Qlub Bags $30M to Drive Global Expansion of Its Mobile Payment Platform

Malaz Madani

Last updated 21-07-2025

3 min

Qlub in UAE secured $30 million, led by Shorooq and Cherry Ventures.

Their mobile tech streamlines ordering and payment in restaurants without downloading an app.

Since 2021, Qlub has expanded to countries like UAE, Qatar, Brazil, and Australia.

They've raised nearly $72 million, with Cherry Ventures repeatedly backing them.

With global ambitions, Qlub's international team aims to transform the hospitality sector.

It looks like Qlub, based out of the UAE, has managed to secure a fresh investment of $30 million—no small beans in today’s market. The funding round came together with Shorooq and Cherry Ventures leading the charge, while Mubadala, e&, and China’s Legend Capital threw their hats in the ring as well. Not the sort of investors you find lurking about every corner, if you ask me.

For those not in the know, Qlub offers tech solutions that allow people in restaurants to browse menus, place orders and pay—all straight from their mobiles. Nothing fancy to download, just scan and you’re off. I’ve always felt that the traditional way of waiting for the bill is a bit of a faff, so it’s spot on for busy diners (and, well... impatient eaters like myself).

The company has been on a real sprint since launching in 2021. Qlub’s platform is now operational in a diverse list of countries—think UAE, Saudi, Qatar, Kuwait, Brazil, Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia, and Australia. Quite the world tour, isn’t it? The team says this latest bag of cash will go into beefing up their local presence and pushing for more global expansion. Makes sense—if you’re onto something hot, best not to sit on your hands.

What’s really interesting is that this isn’t Qlub’s first rodeo. They nabbed $17 million in 2022 and another $25 million last year—both in seed rounds, mind—so their total fundraising to date is edging close to $72 million. Cherry Ventures seems extra keen, which I reckon speaks volumes about Qlub’s potential; apparently, this is the third time Cherry has led a round for them.

The founding line-up is a mix of talent from across the region and beyond: Eyad Alkassar, Dr. Mahmoud Fouz, Abdulaziz A Aljasser, Filiberto Pavan, Gizem Bodur, Ramy Omar, Oscar Bedoya Mey, Arun Sharma, Remi Hanna, John Mady, and Jeff Matsuda. That’s not just a mouthful, but a truly international crew. Having covered the ups and downs of MENA startups for Arageek, I’ve seen how these cross-border teams can be a real ace up your sleeve—diverse backgrounds often lead to a broader perspective (and fewer blindspots).

Of course, the hospitality sector is always ripe for disruption; but to keep going at this pace, you need more than just a shiny product or well-known investors. Scaling across so many countries doesn’t half bring headaches too—different rules, hungry competitors, shifting customer habits. On the flip side, with this kind of backing and their tech-first approach, Qlub’s odds look decent—for now, at least.

To sum it up, if you’re following MENA’s startup scene, this one’s worth watching. Personally, I’m not a huge fan of too many apps cluttering my phone, but the ‘scan-pay-go’ thing is hard to argue with when you’re in a rush. And believe it or not, it’s the sort of simple convenience that tends to stick. Let’s see if Qlub can keep their momentum rolling—because this region could use more scale-up stories like this, and Arageek readers know just how energising that can be for the whole ecosystem.

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