Page 71 - SAMENA Trends - May-June 2022

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Y-Tel Hails Yemen Mobile Data Milestone

Yemen operator Y-Tel completed what awarded. According to GSMA Intelligence network transformation project overseen
it claimed was the country’s first mobile the operator is the smallest player in a four- by system integration and consultancy
video call, employing a new 4G network to carrier market. Market leader Yemen Mobile company Digis Squared. Digis Squared
deliver what it branded a major technical has 6.9 million connections compared to COO Ahmed Zain said “the connectivity we
milestone and departure from its legacy Y-Tel’s 3.1 million. The Y-Tel 4G network are delivering will truly transform lives and
2G infrastructure. In a statement, Y-Tel is the culmination of an eight-month long improve the functioning of society”.
explained it previously operated a 2G
network for voice and SMS only, but its
network suffered from patchy coverage
and significant instability. The Yemeni
government granted 4G telecoms licences
to the company in line with reconstruction
projects across the Middle Eastern country
following a civil war. Y-Tel stated the
video call marks the commencement of
operating a network which will deliver
stable voice services along with mobile
data capabilities. The operator plans to
debut the 4G service in the city of Aden
before a phased national deployment over
the remainder of 2022 and into 2023. It
claims its new network is also “5G-ready,”
although 5G licenses have not yet been

Pakistan e-Commerce Startup Raises Record US$37 Million Series A

Pakistan’s Dastgyr Technologies Pvt., which Dastgyr, which means “helper,” is a one- EquiTie also participated. Dastgyr has
aims to create an e-commerce platform stop platform that connects retailers such started a Buy Now Pay Later offering and
similar to Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. for as grocery stores with multiple suppliers plans to introduce lending products for its
emerging markets, raised $37 million in such as Nestle SA and Reckitt Benckiser sellers as well. It aims to become a unicorn
the country’s largest-ever Series A funding. Group Plc. Most traditional stores currently in the next few years, Muhammad Owais,
The venture arm of telecommunications meet 100 suppliers a week or physically another co-founder, said in an interview.
operator Veon Ltd. led the fundraising by browse different markets to stack its While the company started by catering
contributing about 40% of the investment. shelves. The online marketplace that to grocery stores, it’s now venturing into
The Dutch-domiciled giant serves more than started less than two years ago has been new business-to-business categories,
217 million customers in nine countries and used by about 100,000 retailers in the five including cement, steel and other building
is the largest mobile phone service provider cities it operates. It seeks to keep costs materials. It is also looking at electronics,
in Pakistan. Dastgyr’s funding is a bright low by connecting buyers and sellers over pharmaceuticals and other retail sectors,
spot for the South Asian nation that has a digital platform, rather than buying and said Owais. The funding marks another
suffered from the global tech downturn after storing everything in physical warehouses. step in Veon’s evolution beyond traditional
a breakout year in 2021. Uber Technologies It plans to expand into 15 new markets in telecommunications. It has also applied
Inc.’s Careem Inc. unit has suspended food Pakistan and expand into a new country for a digital banking license in Pakistan.
deliveries in the country, Dubai-based Swvl in 2022. The company continues “to work “As part of Veon’s transformation into a
Holdings has paused operations and Airlift relentlessly toward our vision of building an digital operator that delivers a growing
Technologies Pvt. has fired a third of its Alibaba for emerging markets worldwide,” range of services to our customers we are
workforce. “Pakistan’s startup ecosystem said Zohaib Ali, co-founder of Dastgyr. investing in leading digital companies like
is at a critical juncture and only startups The round also included Zinal Growth Dastgyr in the countries where we operate,”
focused on addressing key challenges Fund, DEG, Khwarizmi Ventures, Oman said Mohammad Khairil Abdullah, CEO at
and adopting local solutions will survive Technology Fund, Cedar Mundi Ventures, Veon Ventures. “These investments are the
and thrive,” said Aamir Ibrahim, chief Reflect Ventures, Century Oak Capital, building blocks of the digital ecosystem
executive officer at Jazz, Veon’s local unit. Haitou Global, GoingVC, Astir Ventures, K3 that will enable us to deliver on our strategy.”
Pakistan is mostly a cash-based economy Ventures, and Chandaria Capital. Existing
but startups are looking to change that. investors SOSV, Edgebrook Partners, and
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