logo
Saudi-Based Chatberry Raises $267,000 Pre-Seed Led by Iwan Ventures

Saudi-Based Chatberry Raises $267,000 Pre-Seed Led by Iwan Ventures

CairoScene30-01-2025

Chatberry raises funds to scale AI-powered WhatsApp marketing in the MENA region to boost e-commerce growth.
Jan 30, 2025
Chatberry, a SaaS startup in the MENA region's conversational commerce market, has raised SR 1 million ($267,000) in a Pre-Seed funding round led by Iwan Ventures, a Riyadh-based venture builder that specialises in FinTech, AI, SaaS and e-commerce, supporting startups that drive technological innovation in the region.
This funding will enable Chatberry to expand its AI-driven, compliance-first WhatsApp marketing and automation platform, providing businesses with advanced customer engagement tools. As WhatsApp continues to be a dominant communication channel in the MENA region, with over 90% of consumers using it for business interactions, the demand for scalable and compliant solutions is rising.
Founded in 2024 by Ali Karout, Chatberry addresses these needs by offering an automation platform that allows businesses to run campaigns, manage customer queries, and analyse engagement metrics while adhering to WhatsApp Business API guidelines to prevent account bans. The platform is designed to minimise compliance and technical hurdles, making AI-powered marketing accessible without requiring coding expertise.

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Progressio's Plan to Power Egypt's Economy Through Invention
Progressio's Plan to Power Egypt's Economy Through Invention

CairoScene

time16 hours ago

  • CairoScene

Progressio's Plan to Power Egypt's Economy Through Invention

Spearheaded by Progressio, 1 Million Minds is reimagining innovation in Egypt by fostering inventors and creating the infrastructure to turn local ideas into global industries. Progressio's movement isn't chasing hype. It's building a new economic engine - by spotlighting inventors, commercializing IP, and fixing the innovation supply chain from the inside out. Egypt's next wave of growth won't come from logistics apps or fintech plays—at least not if Progressio has anything to say about it. The Cairo-based technology R&D firm is leading a bold new initiative called 1 Million Minds, a movement designed not to fund the next startup, but to foster the next inventor. It's not just a branding distinction. It's a philosophy. 'Entrepreneurs are already being supported in Egypt. What we've never properly invested in are the inventors,' says Yoeil Ashraf, founder and CEO of Progressio. 'Those who build new things. Those who innovate at the core product level. 1 Million Minds is here to change that.' A Movement, Not a Center At its heart, 1 Million Minds isn't a campaign, an incubator, or even a government program. It's a national movement—founded and spearheaded by Progressio—meant to embed invention, R&D, and intellectual property into the cultural and economic DNA of Egypt. Rather than chase venture funding or quick exits, OMM is focused on long-term impact. It's building public platforms, storytelling pipelines, educational programs, and incentive models that bring inventors out of the shadows and into the center of national development. Its founding belief is simple: if inventors are supported—technically, financially, and emotionally—they will build the products that solve Egypt's biggest problems, and ultimately fuel unprecedented economic growth. Why Inventors, Why Now? Egypt has no shortage of bright minds. But without visibility, protection, or infrastructure, most innovations never make it past the prototype stage. 'We're not short on talent,' Yoeil says. 'We're short on systems that recognize and reward invention.' Progressio sees a gap in how innovation is defined and supported. Entrepreneurs are coached to pitch and scale, but inventors—those working in materials science, med-tech, food engineering, and software IP—often lack access to legal frameworks, commercialization support, or even cultural recognition. OMM's goal is to flip that script. The KPIs of a Movement This isn't about inspiration alone. 1 Million Minds is built on measurable inflection points. Progressio has identified three historic benchmarks it's working toward: 1. The first Egyptian millionaire inventor, through royalties generated from licensed IP 2. The first startup to secure investment or acquisition based on intellectual property alone 3. The first corporate R&D investment into a locally developed invention These aren't hypotheticals. Progressio is building the support systems—legal, educational, media, and financial—to make them real. Beyond Inspiration: Building Infrastructure OMM's strategy operates across multiple verticals: * Education and awareness, demystifying IP law, R&D, and commercialization * Cultural storytelling, positioning inventors as national heroes through awards, documentaries, and public events * Community building, with mentorship programs and regional bootcamps * Visibility and recognition, turning invention into something aspirational, not obscure 'We believe that if we create an environment where inventors are incentivized, rewarded, and integrated into our innovation supply chain, we won't just fix our economic problems—we'll redefine what growth looks like for Egypt,' Yoeil says. A Parallel Track: The NCTC While 1 Million Minds takes the cultural and community lead, another Progressio-led initiative will provide the technical backbone. Launching in mid-2025, the National Center for Technology Commercialization (NCTC) is a separate but complementary project. Designed as a national platform for tech transfer and commercialization, the NCTC will focus on IP protection, licensing support, startup assistance, and industry collaboration—particularly in sectors like agriculture, energy, healthcare, and IT. The NCTC is where invention will be translated into viable business. 1 Million Minds is where invention becomes a national cause. Fixing the Chain, Fueling the Future Skeptics may ask whether a country can really build an innovation economy on invention alone. Progressio's bet is that it can—if invention is supported systemically, not sporadically. And in a region where innovation is often imported or licensed in, OMM offers a different thesis: that Egypt has the raw intellectual firepower to lead, not just follow, and that if that power is unlocked at scale, the results won't just be social—they'll be seismic. 'This isn't a campaign,' Yoeil says. 'It's a new foundation for how we grow.'

