I came across this intriguing fundraising event from Crunchbase:
Let’s dive into the details about Tamara:
What is Tamara?
Tamara is a Saudi Arabian buy now, pay later (BNPL) platform that has achieved a unicorn valuation of over $1 billion.
Funding Status
The company has received significant funding, including a $340 million Series C funding round led by SNB Capital and the Public Investment Fund’s Sanabil Investments, as well as a $150 million funding facility with Goldman Sachs.
Value Proposition
Tamara’s unique value proposition lies in its focus on the Saudi Arabian and wider Gulf region’s fintech landscape, aiming to enhance integration into the shopping journey and expand its services beyond the BNPL model to include payments and banking.
Growth
The company has experienced surging growth in BNPL usage, with in-store transactions accounting for more than 25% of its business, a figure projected to exceed 30% in the coming year. Tamara’s competitors include other BNPL providers in the Gulf region, such as Tabby. The company is also considering an initial public offering (IPO) in the next few years and is expanding its operations in the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, and Kuwait, where it has over 10 million users and works with more than 30,000 merchants.
What We Learn from Tamara
Sometimes, it’s all about the niche!
While there are many competing platforms doing the same thing as Tamara, Tamara has focused on the Arab world and catering to its specific, special needs.
Here are some examples of these needs from its website:
Being Sharia complaint appears to be a big issue.
They even repeat this:
Sometimes, the next huge market is just around the block!
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