Latest news with #SceneHolding
Fintech News ME
18-07-2025
- Business
- Fintech News ME
Saudi's Yasmina Secures $2M to Scale Embedded Insurance Platform
Yasmina, an embedded insurance platform based in Riyadh, has raised US$2 million in Seed funding. The round was led by Scene Holding, co-led by Access Bridge Ventures, with participation from Arzan VC and the Sanabil Investment Accelerator by 500 MENA. Founded in 2023 by Masoud Alhelou and Bashar Abalkhail, Yasmina provides API-based insurance solutions that integrate directly into digital platforms. The company enables businesses to offer personalised insurance at checkout within 48 hours, backed by full regulatory approval. Since its launch, Yasmina has formed partnerships across sectors including human resources, automotive, travel, point-of-sale, and real estate. These collaborations are expected to extend embedded insurance products, such as SME medical, motor, life, and general insurance, to more than 1.5 million users. The Seed funding will support the company's regional expansion, with operations launching in the United Arab Emirates later this year and in Egypt by 2026. Yasmina also plans to scale its team to support this growth. 'This round is a strong vote of confidence in our vision to simplify insurance across digital touchpoints. We're proud to be the first embedded insurance platform in Saudi Arabia, and this funding will help us scale faster, serve more partners, and redefine how protection is offered in the region.'
Finextra
14-07-2025
- Business
- Finextra
Yasmina Embedded Insurance raises $2m
Yasmina Embedded Insurance has raised $2 million in seed money to become the first embedded insurtech platform in Saudi Arabia. Scene Holding led the round, co-led by Access Bridge Ventures, with participation from Arzan VC and early backing from the Sanabil Investment Accelerator by 500 Mena. 1 Like 0 This content is provided by an external author without editing by Finextra. It expresses the views and opinions of the author. Founded in 2023 by Masoud Alhelou and Bashar Abalkhail, Yasmina is transforming how insurance is delivered across digital platforms. By offering seamless API integration that enables digital businesses to provide personalized insurance at checkout in under 48 hours, Yasmina meets customers where they are, with full regulatory approval and a frictionless user experience. Since its inception, Yasmina has formed strategic partnerships across HR, auto, travel, POS, and real estate platforms. These collaborations are expected to bring embedded insurance to over 1.5 million customers, offering a range of products including SME Medical, Motor, Life, and General Insurance. With $2M in Seed funding, Yasmina is scaling its team and launching operations beyond Saudi Arabia, beginning with the UAE this year and Egypt in 2026. Masoud Alhelou, Yasmina's Co-founder and CEO, commented: 'This round is a strong vote of confidence in our vision to simplify insurance across digital touchpoints. We're proud to be the first embedded insurance platform in Saudi Arabia, and this funding will help us scale faster, serve more partners, and redefine how protection is offered in the region.' Sultan Ghaznawi, Chairman & Managing Director of Scene Holding, commented: 'At Scene Holding, we back founders who are solving legacy problems with precision and scale. Yasmina's API-first model and regulatory momentum place it at the intersection of Insurtech, fintech and protection, a space we believe will define the next wave of value creation across MENA.' Rakan AlRashed, Partner at Access Bridge Ventures, commented: 'At Access Bridge Ventures, we're passionate about the untapped potential of Saudi's Insurtech landscape. Yasmina's team has paired deep sector insight with impressive early traction, and they're well-positioned to become the breakout player the market has been waiting for. We're thrilled to support them and are confident that together we can reshape how insurance is delivered across the Kingdom' Amal Dokhan, Managing Partner at 500 Global, commented: 'At 500, we support bold founders aiming to solve meaningful problems, and Yasmina is an example. We believed in their vision early on, and their momentum today shows just how powerfully embedded insurance can be across our region.' Hasan J. Zainal, Arzan VC's Founder & Managing Partner, commented:'For years, insurance companies in the region have followed a well-worn path – familiar, but far from transformative. We believe the Yasmina team is uniquely positioned to drive innovation in this sector, thanks to their superior understanding and strategic insight into the regional insurance landscape.' With $2 million in fresh capital, Yasmina Embedded Insurance is going to change how people and platforms get coverage in Saudi Arabia's growing insurtech market.
