Iraq-based platform Tabib Baghdad (Razi Care) raises a seed funding round, led by KAPITA and Nass Al Iraq

Tabib Baghdad, an online platform that connects Iraqi Patients to Doctors has raised its seed funding round of six figures through the recently launched Iraqi Angel Investors Network, led by KAPITA and Nass Al Iraq. In addition, the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH with its project “ICT for Youth in Iraq” matched a grant of $20,000 towards this round, as part of its support to the Angel Network and the Iraqi startup ecosystem.

Tabib Baghdad was established in 2018 and the platform is available as an app and a website. The company started their operations in Baghdad and they plan to cover the rest of Iraq in the coming year. Today, Tabib Baghdad has more than 300 doctors on the platform and they have facilitated more than a thousand bookings. The platform is focused on creating trust between patients and doctors through its review system, that allows users to rate their booking experience after each visit.

Dr. Ali Alkhazaj, founder of Tabib Baghdad commented, ‘’We estimate that there are more than twenty thousand doctors in Iraq today, but most patients are finding their doctors through word of mouth. Tabib Baghdad will allow patients to find a doctor they can trust.” He also commented on the company’s future plans, “with the funding in place, we are looking to optimize our backend technology to make the experience of our patients and doctors more seamless.
Covid-19 has highlighted the potential of telemedicine in Iraq and this is an area that we are keeping a close eye on’’.

Tabib Baghdad has graduated recently from ScaleUp Academy, the accelerator program run by KAPITA where the company received extensive training in preparation for its fundraising process. Mujahid Waisi, the CEO of Kapita, commented, “We are very happy to see the progress that Tabib Baghdad has made, from joining the ScaleUp Academy to raising its first round. Kapita remains committed to supporting founders across their startups’ lifecycle’’.

Bahaaddin Salim, the CEO of Nass Al Iraq, commented, “We see a great potential to disrupt and address the Healthcare sector in Iraq through technology. We believe that Tabib Baghdad has all the right fundamentals to address this potential”. Nass Al Iraq is a holding company that uses innovation, modern management, and digital transformation to transform businesses.

Ali Al Suhail, the manager of the Iraqi Angel Investors Network further commented, “The Healthcare sector in Iraq remains underserved and is being severely challenged by the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic. Investors see the potential of startups addressing those challenges and we expect to see more investments coming into this sector’’.

About IAIN
The Iraqi Angel Investors Network, the first angel group in Iraq, is supported on behalf of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) via GIZ together with its implementing Partner Kapita. The Network comprises a group of distinguished Iraqi businessmen and entrepreneurs looking to support the entrepreneurship ecosystem in Iraq and revitalizing the country’s private sector.

Update : Tabib Baghdad has rebranded to Razi Care (razi.care) post investment.

Business LANDSCAPE Magazine Edition 1.0

 

Business LANDSCAPE is a quarterly magazine published by KAPITA covering important topics regarding the private sector of Iraq.

In our first issue, you will get updates about the Iraqi stock exchange, and the upward trend in the market. In addition to coverage of the fundraising landscape in Iraq.

You will read about the launch of the first Iraqi Angel Investors Network, its purpose and its essential role in developing the Iraqi entrepreneurial scene. Moreover, you will learn more about the mindset shift in the Iraqi startups’ ecosystem, the tools to fill the youth’s skills gap and prepare them to enroll in the private sector.

You will discover more about the current e-commerce sector in Iraq, its progress, recent developments, and potentials. You will know more about the available e-commerce platforms and e-payment methods in Iraq as well. Also, you will get a glimpse into the Iraqi legal system and litigation regarding investment.

This issue provides overviews of the agriculture sector and the industrial sector in Iraq, discussing the historical contexts, challenges, current projects, and recommendations in order to develop those two key sectors to diversify the economy of Iraq.

We also had the absolute pleasure to present you with the interviews we conducted with key figures in the Iraq private sector.

Mohammed Al-Hakim, Careem’s Iraq and Jordan general manager shared with us the journey of Careem in Iraq and expressed his views on the future of Iraqi startups. Careem strives to make a positive change in the transportation sector in Iraq in particular, the economy and society in general.

Duha A. Alatta, the director general of the payments department in the Central Bank of Iraq (CBI), discussed the timeline of e-payment in Iraq, the challenges, the progress, and the future projects to develop the e-payment methods further.

Mohammed Khudairi, businessman and investor, gave us a glance into his life and career and shared with us the challenges and the prospects of investing in the Iraqi market.

KAPITA is beyond delighted to present to you this issue to help you navigate your way through the Iraqi private sector. We hope this issue to be one of many more to come paving the way for all of those interested in this sector, and to unlock the opportunities and overcome the obstacles towards prosperous Iraq.

