Yassir Expands into EMEA Ad-Tech with Kawarizmi Acquisition

Algeria’s Yassir is making a bold move that signals it wants to be far more than just a super app. The company has acquired Paris-based ad-tech firm Kawarizmi, in a deal that pushes Yassir deeper into retail media and digital advertising across Europe, the Middle East and Africa.

Founded in 2017, Yassir has grown at a steady clip, now operating in more than 60 cities across six countries. Its app bundles ride-hailing, grocery delivery and fintech services, serving over eight million users. For many people in North Africa, it has become part of daily life. But the latest step shows it’s not content to stop there.

Instead, Yassir is turning its attention to advertising and data monetisation, two areas that, frankly, can make or break the next growth chapter for super apps. And this is where Kawarizmi comes in.

The Paris-headquartered company specialises in programmatic media buying, using data-driven tools to plan and optimise campaigns across Europe, Africa, the Middle East, South Asia and even diaspora markets. Its expertise ranges from algorithm-based ad buying to creative performance optimisation and running cross-market campaigns. In simple terms, it helps brands place the right ads, in the right place, at the right time, without it becoming a bit of a faff.

By bringing Kawarizmi into the fold, Yassir strengthens its advertising infrastructure both inside its own app and outside on channels such as the open web, connected TV and mobile platforms. More importantly, it opens the door to unlocking the value of Yassir’s first-party data, the data generated directly from its own users, through what has been described as a privacy-first programmatic approach.

That detail matters. First-party data has become a prized asset globally as third-party cookies fade out. For a super app with millions of users ordering rides and groceries, the potential for targeted, measurable advertising is significant. I’ve seen across the region how startups sit on valuable data without really activating it. When they finally do, it can be a game changer.

Kawarizmi will continue operating as a specialised unit within the Yassir group, maintaining its focus on programmatic advertising while contributing to Yassir’s broader ambitions. The idea is to build a scalable retail media network, deepen brand partnerships across multiple regions, and develop a regional ad-tech stack with global reach.

On the flip side, advertising is a tough arena. Competition is fierce, margins can be tight, and global giants dominate much of the ecosystem. That said, Yassir does have something spot on: a large, engaged user base across emerging markets that are often under-served by global ad platforms.

At Arageek, we often talk about startups in MENA graduating from being “just an app” to becoming platforms. It’s a shift in mindset as much as in business model. I remember a founder once telling me that the real value of his platform wasn’t the transactions, but the data layer underneath. Well… I mean, Yassir seems to be leaning into exactly that thinking.

This acquisition marks an evolution for the Algerian company, from a service-focused super app to a broader, data-driven platform business, with advertising and retail media emerging as key pillars of its next phase. Whether it can stitch everything together seamlesly across EMEA markets remains to be seen, but the ambition is clear.

And believe it or not, this could be one of those moves we look back on and say: that was the moment Yassir decided to play in a different league.

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