News

Saudi Startup Tamara Secures $340 Million In Funding

The fintech “buy now, pay later” platform has achieved unicorn status after being valued at $1 billion.

Published

12 months ago

December 19, 2023

Nour Nasir

Tamara

Saudi Arabia’s “buy now, pay later” platform, Tamara, is now worth a staggering $1 billion after a recent equity funding round led by SNB Capital that raised $340 million.

Other investors included Shorooq Partners, Pinnacle Capital, and Impulse, who joined existing backers such as Checkout.com, Coatue, and Endeavor Catalyst.

Tamara plans to use the significant cash injection to build new shopping and payment products and services, and intends to become “the next big giant in shopping, payments, and banking,” according to the company’s co-founder and CEO, Abdulmajeed Alsukhan.

“Saudi Arabia and the GCC deserve their place on the world stage for financial technology. Just as Tamara was created by local entrepreneurs nurtured by a supportive local ecosystem and market regulator, we stand here today, humbled and hungry, ready for our own leapfrog moment. This achievement is a testament to the ecosystem, our incredible team, investors, and the collaborative spirit that makes this region a great place for talent to flourish,” the CEO said.

Also Read: Dubai Startup Creates Iron Man-Style Smart Contact Lens

The chief executive has also announced that Tamara is considering listing on the Saudi Arabian stock exchange and potentially in other markets in the near future. The company’s latest equity funding round comes after a debt-raising move earlier in November 2023 led by Goldman Sachs and Shorooq Partners.

With the global BNPL market projected to hit $565.8 billion in 2026, the future certainly looks bright for Tamara, with its user base of 10 million and 30,000 partner merchants spread across Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Kuwait.

News

Samsung Smart Glasses Teased For January, Software Reveal Imminent

According to Korean sources, the new wearable will launch alongside the Galaxy S25, with the accompanying software platform unveiled this December.

Published

1 day ago

December 4, 2024

Nour Nasir

samsung smart glasses teased for january software reveal imminent

Samsung appears poised to introduce its highly anticipated smart glasses in January 2025, alongside the launch of the Galaxy S25. According to sources in Korea, the company will first reveal the accompanying software platform later this month.

As per a report from Yonhap News, Samsung’s unveiling strategy for the smart glasses echoes its approach with the Galaxy Ring earlier this year. The January showcase won’t constitute a full product launch but will likely feature teaser visuals at the Galaxy S25 event. A more detailed rollout could follow in subsequent months.

Just in: Samsung is set to unveil a prototype of its augmented reality (AR) glasses, currently in development, during the Galaxy S25 Unpacked event early next year, likely in the form of videos or images.

Additionally, prior to revealing the prototype, Samsung plans to introduce…

— Jukanlosreve (@Jukanlosreve) December 3, 2024

The Galaxy Ring, for example, debuted in January via a short presentation during Samsung’s Unpacked event. The full product unveiling came later at MWC in February, and the final release followed in July. Samsung seems to be adopting a similar phased approach with its smart glasses, which are expected to hit the market in the third quarter of 2025.

A Collaborative Software Effort

Samsung’s partnership with Google has played a key role in developing the smart glasses’ software. This collaboration was first announced in February 2023, with the device set to run on an Android-based platform. In July, the companies reiterated their plans to deliver an extended reality (XR) platform by the end of the year. The software specifics for the XR device are expected to be unveiled before the end of December.

Reports suggest that the smart glasses will resemble Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses in functionality. They won’t include a display but will weigh approximately 50 grams, emphasizing a lightweight, user-friendly design.

Feature Set And Compatibility

The glasses are rumored to integrate Google’s Gemini technology, alongside features like gesture recognition and potential payment capabilities. Samsung aims to create a seamless user experience by integrating the glasses with its broader Galaxy ecosystem, starting with the Galaxy S25, slated for release on January 22.