 

KAPITA launches the first Iraqi dedicated Angel Network

The Iraqi entrepreneurship ecosystem receives a major boost with the launch of the first Iraqi angel investors network

[Baghdad, Iraq] KAPITA is launching Iraq’s first Angel Investor Network – IAIN (https://iraqangels.net/) that is dedicated to connecting startups with angel investors in order to develop the Iraqi entrepreneurship ecosystem. The network is sponsored by the German Government through GIZ (German Agency for International Cooperation).

The network is the first attempt at an institutionalized investment vehicle for Iraqi startups. It helps founders access the knowledge, experience and connections they require, along with funding to scale and grow their business. The network is also technically supported by the World Bank.

It has some of the most prominent Iraqi angel investors including Shwan Taha and Mohammed Khudairi; both of whom have recently invested in the leading e-commerce platform in Iraq – Miswag. The network also includes Yazen Abu Galal, Amar Shubar and Ahmed Tabaqchali, in addition to a group of distinguished Iraqi entrepreneurs and leading businessmen.

Mujahid Waisi, the CEO and founder of KAPITA has played a key role in shaping up the ecosystem of Iraq. He commented “The Iraqi ecosystem has grown and expanded rapidly over the past few years, Kapita aims to support startups along their journey from incubation to funding”. Ali Al Suhail, the Fund Manager at the Network and who has recently completed his MBA at London Business School added “Access to finance remains one of the key issues facing Iraqi entrepreneurs, the network will provide startups with an institutionalized path to access capital for all Iraqi entrepreneurs”.

Active investors in the Iraqi Angel Investors Network
● Shwan Ibrahim Taha, Chairman of Rabee Securities
● Mohammed Khudairi, Managing Partner of Khudairi Group
● Yazen Abu Gulal, Managing Partner at YAG Capital
● Dr. Alaa J Mousa, CEO of EarthLink Telecommunications
● Jaafar Al Musawi, CEO of Atlas Plast
● Mohamed Al-Hakim, General Manager of Careem in Iraq and Jordan
● Bahaaddin Salim, Co-founder and CEO of NASS Al-Iraq Holding
● Hasan Al-Yassen, CEO of Baghdad Gate Services
● Ali Tariq, Executive Director at Iraqi Private Banks League
● Nour Sabri, Associate Partner at IBM
● Omar Al-Handal, Asset Management Executive at Al-Handal International Group
● Hadi Al-Haidari, CEO of Rawnaq Aldur Company
● Ali Beyatli, Owner of Green Hills
● Amar Shubar, Partner at Management Partner
● Ahmed Tabaqchali, Economic Expert
● Samer Abed, Managing Director at PetrolLog Technologies
● Halat Aziz,
● Rawaz Raouf, Commercial and Regulatory Advisor at Fanoos Telecom
● Zaid Fadhel, Founder of Iraqi Cinema
● Mohammed Shaikley, Senior Director of Investments and M&A at AMEA Power
● Ammar Al Sharifi, Managing Director ALTAYM General Trading Ltd.

About Kapita
Kapita is a private sector development company that aims to empower small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) through investment, research, incubation/acceleration, and market development programs. It has recently announced the graduation of 20 startups from its incubation program “Orange Corners Baghdad” in collaboration with the Netherland government and is currently accepting applications for the next edition of the program. Kapita is also running an accelerator program in partnership with GIZ and AsiaCell that focuses on scaling and growing existing startups.

For more information visit, http://www.kapita.iq/

KAPITA Hosted an Angel Investment Webinar in collaboration with the World Bank

In July 2020, KAPITA successfully hosted a webinar in collaboration with The World Bank Group on Early Stage Investments, for KAPITA’s Iraqi Angel Investors network. The facilitators introduced some of the fundamental concepts and approaches around angel investing, along with common practises and techniques for getting started and improving the overall investment experience.

The two-hour session was led by Aun Rahman, a Global Specialist in Finance Competitiveness & Innovation MENA, for the World Bank and by Jeremy Bauman, Lead Consultant in Finance Competitiveness & Innovation MENA. The session was attended by KAPITA’s Angel Network.

Angel investing is quite challenging, it requires both time and money and it is high risk. In developed markets, and increasingly in emerging markets, angel investors often band together to invest, thus sharing the workload and reducing risk. Collectively, angel networks seek to consolidate the knowledge, networks and resources of individual angels to make better informed decisions and improve the odds of success by supporting companies’ post-investment. Thereby, the session focused on four key aspects:

What is Angel Investing and the role of angel capital
Who gets involved in Angel Investing
Structured Angel Investment and Key success factors
The importance of Due Diligence

This webinar is one of many sessions that KAPITA will be providing for the Iraqi Angel Investors Network.