Saudi Arabia-based retail technology startup Raff has raised $1.7 million in a pre-seed funding round led by Vision Ventures, with participation from 500 Global, Palm VC, Oqal Group, Salla co-founder Salman Butt and other investors.
Founded in 2024 by Ali Al Qudah and Abdul Kareem Munla, Raff is building a technology platform designed to help consumer brands expand into physical retail by connecting them directly with retailers and digitising the operational processes involved in distribution.
The new funding will support Raff’s expansion across the GCC, accelerate product development and strengthen its artificial intelligence capabilities as the startup looks to build infrastructure for brands moving from online commerce into offline retail.
Tackling The Friction Of Physical Retail
While digital platforms and marketplaces have made it easier for consumer brands to launch and grow online, entering physical retail remains considerably more complex. Brands often need to establish separate relationships with retailers while managing onboarding, logistics, inventory, fulfilment and commercial operations.
Raff is targeting this fragmentation through an end-to-end platform that digitises distribution, inventory management, order fulfilment, payments and other commercial workflows. The startup aims to provide brands with a more efficient route into physical retail while helping retailers manage an expanding network of vendors.
The company is operating in a significant market opportunity, with the GCC retail sector valued at more than $300 billion annually. For retailers, Raff also integrates with leading point-of-sale and accounting software in the region, helping automate key workflows and reduce the operational complexity associated with managing multiple suppliers and brands.
From E-Commerce Experience To Retail Infrastructure
The company’s founding team brings together experience across e-commerce, technology, finance and business operations. Al Qudah previously built and scaled two e-commerce brands before joining Saudi e-commerce company Salla as an early employee, later becoming Head of Growth at legal-tech startup Qanoniah.
Munla brings more than two decades of experience in financial management and business operations, including work across financial transformation, governance, compliance and operational efficiency.
“We built Raff after experiencing firsthand how difficult it was for growing brands to move beyond online sales,” said Ali Al Qudah, Co-Founder and CEO of Raff. “Our mission is to simplify that journey and give brands a faster and more efficient way to reach offline customers.”
Since launching less than 18 months ago, Raff says it has enabled more than 900 brands across nine countries, spanning the GCC and the UK, to expand their presence through physical retail channels.
With the fresh capital, the company is now preparing for its next phase of growth across the GCC, betting that as more digital-first brands mature, the infrastructure connecting them to physical retail will become an increasingly important part of the region’s commerce ecosystem.
