab Emirates with a focus on quality supervision, end-to-end management, and personalized consultations. The company was co-founded by Hamdan Karmustaji (CTO) and Omar Bakri. Three months after filming the Beban episode the team exceeded 100 employees, reflecting rapid operational growth. Thiqa emphasizes quality and innovation in private tutoring and reports a positive impact on students and teachers. The company is positioned to expand its market presence and to leverage public-private partnerships showcased through the Beban program. Financially, the firm announced a $300,000 investment led by Hope Ventures with co-investment from Beban and private sector investors.

Led · Equity · Feb 2024

Right Calories is a Bahrain-based healthy-restaurant that offers precisely calculated nutrition and high-quality, reasonably priced meals through A La Carte service, meal planning & prep, and catering. The company raised $265,000 from Hope Ventures through the Beban TV show’s sixth episode. Beban provided a bootcamp and specialized training for participants prior to pitching on the show. Founder Abdulla Sulaibeekh said the experience helped develop the business and that Right Calories aims to expand across the GCC and cater to all age categories. Hope Ventures, the investment division of Hope Fund, backed the company and emphasizes providing strategic capital alongside a network of public and private partners and local industry mentors to accelerate market expansion.