Impact 46 is an asset manager and advisor that specializes in alternative investment opportunities. The firm provides innovative investment products and services to local & international institutions, family groups, endowments, and high net worth investors.

Impact46

Vision Ventures (VV) is an early stage venture capital firm founded by experienced entrepreneurs. Its slogan is:''By Entrepreneurs for Entrepreneurs''. We invest in innovative startups in the Seed and Series A across a wide range of verticals. We help startups realize their dreams and make a difference in a noisy world. We are an energetic team that has a wealth of experience in starting companies and steering them to success and hyper growth. Our combined experience spans over 90 years in multiple countries which gives us extensive experience in multi-national, multi-cultural teams. We provide startups with hands on assistance and guidance on marketing, sales, product/service development, financial planning and management, expansion & growth strategy, and more.

Vision Ventures

Technology VC that empowers GCC’s startups in their early-growth stages.

HALA Ventures

Khwarizmi Ventures is a venture capital firm that seeks investments in startups with a passion for algorithms. It seeks to help create their vision, as they embark on a journey together that aligns their goals to improve quality of life using technology powered by algorithms. .

Khwarizmi Ventures

Nama Ventures is a seed stage venture capital fund focused on fueling innovation in the MENA region, particularly in Saudi Arabia. ama Ventures is built upon the fundamental idea of enabling entrepreneurs to succeed. And as founders of Nama, we are thrilled to finally have the platform to implement this idea. Our hope is that entrepreneurs willing to partner with us will see and feel our value-add approach to investing.

Nama Ventures

SEEDRA Ventures is an early-stage venture capital firm branching out of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia and focused on cultivating disruptive innovations and trends across the region.

SEEDRA Ventures

Wealth Well is an investment and wealth management firm that manages assets across real estate, private equity, and venture capital. The Riyadh, Riyadh-based firm was founded in 2015.

Wealth Well

Checkout.com provides the fastest, most reliable payments in more than 150 currencies, with in-country acquiring, world-class fraud filters and reporting through one API. Checkout.com can accept all major international credit and debit cards, as well as popular alternative and local payment methods. The company launched in 2012 and now has a team of more than 1700 people across 19 offices worldwide, offering local expertise where it’s needed.

Checkout.com

Sanabil Investments is a sovereign wealth fund specializing in direct and fund of funds investments. Its investments are concentrated in direct equity investments, primarily in the Kingdom, and in funds, as well as in diversified investment portfolios. These investments support the growth of the Kingdom’s economy while building international investment capability and transferring expertise to local Saudi talent.

Sanabil

Coatue is a privately owned hedge fund sponsor. The firm invests in the public equity markets globally focusing on investments in technology, media, and telecommunications in addition to other sectors. It employs a long or short strategy to make its investments.

Coatue

Endeavor Catalyst is the rules-based, co-investment fund of Endeavor, set up to invest exclusively in Endeavor Entrepreneur-led companies and to sustain Endeavor’s long-term operations in a mission-aligned way. Launched in 2012, Endeavor Catalyst has ~$500M+ AUM across four funds and has made 260+ investments to date in 35+ different markets. Today The Endeavor Catalyst portfolio has 53 companies valued at $1B+. Investments include Globant (NYSE:GLOB), Rappi, and Creditas in Latin America; Yemeksepeti.com and Careem in MENA; and Bukalapak and Carro in Indonesia.

Endeavor Catalyst

Founded in 2017, Shorooq Partners is the leading alternative investment manager across the Middle East and North Africa regions. The firm’s venture capital and private credit funds invest in the most innovative technology companies. The firm has built deep sectoral expertise in Fintech, Platforms, Software, Gaming and Web3.0. Shorooq Partners has backed market leading disruptors including Pure Harvest Smart Farms, Nymcard, Tamara, Sarwa, Lean Technologies, TruKKer, Mozn and Lendo. Since its inception, Shorooq Partners was built on the principle of being founders’ partners, company builders and value investors.   Shorooq Partners is a pan regional firm with direct and indirect presence across Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Riyadh, Egypt and Korea.  Shorooq Partners refers to a group of companies that are affiliates of each other and which operate under this business name, of which Shorooq Partners Ltd (regulated by the ADGM Financial Services Regulatory Authority FSRA FSP: 190004) is a member.

