Ejari raises $14.65 million in debt-equity Seed round

  • Ejari, a Saudi proptech company specializing in Rent Now, Pay Later (RNPL) solutions, successfully secured $14.65 million in a seed funding round co-led by several investors, including Partners for Growth (PFG) and BECO Capital.
  • Founded in 2022, Ejari aims to address the traditional payment structures in the Saudi rental market, where over 70% of payments are typically made annually or biannually, by offering flexible payment options for tenants.
  • The new funding will enable Ejari to bolster its market presence, improve its products and services, and cater to the increasing demand for rental payment flexibility, with over $30 million in demand generated in its first year of operations.
  • The investment round included participation from existing backer Salica Oryx Fund and aims to establish Ejari as a leading player in the growing RNPL segment of Saudi Arabia’s rental market, supported by favorable trends like increased foreign investment and upcoming major events.
  • Ejari’s leadership emphasizes the goal of enhancing financial accessibility in the rental market, aligning with Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 initiatives to foster economic diversification and technological innovation.

  • Saudi Arabia-proptech Ejari has closed a $14.65 million seed round, which consists of a mix of debt and equity, led by Partners for Growth (PFG), BECO Capital, anb seed, Rua Ventures, Alinma Bank (Alinma Pay), Vision Ventures and Aqar platform, Saudi Arabia’s leading property listing platform.
  • The round also saw the participation of the existing investor, Salica Oryx Fund.
  • Founded in 2022 by Yazeed Al-Shamsi, Fahad Albedah, Mohammed Alkhelewy, and Khalid Almunif, Ejari offers a rent now, pay later (RNPL) solution tailored for Saudi Arabia’s real estate rental market.
  • The new capital will allow Ejari to strengthen its market share within the residential RNPL space, enhance its product and service offerings, and solidify its position as a key player in the Saudi rental market’s growing RNPL segment.

Press release:

Ejari, a Saudi-based property technology (prop-tech) and fintech platform offering a Rent Now, Pay Later (RNPL) solution, closed a $14.65 million (SAR 55 million) Seed round led by Partners for Growth (PFG), BECO Capital, anb seed, Rua Ventures, Alinma Bank (Alinma Pay), Vision Ventures and Aqar platform, Saudi Arabia’s leading property listing platform. The round also saw the participation of existing investors Salica Oryx Fund and several angel investors also participating.  The round is a mix of debt and equity, with the debt provided from California-based Partners for Growth. While the participation of key investor Alinma Bank came through the investment technology arm Alinma Pay. 

Founded in 2022 by Yazeed Al-Shamsi, Fahad Albedah, Mohammed Alkhelewy and Khalid Almunif and based out of Riyadh, Ejari provides a unique Rent Now, Pay Later (RNPL) solution for the Saudi real estate rental market where an estimated +70% of rentals are paid on an annual or biannual basis, addressing the need for more flexible payment options in the Saudi market.

The platform offers much-needed flexibility to tenants, creating a shift in how rental payments are structured. In less than a year, Ejari has generated over $30 million in demand for its RNPL service and now operates in 17 cities across 8 regions in Saudi Arabia. 

Ejari Co-Founder and CEO Yazeed Alshamsi commented: “”We’ve assembled a top-tier group of capital providers on both the equity and debt sides, featuring investors that include leading VCs from Saudi Arabia, the region, and internationally, along with two VC funds associated with Saudi banks and Saudi Arabia’s largest real estate marketplace, along with our existing investor, Salica Oryx Fund. This marks a major milestone in our journey to transform the Saudi rental market. With this new investment, we’re poised to enhance our technology, expand our product offerings, and deliver exceptional value to our clients. Our mission is to democratise access to the rental market and lower barriers for tenants, and this funding brings us closer to that goal. We are deeply grateful for the trust our investors have placed in us and are excited about the future.”

Al-Shamsi further highlighted the strong growth prospects in Saudi Arabia’s real estate sector: “Recent announcements such as the 2030 Riyadh Expo, the 2034 World Cup, and initiatives under Vision 2030, like the Ministry of Investment’s Regional HQ programme, are set to drive significant demand for our RNPL service and the broader real estate market. These developments, combined with favourable macroeconomic trends such as increased foreign investment, economic diversification, and population growth, will create substantial opportunities for sustained growth in the sector.”

