Sampo AI Bags US$750,000 In Pre-Seed Round

Sampo AI, an Oman-based startup specializing in dynamic pricing solutions for e-commerce businesses, secured US$750,000 in its pre-seed funding round, making it the largest pre-seed investment in Oman. The round was co-led by Omantel Innovation Labs and Waad VC, with participation from Hexnture and several prominent Saudi angel investors. 

The investment highlights significant confidence in Sampo AI's approach and its ability to transform the regional e-commerce landscape. The funding will drive Sampo AI's growth into Saudi Arabia and the UAE, markets primed for technological advancements in e-commerce. 

Founded in July 2024 by Saif Al-Essai, Sampo AI harnesses advanced artificial intelligence to revolutionize pricing strategies for e-commerce businesses. By analyzing user behavior purchase trends, and running A/B tests, the platform fine-tunes pricing decisions for maximum impact. 

With a proprietary database featuring over 10 million regional products, Sampo AI provides market insights, empowering businesses to stay ahead in a rapidly changing e-commerce landscape. 

In an interview with Inc. Arabia, Saif Al-Essai, co-founder and CEO of Sampo AI, said, “This funding round is a game-changer for us. We’re using it to improve our artificial intelligence (AI), expand integrations with more e-commerce platforms, and scale our sales and support teams. A big focus is also on growing in Saudi Arabia and the UAE, where we’re investing in localized strategies and key partnerships to make adoption seamless. The goal is simple — help more businesses boost revenue with smarter pricing. This funding gives us the firepower to move faster, expand regionally, and keep refining our tech to stay ahead.” 

For Al-Essai, Sampo AI stands out from competing platforms because it is tailor-made for the MENA region. Its design gives it a distinct edge over generic pricing tools, enabling it to track local market trends, consumer behaviors, and seasonal fluctuations that global solutions often miss. 

He added, “What really sets us apart is our advanced pricing strategies — each product is analyzed against dozens of dynamic strategies, including discounts, price adjustments, per-user pricing, and promotions, to maximize profits. Over time, our AI will refine hundreds of strategies, automatically selecting and adjusting the best fit for each product in real-time. Plus, our risk-free model means if we don’t boost revenue, you don’t pay.” 

Additionally, El-Essai highlighted the unique seasonality of MENA’s e-commerce landscape and how the company’s real-time pricing adaptation helps businesses stay competitive. “E-commerce in MENA is highly seasonal, with major shopping peaks around Ramadan, Eid, and national holidays like Saudi Founding Day which will happen in two weeks. Unlike generic pricing tools, Sampo AI adapts to these shifts in real-time, analyzing demand surges and consumer behavior to optimize pricing accordingly.” He continued, “Our AI factors in cultural shopping patterns, discount trends, and stock availability to help merchants maximize profits during these key periods. Plus, we integrate with local platforms like Zid and Salla, ensuring businesses can easily implement AI-driven pricing strategies tailored for the region.” 

Strategic partnerships are crucial to Sampo AI’s success as it plans to expand to other markets in the region, according to El-Essai. “Partnerships are at the core of our expansion into Saudi Arabia and the UAE. We’re working closely with multiple marketplaces and platforms to bring dynamic pricing to their customers — even in specialized sectors like pharmacies, beauty salons, and rentals. In e-commerce, we’re taking things a step further by launching the E-Commerce Alliance, which already has 30 members and is set to be officially announced in Q3. This initiative is designed to help merchants grow holistically, with dynamic pricing at its core, ensuring they maximize profitability while optimizing their overall business strategy.”