Shorooq Partners

National Commercial Bank offers solutions specifically designed for personal and business needs. The National Commercial Bank (NCB) is a prominent Saudi Arabian bank and the leading financial institution in the region. The bank is considered the largest and the first to officially be licensed and operate in Saudi Arabia, following the Royal Decree of the 26th of December 1953, corresponding to 20th of Rabi Al-Thani 1373H. NCB was formed as a result of partnership and merger of Saudi Arabia's largest currency exchange houses at the time; Mr. Saleh and Abdulaziz Kaki, and the Mr. Salem bin Mahfouz Company. In 1979, NCB became the first Saudi bank to launch a mutual fund product. The bank has, since then, led numerous Shariah-Compliant financial services whilst continued being a pioneer in financial innovations such as real estate and auto-lease finance. In addition, NCB asserted its leadership by being the first bank to introduce Credit Cards, the first to operate an ATM (Automated-Teller-Machine), the first to introduce students savings schemes, and the first to dedicate branches for ladies. NCB was became a joint stock company in 1997. And by 1999, the Saudi government, represented by the Public Investment Fund (PIF), acquired the majority of shares. The remainder shares were distributed amongst; General Organization for Social Insurance (GOSI), and a number of Saudi investors. In 2014, NCB offered 25% of its shares to the public through IPO subscription, marking the beginning of yet another new era in which the bank and providing investors with the opportunity to participate in its expansion across all sectors. In part of being the leading bank, NCB is one of the first Saudi companies to implement The Principle of Corporate Governance and the first bank in Saudi Arabia to receive International Certification on Business Continuity Management. NCB is also a pioneer in Corporate Responsibility with its various programs offering job opportunity programs, entrepreneurship workshops and support, and loans. The National Commercial Bank is one of the largest banks in the Pan-Arab region, with a paid-up capital of SAR30 billion (US$8 billion ). It also has 90.71% direct ownership of NCB Capital, a premier investment house and arm, and owns 67.03% of Türkiye Finans Katılım Bankası (TFKB), the leading participation bank in Turkey. ​

Saudi National Bank

The Public Investment Fund was originally established in 1971 to facilitate the development of the Saudi Arabian national economy.  In 1974, PIF was mandated to hold equity positions in join-stock ventures within its domestic economy.

Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund

Pinnacle Capital

Tamara

Tamara is the leading shopping and payments platform in Saudi Arabia and the GCC region, with a mission to empower people in their daily lives and revolutionize how they shop, pay and bank.  The company was founded by serial entrepreneur Abdulmajeed Alsukhan along with his partners Turki Bin Zarah and Abdulmohsen Al Babtain. Tamara has over 350 employees and operates out of its headquarters in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia and has offices in the UAE, Egypt, Germany and Vietnam. Tamara has raised up to $366 million in equity and debt since its launch in September 2020. Investors in Tamara include Sanabil Investments, a wholly owned company by the Public Investment Fund (PIF), Checkout.com, Coatue, Shorooq Partners, Endeavor Catalyst and now Goldman Sachs. Tamara has 6 million customers and more than 15,000 partner merchants including leading global and regional brands such as SHEIN, Jarir, Noon, IKEA, H&M as well as local small and medium businesses.

Tamara is a Saudi Arabian BNPL platform provider offering customers the option to pay in 30 days or in three installments over 60 days at zero interest, making it Shariah-compliant. Tamara settles payments with merchants weekly for a commission-based fee, charging a late payment penalty of SAR 25 (approximately USD 7) from customers. These charges are capped at a lower rate between SAR 150 or 25% of the total transaction value. In September 2020, Tamara established a partnership with the e-commerce platform Salla, extending its reach to more than 10,000 merchants on the platform. As of June 2021, it operates in Saudi Arabia and the UAE with offices in Germany and Vietnam. In July 2023, Tamara <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/19954">secured a permit </a>to operate its flexible payment services from the Saudi Central Bank following a trial period of operation within the Saudi Arabian regulatory framework.

