Yabi has successfully raised $8 million in the seed funding round that also saw the participation of Al Wafra Al Thanya (Wafra II). The startup plans to use these funds to drive product development and push growth into regional markets.
Yabi by Souqalmal was launched in Saudi Arabia this November, boasting a localised personal finance wellbeing platform. Driven by its firm belief in localisation for true value creation in personal finance, Yabi launched in both English and Arabic in the Kingdom, offering two new courses every month, all delivered by Saudi market experts. Yabi is now fully live in two markets UAE and KSA.
Yabi’s commitment to the KSA market goes beyond the tailored content, as the startup has a presence on the ground, allocating dedicated resources to lead the market penetration. The objective is to increase financial literacy through B2B relationships by encouraging companies to bring financial literacy as part of their employee well-being program.
Additionally, Saudi Vision 2030 has within its targets reaching 70% of household ownership and increasing national saving levels closer to the global average of 10%. Moreover, the Saudi government is working towards achieving its National Savings and Financial Literacy Strategy, which aims to help individuals make better financial decisions and increase the access and use of personal financial tools. This is a crucial moment for Yabi and the Kingdom to work towards the financial well-being of their citizens and residents.” says Ambareen Musa, Chief Executive Officer of Yabi.
“Spreading financial literacy and financial awareness is key to allowing individuals to live their lives happily and to their fullest potential. While technology has improved our lives in many aspects, it also brought a negative impact on financial behaviours. Yabi is at the forefront of using tech to empower individuals by spreading essential financial knowledge. Wafra II believes that any future for fintech must include efforts to spread financial awareness. Therefore, its investment in Yabi to bring its platform to the Saudi market aligns with its core purpose to play a role in raising the level of financial education, build up investments and savings and therefore contribute to Saudi Arabia’s digital GDP.” says Salah Khashoggi, Managing Director of Al Wafra Al Thanya.