Entrepreneur
14-07-2025
- Business
- Entrepreneur
"We Got Funded!": Saudi Arabia's Insurance Platform Yasmina Secures US$2 Million Seed Investment
With US$2 million in seed funding, Yasmina is scaling its team and launching operations beyond Saudi Arabia, beginning with the UAE this year and Egypt in 2026. You're reading Entrepreneur Middle East, an international franchise of Entrepreneur Media. Yasmina, a Riyadh-based embedded insurance platform, has raised US$2 million in seed funding. Scene Holding led the round, co-led by Access Bridge Ventures, with participation from Arzan VC and early backing from the Sanabil Investment Accelerator by 500 MENA. Founded in 2023 by Masoud Alhelou and Bashar Abalkhail, Yasmina is transforming how insurance is delivered across digital platforms. By offering seamless API integration that enables digital businesses to provide personalized insurance at checkout in under 48 hours, Yasmina meets customers where they are, with full regulatory approval and a frictionless user experience. Since its inception, Yasmina has formed strategic partnerships across human resources, auto, travel, point of service, and real estate platforms. These collaborations are expected to bring embedded insurance to over 1.5 million customers, offering a range of products including SME Medical, Motor, Life, and General Insurance. With US$2 million in seed funding, Yasmina is scaling its team and launching operations beyond Saudi Arabia, beginning with the UAE this year and Egypt in 2026. Masoud Alhelou, co-founder and CEO, Yasmina, commented, "This round is a strong vote of confidence in our vision to simplify insurance across digital touchpoints. We're proud to be the first embedded insurance platform in Saudi Arabia, and this funding will help us scale faster, serve more partners, and redefine how protection is offered in the region." Sultan Ghaznawi, Chairman and Managing Director of Scene Holding, said, "At Scene Holding, we back founders who are solving legacy problems with precision and scale. Yasmina's API-first model and regulatory momentum place it at the intersection of Insurtech, fintech and protection, a space we believe will define the next wave of value creation across MENA." Rakan AlRashed, Partner at Access Bridge Ventures, added, "At Access Bridge Ventures, we're passionate about the untapped potential of Saudi's Insurtech landscape. Yasmina's team has paired deep sector insight with impressive early traction, and they're well-positioned to become the breakout player the market has been waiting for. We're thrilled to support them and are confident that together we can reshape how insurance is delivered across the Kingdom" Amal Dokhan, Managing Partner at 500 Global, commented, "At 500, we support bold founders aiming to solve meaningful problems, and Yasmina is an example. We believed in their vision early on, and their momentum today shows just how powerfully embedded insurance can be across our region." Hasan J. Zainal, Arzan VC's Founder & Managing Partner, said, "For years, insurance companies in the region have followed a well-worn path – familiar, but far from transformative. We believe the Yasmina team is uniquely positioned to drive innovation in this sector, thanks to their superior understanding and strategic insight into the regional insurance landscape."
Zawya
14-07-2025
- Business
- Zawya
Saudi Arabia's first embedded insurance platform Yasmina secures $2mln Seed investment
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia: Yasmina, the pioneering embedded insurance platform based in Riyadh, has successfully secured $2M in Seed funding. Scene Holding led the round, co-led by Access Bridge Ventures, with participation from Arzan VC and early backing from the Sanabil Investment Accelerator by 500 MENA. Founded in 2023 by Masoud Alhelou and Bashar Abalkhail, Yasmina is transforming how insurance is delivered across digital platforms. By offering seamless API integration that enables digital businesses to provide personalized insurance at checkout in under 48 hours, Yasmina meets customers where they are, with full regulatory approval and a frictionless user experience. Since its inception, Yasmina has formed strategic partnerships across HR, auto, travel, POS, and real estate platforms. These collaborations are expected to bring embedded insurance to over 1.5 million customers, offering a range of products including SME Medical, Motor, Life, and General Insurance. With $2M in Seed funding, Yasmina is scaling its team and launching operations beyond Saudi Arabia, beginning with the UAE this year and Egypt in 2026. Masoud Alhelou, Yasmina's Co-founder and CEO, commented: 'This round is a strong vote of confidence in our vision to simplify insurance across digital touchpoints. We're proud to be the first embedded insurance platform in Saudi Arabia, and this funding will help us scale faster, serve more partners, and redefine how protection is offered in the region.' Sultan Ghaznawi, Chairman & Managing