Endeavor Catalyst

Endeavor Catalyst, established in 2012, is a venture capital arm of Endeavor Global, a non-profit supporting entrepreneurs in developing countries. Based in New York with global offices, Catalyst invests in early to growth-stage companies across sectors such as agriculture, education, enterprise software, fintech, healthcare, and smart cities. Focusing on Latin America, the Middle East, Africa, and Southeast Asia, Catalyst targets companies with revenues between $0.5 million and $15 million, aiming to take up to a 10% stake. It co-invests in financing rounds of $5 million or more, with a portfolio comprising over 200 companies across 32 markets, including several unicorns. Catalyst's unique model aligns with Endeavor's mission, providing a platform for high-impact entrepreneurs to scale and create jobs.

Jackie Carmel

Managing Director

Emre Kurttepeli

President

Past deals in Middle East

Foodics

Series C in 2022
Foodics is a technology company based in AlKhobar, Saudi Arabia, founded in 2014. It specializes in developing a cloud-based restaurant management system designed for iPads, catering to the needs of restaurants, food trucks, cafes, and fast-food chains across the Middle East. The platform offers comprehensive solutions including point-of-sale transactions, inventory management, employee scheduling, loyalty programs, e-commerce integration, and real-time operational oversight through a user-friendly dashboard. Foodics aims to enhance revenue generation and customer relationships for its clients by providing high-tech, easy-to-use tools that streamline restaurant operations.

Lucky

Series A in 2022
Lucky is a financial services company that operates an app designed to enhance the shopping experience through credit products, discounts, and cashback rewards. The app allows users to search for and coordinate their shopping, payments, and savings, providing access to cashback rewards of up to 50% from various merchants. With a mission to transform shopping, payment, and savings in the Middle East and North Africa, Lucky has successfully connected over six million users since its launch. By partnering with both local and global brands, the app enables customers to easily access credit and save on their purchases, both in-person and online.

Hellas Direct

Venture Round in 2021
Hellas Direct is a Cyprus-based digital-first insurance company that leverages advanced technology and artificial intelligence to transform the insurance industry. The company offers a range of insurance products, including car, motorcycle, and home insurance, by utilizing algorithms and advanced analytics to provide competitive pricing. By focusing on operational excellence, Hellas Direct aims to streamline the insurance process, making it simpler and more accessible for clients. With a mission to disrupt the traditional insurance value chain, Hellas Direct adopts a customer-centric approach, ensuring that clients receive the best possible offers tailored to their needs.

Foodics

Series B in 2021
Foodics is a technology company based in AlKhobar, Saudi Arabia, founded in 2014. It specializes in developing a cloud-based restaurant management system designed for iPads, catering to the needs of restaurants, food trucks, cafes, and fast-food chains across the Middle East. The platform offers comprehensive solutions including point-of-sale transactions, inventory management, employee scheduling, loyalty programs, e-commerce integration, and real-time operational oversight through a user-friendly dashboard. Foodics aims to enhance revenue generation and customer relationships for its clients by providing high-tech, easy-to-use tools that streamline restaurant operations.

SmartMessage

Venture Round in 2019
SmartMessage is a technology company founded in 2005 and headquartered in Istanbul, Turkey, specializing in omni-channel marketing software solutions. The company provides both on-premise and cloud-based platforms that facilitate effective marketing engagement between organizations and their target audiences. SmartMessage's platform is designed to address challenges in digital transformation by delivering real-time data that enables brands to connect meaningfully with customers. This capability allows clients to respond to customer intent and actions promptly, ensuring relevant communications across multiple channels. As a result, businesses can confidently scale their marketing efforts to reach millions of customers in real time.

Jamalon

Series B in 2019
Jamalon, Inc. is the largest online bookstore in the Middle East, established in 2010 and headquartered in Amman, Jordan. The company offers a vast selection of over 9.3 million titles in Arabic and English from approximately 30,000 publishers. Jamalon specializes in providing home delivery services and customized payment methods tailored to the needs of customers in the region. Its extensive catalog includes books across various genres from both well-known and emerging authors, enabling publishers to reach a wider audience and facilitating access to literature for readers throughout the Middle East.

Hellas Direct

Series C in 2019
Hellas Direct is a Cyprus-based digital-first insurance company that leverages advanced technology and artificial intelligence to transform the insurance industry. The company offers a range of insurance products, including car, motorcycle, and home insurance, by utilizing algorithms and advanced analytics to provide competitive pricing. By focusing on operational excellence, Hellas Direct aims to streamline the insurance process, making it simpler and more accessible for clients. With a mission to disrupt the traditional insurance value chain, Hellas Direct adopts a customer-centric approach, ensuring that clients receive the best possible offers tailored to their needs.

