Led · Seed · Jan 2026

Woliz has built a software platform that links small neighborhood merchants directly with suppliers and financial institutions, giving them digital capabilities usually reserved for large supermarket chains. Through the Woliz app, shopkeepers can place stock orders, automatically record sales, and generate verifiable income data that banks can use when assessing loan applications. The system is underpinned by artificial intelligence to streamline ordering and credit-scoring workflows. Having just secured $2.2 million in pre-seed funding, the company will expand its team and accelerate merchant onboarding across additional Moroccan cities. Founder and CEO Kamal El Hardouzi also intends to replicate the model in other African markets that share similar retail infrastructure challenges, though no launch dates have been set. This financing marks Woliz’s first disclosed round and positions it to compete head-to-head with regional players such as Chari, which are also racing to digitize the informal retail sector.