KSA-Based Siin Raises US$3 Million To Scale Live Commerce Across The GCC

Siin, a Bahrain-born, KSA-based e-commerce platform, has secured a new funding round that has brought the total capital it has raised since its inception in 2024 to US$3 million.

The investment round was led by the MENA-based venture capital (VC) firm, VentureSouq, and Shift Group, a Doha-headquartered diversified conglomerate, with backing from Abu Dhabi-based VC firm Plus VC, and Oqal, a KSA-based angel investor network. Other investors included individuals like Suhail Al Gossaibi, founder of Suhail Algosaibi Enterprises and Chairman of Tenmou, a Bahrain-based angel investing company, Musaab Hakami, founder and CEO of Mala Inc., a KSA-based procure-now-pay-later platform, and Abdulla Alhashimi, General Manager of Salla, a KSA-based e-commerce platform. The startup has also received support from Hub71, Abu Dhabi’s tech ecosystem, and InspireU, a KSA-based corporate startup accelerator by Saudi Telecom Company (stc). 

Founded by former technology executives Hesham AlSaati, Ahmed Allawi, and Khaled Albalooshi, Siin allows users to trade high-value products through interactive livestream shopping experiences enhanced with gamified features. In an interview with Inc. Arabia, Allawi said that Siin was founded on his and his co-founders’ belief that technology should strengthen human connection, with this community-led dynamic now representing a core pillar shaping the company’s wider strategy. “Our mission is simple, but ambitious: to make live shopping easy, safe, and fun," he said. "By doing that, we founded Siin bringing people closer to each other through interests that they love." 

According to Allawi, Siin closely reflects long-standing consumer behavior across the MENA region, where purchasing decisions have traditionally been shaped by conversation, community, and credibility. “When we say commerce in MENA is social, interactive, and trust-driven, we're really describing how people have always transacted here," he explained. "It’s rarely a one-click experience; there’s conversation, reassurance, and a strong element of trust. People often buy from people, not just from brands. With Siin, we’re not creating a new behavior, we’re structuring and scaling what already exists. Livestreaming brings real-time interaction into the experience, allowing buyers to ask questions, see products live, and build trust instantly.” 

Ahmed Allawi, co-founder and COO of Siin. 

That conviction is reflected in Siin’s rapid regional expansion, with the company having scaled across Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, and Oman in just one year. “Scaling across six GCC markets in under a year gave us a clear insight," Allawi shared. "While each market moves at a different pace, the underlying behavior is very consistent across the region. Some markets pick up faster, while others take a bit more time, mainly driven by building the right supply and awareness. But what’s been consistent is that once the right sellers and communities are activated, the model starts to pull naturally. Across the board, we’ve seen strong engagement and more importantly, we’re starting to see something bigger than just transactions. Siin is gradually bringing the GCC closer together. It’s not just local anymore. It’s becoming a shared regional experience.”

Allawi also highlighted that as Siin has expanded, the platform's appeal has been evident in uptake across demographics. “What’s been interesting is how different groups respond," he said. "Younger users adopt it very naturally, as it fits how they already consume content. Older users may take a bit more time, but once they experience it, the trust factor clicks quickly. But across all the categories we’ve launched so far, one thing has been consistent. Age hasn’t really been a barrier. We’ve seen strong engagement from younger users all the way to older generations. When we enter a segment and execute it well, there’s always clear demand, regardless of age or demographic. It’s less about who the user is, and more about how relevant and engaging the experience is. At its core, what we’re building is a more human way of commerce, one that reflects how people in this region naturally connect and transact.” 

But growth at that pace also tested the company’s operational foundation. "On the operational side, the biggest challenge wasn’t demand, it was execution at scale," Allawi said. "We had to onboard livestreamers across markets, educate sellers on a new behavior, set up fulfillment and fintech locally, and maintain a consistent experience, while adapting to local nuances. Doing all of that quickly required strong focus and prioritization. But overall, expanding at that pace reinforced our belief that this isn’t a market-by-market opportunity; it’s a regional behavior, and we’re building a platform that connects people across it."

Siin’s latest funding round thus serves as a marker of the progress the company has made. The new investment is set to be used to fuel Siin’s regional growth strategy, expand its presence in key Gulf markets, and further develop its network of sellers, while introducing more interactive and real-time shopping experiences. “Raising around $3 million wasn’t driven by a single milestone; it was really a combination of signals that showed we’re building something real and scalable,” Allawi said. “First, we were able to demonstrate clear adoption from users, not just an idea. People were already live selling and buying on the platform, and more importantly, they kept coming back. That repeat behavior was important. It showed that we’re not forcing something new, we’re enhancing an experience that already existed naturally. Second, we saw early traction on both sides of the marketplace. We had sellers actively using the platform, and buyers engaging during livestreams, which started to create that initial marketplace dynamic investors look for. It wasn’t perfect, but it was real. Third, we showed strong conviction and speed of execution. We tested multiple directions early on, learned quickly, and focused on what was working. That ability to iterate fast and stay close to the user gave investors confidence that we can navigate this space.” 

Investor confidence was also strengthened by how much room Siin still had to grow across the region. “The market itself is still largely untapped in our region, despite being proven globally," Allawi pointed out. "That gap between behavior and infrastructure created a clear opportunity, and we were already positioned within it. Investors like VentureSouq and Plus VC didn’t just see growth, they saw early signs of a platform that can scale with the right foundation. I think what really mattered is that we’re not just chasing a trend; we’re building around a shift in how people interact, shop, and connect. And ultimately, they backed the team. Our understanding of marketplaces, our long-term view, and our commitment to building this for this region.” 

Having built Siin around these principles, Allawi believes the same thinking applies to founders looking to create successful consumer marketplaces of their own. “My biggest advice would be to build around real behavior, not assumptions,” he said. “A lot of founders try to introduce completely new habits to the market, and that’s usually the hard way. If people are already doing something, even if it’s fragmented or informal, that’s where the real opportunity is. Your job is to legitimize it, simplify it, and make it trustworthy. Second, marketplaces are all about execution. You can have the best strategy on paper, but if you’re not moving fast, testing constantly, and adapting quickly, it won’t matter. Also, in this region, trust is everything. If users don’t feel confident in the experience, they won’t come back. And lastly, think regionally. One of the biggest opportunities in the GCC is building products that bring people closer across markets, not just within one market. If you can solve a real problem and execute well, the opportunity here is massive.” 

Pictured in the lead image are, from left to right, Ahmed Allawi, Hesham AlSaati, and Khaled Albalooshi, co-founders of Siin. All images courtesy Siin.