Related secures $8M investment from Equivator

It's always great to see significant investments here in our region, isn't it? This time round, UAE-based loyalty and rewards startup Related has found itself securely on Equivator's radar, landing a nifty SAR 30 million—around $8 million investment—in one fell swoop. Not bad at all for a day's work if you ask me.

Equivator, known as a savvy alternative investment firm based out of Saudi Arabia, clearly sees potential in Related. And quite rightly, too. Related has got more than a decade behind it, and it's already serving over 30 million customers across the GCC and the Levant. They're powering loyalty schemes for the big guns in retail, telco, banking, entertainment—you name it. So yeah, they're definitely doing something right.

CEO Rabih Farhat put it pretty straightforwardly, calling the deal "more than a transaction—it's a transformation." He's spot on. With tech like AI, blockchain, payments systems, and gamification heading their way, Related looks all set to turbocharge both B2B and B2C offerings. Trust me, these are no gimmicks—this sort of tech could really energise customer experience across the board.

And here's an interesting side-note: turns out Equivator had its finger in the loyalty pie before. They previously invested in a promising loyalty startup called Uplines. Now Related has snatched up the startup in full to reinforce their own growth strategy. Looks like quite a clever move at first glance, as it's bound to strengthen their position in the loyalty fintech sector—a space getting more competitive by the minute, you know?

Equivator's CEO, Enes Şehzade, described it as a strategic play, aiming to create a regional powerhouse in loyalty and digital payments. Fair enough—if Related plays its cards right, they could genuinely end up leading the charge to reshape customer engagement across MENA. What’s more, they've even got ambitions to establish something called the "Related Loyalty & Fintech Authority," which is basically a forum that'll steer policy and regional development in this area. Sounds legit.

I must say I'm rather chuffed about all the promising startups popping up in the fintech and loyalty sphere within Saudi and the broader region. It's precisely these kind of investments—ones that align neatly with Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 for economic diversification—that we at Arageek hope to see more of. Vision 2030 isn't just a PR catchphrase; it genuinely aims at transforming the Kingdom into a global fintech and tech innovation hub. And believe it or not, moves like Equivator's latest investment really do seem a step in that direction.

On the flip side, going global isn't exactly a walk in the park—lots of regional startups set their sights on Europe and beyond, only to find it a bit of a faff. I reckon Related's got a fighting chance, though, especially now armed with Equivator's well-connected network and vast investment know-how.

All told, these developments give folks like us at Arageek a reason to stay optimistic about the future. One investment at a time, the MENA startup scene is finding its rhythm, shaping itself into something world-class. Equivator and Related's partnership hints at a strong combination to push things forward. Now let's see if it lives up to all the buss.

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