Pemo launches Spend Management Platform for MENA SMEs

By Leandra Monteiro

Pemo, the UAE-based FinTech start-up empowering businesses across the Middle East, North Africa and Pakistan (MENAP), announced that it has launched its all-in-one spend management platform. Pemo offers fast, transparent, and simplified invoice payment and expense management solutions, as well as smart corporate cards, for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the region.

The announcement comes alongside a $12 million funding round, co-led by dedicated seed fund Cherry Ventures and Shorooq Partners, with participation from FinTech Collective, Speedinvest, BY Venture Partners and Antler. In addition, the round included private investment from prominent business angels, including unicorn founders of companies such as Nium, Payhawk, Qonto, Billie.

The Pemo platform is tailored to the requirements of SMEs in emerging markets and has begun onboarding its first batch of UAE-based companies. Currently available features include digitised invoices, automated approval flows, one-click invoice payments and real-time cash flow monitoring. Users can soon avail physical and virtual prepaid cards that can be distributed to employees. Through integration into the Pemo app, the prepaid card will automatically categorise employee expenses, capture receipts for each transaction, and offer business owners and management teams full visibility on corporate spending.

Pemo was co-founded by serial entrepreneurs, and Rocket Internet and Google alumni, Ayham Gorani, Valerie Konde, Alessandro Duri, and Saed Ghorani, who have collectively launched or scaled more than eight ventures, including Zalora and Pleo over the last 15 years. They are supported by a founding team of 20 members stemming from successful local and international tech companies.

Following its UAE launch, Pemo is looking to establish operations in Saudi Arabia by the end of 2022. The company later plans to extend its geographical footprint into Egypt and Pakistan.