Director of Scene Holding, commented: 'At Scene Holding, we back founders who are solving legacy problems with precision and scale. Yasmina's API-first model and regulatory momentum place it at the intersection of Insurtech, fintech and protection, a space we believe will define the next wave of value creation across MENA.' Rakan AlRashed, Partner at Access Bridge Ventures, commented: "At Access Bridge Ventures, we're passionate about the untapped potential of Saudi's Insurtech landscape. Yasmina's team has paired deep sector insight with impressive early traction, and they're well-positioned to become the breakout player the market has been waiting for. We're thrilled to support them and are confident that together we can reshape how insurance is delivered across the Kingdom" Amal Dokhan, Managing Partner at 500 Global, commented: 'At 500, we support bold founders aiming to solve meaningful problems, and Yasmina is an example. We believed in their vision early on, and their momentum today shows just how powerfully embedded insurance can be across our region.' Hasan J. Zainal, Arzan VC's Founder & Managing Partner, commented: ' For years, insurance companies in the region have followed a well-worn path – familiar, but far from transformative. We believe the Yasmina team is uniquely positioned to drive innovation in this sector, thanks to their superior understanding and strategic insight into the regional insurance landscape.' -Ends- About Yasmina: Founded in 2023, Yasmina is Saudi Arabia's first embedded insurance platform. It empowers digital businesses to offer frictionless, personalized insurance products with a single line of code, turning protection into a value-added service that drives conversion and trust. For media inquiries, please contact: Email: masoud@
Arab News
29-04-2025
- Business
- Arab News
Vision 2030 creates foundations for success, Saudi investment guru says
RIYADH: Saudi Vision 2030 has created an environment in which people can build successful companies, a leading Saudi investment entrepreneur said. Speaking during an episode of 'The Majlis' podcast, produced in collaboration with Arab News, Sultan Ghaznawi, chairman and managing director of Scene Holding, talked about his lifelong passion for building businesses. 'From a young age I was fascinated with the concept of creating value or exchanging value in return,' he said. 'I remember in fourth grade I used to make prayer beads. The first time I sold them in a family gathering, I made SR30 ($8). On the same day I went to the supermarket and I had the absolute freedom of deciding what to buy. That feeling ignited something inside me.' But it was in high school, with the encouragement of his older brother, that he realized he was destined to become a businessman. 'He gave me a curiosity to find a purpose in life,' Ghaznawi said. Soon after, he created his first company, a creative agency that later became Backyard Symphony. On the early days of the business, he said: 'There was no General Entertainment Authority. Every summer there was an annual festival that happened and for decades there were three or four companies that dominated that bid. 'So we did the joint venture, developing content and integrating emerging tech with it. At that time, 3D projection mapping and holograms and augmented reality. 'It was revolutionary technology back in 2014. We were responsible for the event management, the business development, the financing and the experiential performances.' This early success gave him the confidence to start several other businesses. Speaking about Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Saudi Vision 2030, Ghaznawi said: 'He gave us the vision, fostering a vibrant environment, making the policy shift economic and political.' Entities like the General Entertainment Authority and new sectors created opportunities, he said. 'Whether it was accelerator programs, incubators, angel investor networks, venture capital, enablement programs … the government, the customers unlocked new sectors, new types of SMEs to come to the market. And international companies showed interest in the Saudi market.' Another of Ghaznawi's ventures, Vibes Offices, develops and operates co-working spaces to foster entrepreneurial growth. 'The Vibes became my school of entrepreneurship because every day I meet new startups, new founders across multiple sectors,' he said. 'As the trends of each sector grow, you see startups that grow and scale.' According to Ghaznawi, building a successful business needs great technology, the right team and great timing. 'Somebody once told me a business is like a ship. You either adjust the sail or change the vessel or abandon the ship before it sinks. So you pivot. If the market is changing but you have a good foundation and you can change your strategy to adapt, you emerge.' On the future of AI, he said: 'I think it's going to be extremely interesting to see the intersection of AI-based economies and government management with venture building.'