How a Dubai-Based Palestinian Brand Bottles Heritage
How a Dubai-Based Palestinian Brand Bottles Heritage

CairoScene

time2 days ago

  • CairoScene

How a Dubai-Based Palestinian Brand Bottles Heritage

How a Dubai-Based Palestinian Brand Bottles Heritage At some point in our diaspora timelines- between explaining where we're really from, passport queues and WhatsApp voice notes about political heartbreak- we begin hoarding things that taste like home. Fragrant spices in ziploc bags. Date syrup and honey in repurposed jam jars. That one specific za'atar or sumac mix your cousin swears by. It's not a habit. It's survival. Isra Abu Zayed, the Palestinian-Canadian academic and storyteller, wearing her heritage like the keffiyeh draped over her grandmother's shoulder, knows this ache. But unlike most of us who stash bottles of olive oil between our socks on the way back from Amman or Beirut, she decided to build a business around it. For Isra Abu Zayed, home has always been a matter of the palate rather than the postcode. Growing up in Toronto, she might have sat at a kitchen table far from the olive groves of the West Bank, but every Friday morning wafts of za'atar-dusty bread, the sweet stickiness of knafeh and, most of all, the green-gold glimmer of olive oil were reminders of a place she never really saw, but always knew. 'I'm Palestinian through and through,' Isra tells SceneNowUAE 'My parents made sure our identity shaped every part of how we moved through the world.' Schoolyard taunts and classroom maps couldn't erase the stories they shared at home- tales of harvests, of farmers who tended trees older than most nations, of olive-pressed rituals handed down through it wasn't until her six year old daughter wanted to learn more about her heritage and share that- 'a bottle of that season's oil for her teacher'- that Isra realised how tangible that connection could become. And just like that, a bottle of olive oil turned into a passport. In 2021, out of that realisation, Zeit Bladi came into being. From a single family-run farm in the West Bank, where Nabali trees can take twenty years to bear their first fruit, the olives are hand-picked only when village elders decree they're ready. They are cold-pressed within hours of harvest, then travel by land through Jordan to Dubai, arriving as spring's first bottles: limited seasonal drops that turn anticipation into ritual. 'We only sell what the land gives us each season,' Isra explains. 'It's not about scale; it's about honouring history, community and resilience- one small bottle at a time.'

Dubai Investments Park Concludes 17th Corporate Sports Competition - Middle East Business News and Information
Dubai Investments Park Concludes 17th Corporate Sports Competition - Middle East Business News and Information

Mid East Info

time3 days ago

  • Mid East Info

Dubai Investments Park Concludes 17th Corporate Sports Competition - Middle East Business News and Information

Unique in scale and ambition, the one-of-its-kind event in Dubai reinforces community, wellness, and corporate citizenship Dubai, UAE,June 2025: Dubai Investments Park (DIP), the unique integrated commercial, industrial & residential community in the Middle East, wholly-owned by Dubai Investments PJSC successfully concluded the 17th edition of its Corporate Sports Competitions with a vibrant awards ceremony, marking the culmination of two months of high-energy sporting action, teamwork, and community engagement. The event was held in collaboration with the Dubai Sports Council. Held from April to June 2025, this year's edition witnessed a record turnout, with teams from DIP-based companies competing across 19 diverse sports disciplines, including Outdoor Football, Outdoor Cricket, Basketball, Swimming, Volleyball, Padel Tennis, Table Tennis, Badminton, Billiards, Chess, Carom, Bowling, Tennis, and more. One-of-its-kind in Dubai, the DIP Corporate Sports Competitions are designed to go beyond the playing field—promoting collaboration among corporations, fostering employee well-being, and encouraging a culture of teamwork and mutual respect. With its growing scale and impact, the event has become a much-anticipated fixture in Dubai's corporate calendar, serving as a powerful platform for companies to demonstrate corporate citizenship and social responsibility. The 2025 tournament saw outstanding performances and fierce competition, culminating in a historic win for Emirates Glass, which topped the overall leaderboard for the first time with 351 points (7 Gold, 2 Silver, and 5 Bronze). Emicool followed closely in second place with 285 points (3 Gold, 7 Silver, 3 Bronze), while Gulf Drug secured third with 115 points, and Seven Seas placed fourth with 107 points. From thrilling matches to moments of resilience and sportsmanship, each game reflected the dedication, discipline, and camaraderie that define DIP's business community. The event was proudly sponsored by NMC Hospital and Delta Systems, with additional support from several valued partners, whose contributions helped make the competition a resounding success. About Dubai Investments Park: Dubai Investments Park (DIP) is a unique, self-contained mixed-use industrial, commercial and residential complex operated by Dubai Investments Park Development Company LLC. Spread across an area of 2,300 hectares (with 1,700 hectares leased), its masterplan was developed in 1997. DIP is strategically located within minutes from the Al Maktoum International Airport. It has been designed as a city within a city offering world-class infrastructure and outstanding facilities and services. A subsidiary of Dubai Investments PJSC, DIP is divided into three distinct zones – each setting the benchmark for high quality projects in a well-planned, fully-integrated master community development.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store