JEDDAH: Personal finance app Wafeer is the only service in Saudi Arabia that automatically tracks user’s spending patterns in a bid to help them stick to budgets.
The fintech company was founded by Salah Al-Bassam, Ahmad Ramadan and Abdulaziz Al-Jasser in 2019.
Each founder brings their own skills to the firm — Al-Bassam is an investment professional, Ramadan specialized in tech, while Al-Jasser is an engineer.
“We believe this was the formula that made Wafeer what it is right now, the broad and diverse experience that each founder brings to the table and of course our value add investors,” Al-Bassam told Arab News.
In March, Wafeer raised an undisclosed amount in a pre-seed funding round led by Nama Ventures, with participation from RAI group, WomenSpark, and several angel investors.
At the time, Nama Venture’s general partner Mohammed Alzubi said: “We first met the Wafeer team in August of 2020. The first thing that stood out for us was how complementary was the skillsets of the team, with real role clarity from the get go.”
Al-Bassam explains that its software automatically updates expenses that are paid through the app, rather than needing manual entry.
“Beyond tracking user’s expenses, Wafeer offers personalized advice using artificial intelligence helping users get notified before overspending and gives them recommendations that help cut spending or create wiggle room,” Al-Bassam said.
He added the Saudi Vision 2030 growth initiative highlights the importance of creating more awareness of spending, savings and investment through its Financial Sector Development Program.
Al-Bassam said: “It is one of the Vision's realization programs. This program has several goals, the most important of which are achieving financial diversity, stability, and promoting the culture of saving.
“Our goal at Wafeer is to play a role in achieving these objectives with the aim of answering this ongoing question that arises at the end of each month: What did I spend my salary on?”
Wafeer has 82,000 active users in its platform, who have notched up almost 1 million transactions.
The startup has partnered up with big companies in the region, such as online marketplace Noon and Saudi fast food app Hungerstation to provide special offers to customers.
Al-Bassam said: “We are proud of our partnerships, we have signed a number of strategic partnerships, most recently with Noon and Hungerstation to provide Wafeer users with exclusive discounts and offers that match their spending behavior.”
Wafeer currently only operates in the Kingdom, but has plans to extend its services to other Middle Eastern and North African countries.
Startup of the Week: Wafeer — helping Saudis spend wisely and save money
https://arab.news/bef67
Startup of the Week: Wafeer — helping Saudis spend wisely and save money
Two Saudi cybersecurity firms plan Tadawul listings within 2 years
RIYADH: Two Saudi cybersecurity companies, Cyber and Infratech, plan to list a portion of their shares on the Saudi Stock Exchange, or Tadawul, between 2026 and 2027, according to the companies’ chairmen, who spoke to Al-Eqtisadiah.
Abdulrahman Al-Kenani, founder and CEO of Cyber, said: “The company is currently planning to acquire certain entities, which will be disclosed in the coming period, in addition to preparing for a public offering through the Tumooh program on the stock market within the next two years at the latest.”
Al-Kenani explained that the financial, healthcare and services sectors are witnessing continuous cyberattacks as Saudi Arabia expands its digital transformation, accompanied by a rise in the frequency of such incidents. He added that this phenomenon is not limited to the Kingdom but is a global issue.
The CEO added: “The company is working with several Saudi airports and vital sectors, in addition to collaborating with major international companies to provide cutting-edge cybersecurity solutions.”
Infratech plans 4 R&D centers abroad
Ayman Al-Suhaim, CEO of Infratech, stated: “The size of the information technology and cybersecurity market in Saudi Arabia has reached approximately SR87 billion ($23.2 billion), of which SR15.7 billion are allocated to the cybersecurity sector. This includes consulting, managed services, governance, risk management, and cybersecurity within the industrial sector.”
He said the company has a strategic plan covering the period from 2026 to 2028, which includes establishing a firm in the first quarter of next year to finance cybersecurity and artificial intelligence products, as well as launching four research and development centers in the US, Russia, China and Eastern Europe.
The plan also includes investment in cloud storage, overseas ventures, and the expansion of operations and investments in data centers.
Al-Suhaim said the company intends to go public in 2027, noting that it operates across multiple cybersecurity domains serving sectors including energy, defense, aviation and government services.
The Tumooh program for small and medium-sized enterprises in Saudi Arabia is one of the support initiatives offered by the General Authority for Small and Medium Enterprises, or Monsha’at. It aims to drive SME growth by strengthening capabilities, improving performance and accelerating expansion.
The initiative seeks to help fast-growing SMEs prepare for initial public offerings in the financial markets. To date, the program has facilitated the listing of 24 companies on the Nomu Parallel Market out of more than 2,500 firms registered under the scheme.