Buy Now, Pay Later

Tamara Leisure opens its Lilac Hotels in temple city Kumbakonam

Tamara is a Saudi Arabian BNPL platform provider offering customers the option to pay in 30 days or in three installments over 60 days at zero interest, making it Shariah-compliant. Tamara settles payments with merchants weekly for a commission-based fee, charging a late payment penalty of SAR 25 (approximately USD 7) from customers. These charges are capped at a lower rate between SAR 150 or 25% of the total transaction value. In September 2020, Tamara established a partnership with the e-commerce platform Salla, extending its reach to more than 10,000 merchants on the platform. As of June 2021, it operates in Saudi Arabia and the UAE with offices in Germany and Vietnam. In July 2023, Tamara <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/19954">secured a permit </a>to operate its flexible payment services from the Saudi Central Bank following a trial period of operation within the Saudi Arabian regulatory framework.Key customers and partnershipsThe company claims to be the market leader in the BNPL space in Saudi. It reported that its transaction volume grew 170% month-on-month and its customer base increased 180% month-on-month over the six months preceding its Series A round. As of January 2023, the platform had serviced over 9 million registered users and had over 30,000 merchant partners, including partnerships with firms such as IKEA, Jarir, Shein and Namshi.<a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/27305">In March 2024</a>, Tamara partnered with UK-based <a href="https://sp-edge.com/companies/615710">Uqudo</a>, a digital identity verification platform, to enhance privacy and security on digital transactions. <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/25271">In January 2023</a>, the company partnered with Egypt-based <a href="https://sp-edge.com/companies/497895">Paymob</a>, a payment gateway platform, to provide an integrated solution that facilitated installment payments for customers in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region.Funding and financialsIn <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/24016">November 2023</a>, Tamara secured up to USD 250 million in debt financing from Goldman Sachs and Shorooq Partners. It comprises an incremental debt financing of USD 200 million of senior debt provided by Goldman Sachs (bringing its senior warehouse facility up to USD 350 million, an increase from USD 150 million raised in <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/17139">March 2023</a>) and USD 50 million mezzanine tranche led by Shorooq Partners, which brings the total warehouse facility up to USD 400 million. The company earmarked the funds to service its growing BNPL product demand and invest in developing new products and services.

Openpay is an Australian BNPL platform launched in 2016 offering flexible payment plans with deferments ranging between 2-24 months for transactions from AUD 50 to AUD 20,000 (approximately USD 36-USD 14,600). The platform focuses on the automotive, healthcare, home improvement, memberships, and education industries. In December 2019, Openpay was listed on the Australian Securities Exchange, raising AUD 50 million (approximately USD 35 million) in the process. This was roughly two years after it had to abruptly cancel its initial IPO plans and raised AUD 10 million (approximately USD 8 million) instead.Openpay’s B2C solution offers equal weekly and bi-weekly installment plans at no interest, with longer terms typically offered for larger ticket purchases. Its proprietary risk management technology drives the platform’s credit decisions, and it integrates with leading e-commerce platforms such as Shopify, PrestaShop, Magento, and WooCommerce. Furthermore, Openpay has a B2B trade account management solution that is separate from its BNPL service.Openpay generates revenue through merchant fees, which represent a percentage of the transaction value, customer fees (including late fees), an initial establishment fee, and a recurring plan management fee.Initially available in Australia and New Zealand, Openpay expanded its operations to the UK in June 2019, followed by a US launch in December 2020 under the brand Opy. However, it withdrew from the UK BNPL market in March 2022 citing its inability to compete in the market. It also revealed that it will continue to offer longer-term repayment plans for dental procedures and car repairs in the UK through partnerships.Key customers and partnershipsIt entered the veterinary market in the US via a partnership with ezyVet, which provides cloud-based software for veterinary professionals, and its plans are expected to be available on ezyVet platforms by early FY2022 in the US. It partnered with contactless payments firm Everyware in <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/5954">October 2021 </a>to offer the first-ever Pay-by-Text BNPL solution, followed by a tie up with American Express in <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/7084">December 2021 </a>.Openpay secured a strategic partnership with the payments processor Worldpay and Cross River Bank. As a result, Openpay’s payment plans were integrated with Worldpay’s payment gateway as the merchant acquirer for Openpay in the US, while Cross River was expected to serve as <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/5806">Openpay’s lender </a>for consumer financing loans to US customers, meaning it will fund and originate all loans on Openpay’s US platform. However, in July 2022, Openpay announced that it’s ceasing operations in the US market owing to economic headwinds stemming from rising interest rates and deteriorating consumer sentiment.

Openpay

PrimaHealth Credit (PrimaHealth) is a BNPL solution designated for elective medical procedures such as cataract surgery, orthodontic work, dental care, LASIK, and addiction treatment. PrimaHealth’s credit decision-making is handled in-house using proprietary credit underwriting models. With PrimaHealth, patients would pay 25% to 50% of the cost upfront, and the residual cost, running from USD 300 to USD 24,000, can be repaid over 2-4 months. PrimaHealth’s interest rates range from around 0% to 25% APR with an average loan size of USD 1,800 across all types of procedures.As of December 2020, PrimaHealth was available in Arizona, California, Florida, Oklahoma, and Texas, and plans to expand across all 50 states by 2021.