This new capital will allow Ejari to strengthen its market share within the residential RNPL space, enhance its product and service offerings, and solidify its position as the leading player in the Saudi rental market’s growing RNPL segment.

Khalid S. Al-Ghamdi, CEO of anb Capital, stated, “We are delighted to announce our partnership with Ejari, marking another investment by anb seed.” This investment is more than a financial commitment; it’s a pledge to accelerate the Kingdom’s economic diversification through technological innovation and create a more inclusive economy, thereby enhancing the quality of life for Saudi citizens in accordance with the objectives of Vision 2030. We are shaping a future where financial accessibility and innovation go hand in hand, propelling Saudi Arabia towards even greater growth and prosperity.”

Kais Al-Essa, the Founding Partner and CEO of Vision Ventures, commented, “We are always interested in technologies and services that make people’s lives easier. Ejari’s solution provides people with an easy way to pay rental of properties while enabling them to acquire better properties than they were previously able to afford. Ejari’s founding team had a deep understanding of the market and its trends, as well as Ejari’s role going forward. We are glad to back Ejari’s founders and expect them to achieve great results.”

Abdulaziz Shikh Al Sagha, General Partner at BECO Capital, commented: “We’re excited to support Ejari in providing much-needed flexible rental payment options in Saudi Arabia. The founding team’s strong expertise and clear vision make them exceptionally well-positioned to drive meaningful impact in the market, and we look forward to working closely with them as they continue to scale.”

Armineh Baghoomian, Head of Europe, Middle East and Africa and Co-Head of Global ABL/Fintech from Partners for Growth (PFG), a private credit provider, commented: “PFG is pleased to support Ejari by providing structured, asset-backed credit as they deliver an in-demand rent-now-pay-later product in Saudi Arabia, not just today but as they continue to scale and grow. We have formed a relationship with Ejari’s experienced and tight knit leadership team and have confidence in their plans and ability to navigate and become a main player in the RNPL Middle Eastern market.”

Here’s a summary of the funds, investors, startup, founders, and fundraising series based on the provided information:

Startup Details

  • Startup Name: Ejari
  • Founded: 2022
  • Location: Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
  • Business Model: Property technology (prop-tech) and fintech platform offering a Rent Now, Pay Later (RNPL) solution tailored for the Saudi real estate rental market.

Founders

  • Yazeed Al-Shamsi
  • Fahad Albedah
  • Mohammed Alkhelewy
  • Khalid Almunif

Funding Information

  • Funding Amount: $14.65 million (SAR 55 million)
  • Funding Round: Seed round
  • Type of Funding: Mix of debt and equity
  • Date of Funding: Not specified in the provided text

Investors

  • Lead Investors:

    • Partners for Growth (PFG)
    • BECO Capital
    • anb seed
    • Rua Ventures
    • Alinma Bank (through its investment technology arm, Alinma Pay)
    • Vision Ventures
    • Aqar platform (Saudi Arabia’s leading property listing platform)
  • Existing Investors:
    • Salica Oryx Fund
    • Angel investors (participation noted but not named)

Key Statements from Investors

  • Khalid S. Al-Ghamdi, CEO of anb Capital: Emphasized the commitment to the Kingdom’s economic diversification.
  • Kais Al-Essa, Founding Partner and CEO of Vision Ventures: Noted the ease of living Ejari’s solution provides for tenants.
  • Abdulaziz Shikh Al Sagha, General Partner at BECO Capital: Expressed excitement about supporting flexible rental payment options.
  • Armineh Baghoomian, PFG: Highlighted confidence in Ejari’s leadership and future plans.

Goals with New Capital

  • Strengthen market share within the residential RNPL space.
  • Enhance product and service offerings.
  • Solidify position as a key player in the growing RNPL segment of the Saudi rental market.

Additional Context

Ejari aims to revolutionize rental payments in Saudi Arabia, providing tenants with more flexible payment options compared to the traditional annual or biannual payment structure prevalent in the market. The funding round will support the expansion of their services across Saudi Arabia, benefiting from favorable macroeconomic factors and major upcoming events like the 2030 Riyadh Expo and the 2034 World Cup.

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