Hellas Direct

Series B in 2018
Hellas Direct is a Cyprus-based digital-first insurance company that leverages advanced technology and artificial intelligence to transform the insurance industry. The company offers a range of insurance products, including car, motorcycle, and home insurance, by utilizing algorithms and advanced analytics to provide competitive pricing. By focusing on operational excellence, Hellas Direct aims to streamline the insurance process, making it simpler and more accessible for clients. With a mission to disrupt the traditional insurance value chain, Hellas Direct adopts a customer-centric approach, ensuring that clients receive the best possible offers tailored to their needs.

Anghami

Series B in 2016
Anghami is a digital music streaming platform based in Jounieh, Lebanon, that offers a vast library of Arabic and international songs for streaming and offline listening. Established in 2011, the company primarily serves customers in the Middle East and North Africa and boasts the largest licensed music catalog in the region. Anghami collaborates with major Arabic music labels, including Rotana, Melody, and Mazzika, as well as international giants like Universal, Sony, and Warner. The platform is designed to cater specifically to the musical preferences of its audience, ensuring a diverse range of content from both established and independent artists. With a strategic partnership with MBC Group, Anghami continues to grow its user base and expand its offerings in the competitive digital music landscape.

UTURN Entertainment

Series B in 2016
UTURN Entertainment operates an Arabic entertainment network that produces diverse video content tailored for Arabic speakers worldwide. Founded in 2010 and based in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, UTURN focuses on creating engaging multimedia in various genres, including entertainment, vlogging, gaming, children's content, and lifestyle. The company aims to promote Arabic culture globally, offering its content through platforms such as the UTURN application and YouTube. By providing edgy, local, and interactive content, UTURN seeks to connect with users in a meaningful way while maintaining a professional standard.

Kharabeesh

Series B in 2016
Kharabeesh Limited is a media and entertainment network based in Amman, Jordan, founded in 2008. It focuses on creating artistic video shows that address social and political issues, aiming to enhance youth-oriented Arabic e-content. As a leading multi-channel network, Kharabeesh produces and co-produces a variety of content, including animations, music, and short films, which are distributed through YouTube and social media platforms. The company operates as a subsidiary of Think Arabia and serves as a platform for digital creators to showcase their talents to a global audience. By combining media, entertainment, and technology, Kharabeesh contributes significantly to the online entertainment landscape for Arab internet users.

Mumzworld

Series A in 2016
Mumzworld.com is the leading e-commerce platform in the Middle East focused on products for mothers, babies, and children, serving over 2 million customers across the MENA region and shipping to more than 20 countries. The platform features an extensive catalog of over 200,000 items from more than 2,000 global and regional brands, making it a comprehensive resource for mothers seeking unique and essential products. Users can conveniently search, compare, and purchase a wide range of childcare items, educational toys, and maternity products, supported by detailed information and reviews to aid decision-making. Recognized as a pioneer in the e-commerce landscape for mothers, Mumzworld.com has partnered with major FMCG brands and secured exclusive distribution rights for numerous products, enhancing its offerings and solidifying its reputation as a vital online resource for families.

Mobinets

Series B in 2015
Mobinets is a rapidly growing Lebanese company that specializes in software solutions for mobile network operators in the MENA region. Its primary offering, the Network Engineering Platform (NEP), is utilized by over 20 prominent telecommunications operators to enhance network design, optimize costs, and facilitate maintenance. The platform provides operating system services that automate and streamline telecom network operations, improving workflow functionality and accelerating inter-departmental processes. By enhancing execution speed and accuracy, Mobinets enables telecom operators to achieve significant transformation benefits efficiently.

Hellas Direct

Series A in 2015
Hellas Direct is a Cyprus-based digital-first insurance company that leverages advanced technology and artificial intelligence to transform the insurance industry. The company offers a range of insurance products, including car, motorcycle, and home insurance, by utilizing algorithms and advanced analytics to provide competitive pricing. By focusing on operational excellence, Hellas Direct aims to streamline the insurance process, making it simpler and more accessible for clients. With a mission to disrupt the traditional insurance value chain, Hellas Direct adopts a customer-centric approach, ensuring that clients receive the best possible offers tailored to their needs.

Lidyana.com

Series B in 2013
Lidyana.com is a Turkish e-commerce platform specializing in fashion retail. The website features a diverse range of products, including branded clothing, accessories, shoes, bags, and cosmetics for men, women, and children. Lidyana also offers handmade jewelry under its d'Ark brand, catering to various styles and occasions. By providing a curated selection of local and global designer items, the platform aims to deliver a comprehensive shopping experience, allowing customers to conveniently purchase products online and have them delivered to their homes.

Peak Games

Series C in 2013
Peak Games is a prominent mobile gaming company based in Istanbul, Turkey, founded in 2010. The company specializes in social gaming and targets emerging markets in Turkey, the Middle East, and North Africa. Peak is known for its successful mobile franchises, Toon Blast and Toy Blast, which have consistently ranked among the top 10 and top 20 grossing games on the U.S. iPhone charts for the past three years, attracting over 12 million daily active users. The company's approach emphasizes the importance of talented individuals working in autonomous teams to drive innovation and create impactful gaming experiences.
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