PrimaHealth Credit

Laybuy is a New Zealand-based BNPL provider offering its services in Australia, the US (beta launched in December 2020), and the UK through a partnership with the streetwear retailer Footasylum in 2019. The platform partners with Experian, a multinational credit bureau, to help with its credit decision-making. Through Laybuy, users can make online or in-store purchases over six weekly payments with no interest charges if paid on time. The in-store offering is facilitated by Laybuy’s “Tap to Pay'' digital card, available in Australia and New Zealand as of March 2021 and launched in August 2021 in the UK. The platform has an average customer transaction limit of GBP 240, and any missed payments will result in the user account being suspended and a late fee of USD 10.In FY2022, the platform reported gross merchandise volume (GMV) of NZD 868 million (~USD 600 million), reflecting 47% YoY growth. The platform’s revenue grew by 45% YoY to NZD 47.1 million (~USD 32.8 million). The UK operation accounted for the majority (~60%) of GMV in FY2022, improving on its ~50% share last year. The company also revealed that total active customers increased 23% YoY to 931,000, while total active merchants grew 50% YoY to 13,700. Laybuy was listed on the ASX from September 2020 to March 2023, after which it was <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/15915">delisted</a>.Laybuy issued <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/30597">receivership notice</a> in June 2024 due to financial pressures and economic challenges affecting its operations in New Zealand and Australia. The company stated that Laybuy Group Holdings Limited, Laybuy Holdings Limited, and Laybuy Australia Pty Limited were placed for receivership on 17 June and that its UK entities remain unaffected.Key customers and partnershipsIn May 2023, <a href="https://sp-edge.com/companies/976316">​​ </a>Laybuy collaborated with New Zealand-based Centrix, a credit bureau, to develop a credit reporting system, <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/18326">PayWatch </a>. The company also <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/18595">partnered with Eventfinda </a>, an event ticketing and marketing platform, to embed its BNPL solution and offer flexible payment options for event tickets. Laybuy secured partnerships with merchants such as Rakuten, AWIN, and Sovrn, giving users access to more than 5,000 merchants in the UK, including WHSmith, Asos, Nike, Marks &amp; Spencer, Amazon, and eBay.

Laybuy

Fly Now Pay Later is a UK-based consumer credit provider regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. The platform provides its services exclusively to the travel sector through a direct-to-consumer app (Anywhere) and an integrated checkout solution. The platform allows consumers to spread the cost of travel over a maximum of 12 months, with a limit of GBP 3,000 (approximately USD 4,200). The plans’ interest rates vary depending on the applicant's borrowing history; therefore, users may incur a one-off credit transaction fee. The payment plans can be applied to flight bookings, hotels, and car hires.The company has partnered with travel brands such as Lastminute.com, TravelUp, Kayak, LycaFly, and Trivago.The company secured GBP 55 million (approx. USD 75 million) in <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates?industryIds=58">debt funding </a>from Atalaya Capital Management. The round follows its extended Series A round worth GBP 10 million (approx. USD 14 million) in May 2021. The debt infusion is earmarked to support its expansion efforts in the US, which it entered into in 2020.

Fly Now Pay Later

The providers plug into merchant checkouts and convert business purchases into installments.

These platforms integrate with the merchant’s e-commerce checkout and primarily offer the BNPL solution through their app. Consumers are restricted to shopping at merchants integrated with the provider in most cases.

These providers integrate with the merchant’s e-commerce checkout. The service is offered through the provider’s app or a virtual card that facilitates in-store application, including non-partnered retailers.

These companies offer merchants and financial institutions a white-label product to provide in-house BNPL solutions.

Solutions can use AI/ML to improve the quality of underwriting tools used in assessing consumers

Use of blockchain technology for customer screening is an emerging area

ANALYST_QUICK_TAKE

PROMINENT_CATEGORY

<div>

Saudi Arabia's Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL) service provider, Tamara, has formed a partnership with UK-based digital identity verification platform, Uqudo. This collaboration aims to enhance privacy and security during digital transactions.
Uqudo was established in 2018 and provides digital identity verification services such as Optical Character Recognition (OCR), Near Field Communication (NFC), facial recognition, liveness and tampering detection. These services are used by various businesses within numerous sectors such as FinTech, cryptocurrency, banking and telecommunications across the Middle East and Africa region.
With this partnership, Tamara intends to incorporate Uqudo's identity verification technology into its own platform. This will offer customers improved privacy and security during BNPL transactions.

</div> Analyst QuickTake: 
 Today’s partnership news comes nearly a month after Tamara <a href="https: 
//sp-edge.com/updates/25271"> partnered with Paymob </a> to offer an integrated installment payment processing solution for merchants in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region and within three months of raising USD 340 million in a <a href="https: 
//sp-edge.com/updates/25002"> Series C funding </a> to expand product offerings for broader banking opportunities in GCC region.

Tamara

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