A startup known for offering video experiments from red carpets and football stadiums, which has doubled its presence in Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, as well as expanding the expansion of Africa, Asia and the United States.
The company said that the pre -series C -Funding Round, led by the International Finance Corporation (IFC), also participated in Al Jazeera Capital, Crosswork VC’s success funds, several existing investors, and several high -profile Saudi family offices.
IFC investment is especially noteworthy. Member of the World Bank Group, which is more known for investing in financial infrastructure and logistics in emerging markets, is making a rare bet on consumer tech and in particular, so -called “deep internet”.
“They are focused on the emerging markets and are seeing us as a company that is focusing on scaling globally and in these markets. Our work in the place of creators and content has made them very excited and based on our progress and growth, it has a lot of potential.” Khalid Zatara In an interview with Tech Crunch.
Wows, who, the first 360 views, are not just competing locally. It is against global giants such as YouTube, Taktok, Tweich, and Instagram, which already dominates the loyalty of consumer bases and strong creators.
But Vez believes that it has a different offering: a deep, 360 degree material that keeps consumers “inside the experience”, whether it is gramous in LA, La La La will match in Spain, or a fashion show in Dubai. Users can use content through mobile apps, web, VR headset such as Apple Vision Pro and Ocols as well as smart TV.
The company, which picked a Million 20 million Series B In 2022, special streaming deals with La Liga and Professional Fighters League (PFL) have signed deals, and they are working with more than 100 content creators whose joint audiences reach 100 million.
Streaming is local, but is still global
The expansion of the vows has come at a time when the global streaming growth is rising globally in the markets. YouTube and T -Taukt dominated the first mobile video consumption in the United States, while Netflix and Disney+ are fighting and focusing on profit.
However, in emerging markets like Egypt, Nigeria, Indonesia and Kenya, the user’s growth is still accelerating, especially with video of video and direct content in the small, mobile lover audience.
Zatara says Vows is ready to meet this demand. This platform has crossed 15 million users globally, which is more than 10 million in 2022, and now currently logs about 3 billion screen feedback, which was from 1 billion (when we last covered the startup). Its user has spread over the Middle East, the United States, Asia and Africa.
To accelerate its US push, the company is moving from organic growth to salaried marketing, which aims to convert viewers of events like Oscar and music premiere into long -term consumers. Meanwhile, in Africa and Asia, Vows is investing in local partnerships, especially with telecom operators, to increase its distribution. It has more than 40 such partnerships globally.
The Vows Manitation model is developed from its early days, when the platform earns 70 % of its content for free and through advertising. Now, this ratio is transferred to 60 % free and 40 % premium content, which is accessible through annual subscriptions or bundle telecom offers.
The company says it has doubled revenue in the last two years and increased the overall profit by 80 % last year. Although he refused to share the exact numbers, Zatara says the company reached Abbeta profits in 2024.
This is partial thanks to a model of content such as an Uber: large production staff, vows trains and freelance reporters and creators, often with proprietary cameras, instead of shooting and uploading content. Creators often have the cost of goods from their future earnings.
In addition, Startup provides creators through its “Wows Studios”, which is an internal team that helps to edit and package the deep content. According to Zatara, it saves the creators to edit times. It also offers direct trade features to the creators, which allow influencers, especially female creators to sell beauty products or fashion items directly directly during the direct series.
Successful vows have to make consumers believe that pronounced content is not just a trick and does not agree to the creators that the Wows is better than the Manatizing Tickets or YouTube. This can be achieved in parts of the Middle East and parts of Africa, where the creator’s economy still matters early and distribution partners.
But competing is difficult in the United States and other developed markets.
Nevertheless, Zatara believes that Voose, who is targeting more than 5 billion by 2026, can produce a niche in where others do not do.
“YouTube and Netflix are very good, but they are not building for creators in Nairobi or Riyadh,” he said. “We’re creating a product, network and minetization model that is hypertles. With a global scale infrastructure.”
The scale is being focused: Now the company’s offices are in Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt, Jordan, and the United States, it is actively forming teams in India and Indonesia. In Africa, Voos already lives in Egypt, Kenya and Nigeria, and says it will start in South Africa later this year.
“Vows Tech Edge and Global Reach are well alleviated to support the scaleable platform with our mandate that empower the creators.”