AHOY, a multisector technology company, and a group of angel investors from the GCC led a $3 million seed funding round for Qme, an up-and-coming B2B SaaS startup with its headquarters in Egypt.
An AI-powered platform called Qme is tackling a significant problem in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA): people there lose an average of six months of their lives waiting in line due to antiquated appointment scheduling techniques and ineffective queuing systems. Furthermore, 92% of appointments in important sectors are made over the phone, which results in a 31% no-show rate, adding to the inefficiencies.
AHOY, a regional tech pioneer with aspirations to become a decacorn, offers cutting-edge solutions for traffic management, aviation, and logistics. This partnership will give Qme access to state-of-the-art technology and a wealth of market knowledge.
“Our partnership with AHOY is a major milestone, as it strengthens our ability to optimise movement in dynamic, real-world scenarios while transforming customer experiences. AHOY’s operational excellence and robust tech stack are invaluable as we scale in vibrant markets,” said Maged Negm, CEO and Co-Founder of Qme. “I’m super excited to have Jamil Shinawi, AHOY’s CEO, joining Qme Advisors Committee. Our partnership with AHOY marks a pivotal moment in our journey.”
Since going on sale in Q4 2023, Qme has advanced remarkably. The company has already reduced waiting times from 116 minutes to just 14 minutes for over 100,000 customers in the government, banking, and healthcare sectors. In addition to cutting phone booking no-show rates to less than 1%, Qme has saved an estimated 50,000 square meters of paper by switching from paper-based queuing systems to digital alternatives.
“Qme’s platform aligns perfectly with our ethos of reducing friction in everyday processes,” said Jamil Shinawi, CEO and Co-Founder of AHOY. “Their ability to streamline the customer journey resonates with AHOY’s mission of solving real-world inefficiencies through innovation. The collaboration leverages AHOY’s multi-sector expertise and visionary approach to help Qme penetrate complex markets across the GCC and African regions and advance globally.”
Additionally, Qme participates in AHOY’s Startup Builder Initiative, a program that seeks to support 30,000 software developers and 10,000 entrepreneurs in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region by 2030. The initiative’s strategic technological framework seeks to spur exponential innovation in vital infrastructure domains like smart city development, transportation, and aviation.
With the additional funds, Qme will be able to improve its technology stack, broaden its operational scope, and establish more meaningful alliances. In collaboration with AHOY, Qme seeks to transform the way governments and corporations engage with their clientele, setting the stage for a time when inefficiencies will no longer exist.
