Vuz, a startup that is known for offering compelling video experiences of red carpets and football stadiums, has collected $ 12 million because it doubles his presence in Saudi Aarabia and the United Arab Emirates, and accelerates the expansion to Africa, Asia and the United States.
The Pre-Series C Financing Round, led by the International Finance Corporation (IFC), also took part in participation of Al Jazira Capital, CrossWork VC’s Success Fund, several existing investors and various high-profile Saudi family offices, the company said.
The investment of IFC is particularly remarkable. The member of the World Bank Group, who is more known for investing in financial infrastructure and logistics on emerging markets, makes a rare gamble on consumer technology and specifically the so -called ‘compelling internet’.
“They are focused on emerging markets and saw us as a company that focuses on the worldwide scales and also in those markets. Our work at the makers and the contents of contents has made them very enthusiastic and based on our progress and growth, there is so much potential to build on it,” Founder and CEO, “Founder and CEO Khaled Zaatarah said in an interview with Techcrunch.
Vuz, formerly 360Vuz, not only competes locally; It is against global giants such as YouTube, Tiktok, Twitch and Instagram, platforms that already dominate with enormous user bases and strong loyalty of the maker.
But Vuz believes that it has a differentiated offer: compelling, 360-degree content that uses ‘in the experience’, whether the Grammy’s in LA, a la Liga match in Spain, or a fashion show in Dubai. Users can consume content via mobile apps, the web, VR headsets such as Apple Vision Pro and Oculus, as well as SMART TVs.
The company has drawn exclusive compelling streaming deals with La Liga and the Professional Fighters League (PFL) and works together with more than 100 content makers whose combined public tops reaches 100 million.
Streaming is going locally, but still worldwide
Vuz’s Expansie -Push comes at a time when global streaming growth is planned for ripe markets. YouTube and Tiktok dominate mobile-first video association in the US, while Netflix and Disney+ fight against Churn and focus on profitability.
In emerging markets such as Egypt, Nigeria, Indonesia and Kenya, however, user growth still accelerates, especially among younger, mobile, skilled audience with a appetite for video and live content.
Zaatarah says that Vuz is ready to meet that demand. The platform has crossed 15 million users worldwide, an increase of 10 million in 2022, and now records nearly 3 billion screen views, an increase of 1 billion at that time (when we last handed the startup). The user base includes the Midden -East, the US, Asia and Africa.
To accelerate his American push, the company is shifting from organic growth to paid marketing, aimed at converting viewers from events such as the Oscars and music premiere to long -term users. In the meantime, Vuz is investing in local partnerships in Africa and Asia, especially at telecom operators, to expand his distribution. It has more than 40 such partnerships worldwide.
The monetization model of VUZ has evolved since the earlier days, when the platform offered about 70% of its content for free and generated income via advertisements. Now that ratio has shifted to 60% free and 40% premium content, accessible through an annual subscription or bundled telecom offers.
The company says that it has doubled sales in the last two years and has achieved an increase in gross profit by 80% last year. Although it refused to share exact figures, Zaatarah says that the company reached profitability in 2023.
That is partly thanks to a Uber-like content model: instead of implementing large production teams, trains Vuz, train and rest freelance reporters and makers, often with their own cameras, to make content and upload. Makers have often deducted the costs of equipment from their future income.
In addition, the startup supports makers through his ‘Vuz Studio’, an internal team that helps with the quick editing and packaging of compelling content. According to Zaatarah, this saves the hours of processing time. It also offers makers live commerce functions, so that influencers, in particular female makers, beauty products or fashion items can sell directly during live streams.
In order to succeed, VUZ has to convince users that compelling content is not only a gimmick and makers convince that earning on Vuz is better than Tiktok or YouTube. In the middle and parts of Africa, where the maker -economy is still early and distribution partners matter, that can be feasible.
But in the US and other developed markets, competition is more difficult.
Yet Zaatarah believes that Vuz, who focused on more than 5 billion in 2026, can cut a niche by going where others don’t.
“YouTube and Netflix are great, but they don’t build for makers in Nairobi or Riyad,” he said. “We are building a product, network and monetization model that is hyperlocal-with the infrastructure to scale worldwide.”
That scale comes into the picture: the company now has offices in Saudi Aarabia, the VAE, Egypt, Jordan and the US, it is active structure of teams in India and Indonesia. In Africa, Vuz is already live in Egypt, Kenya and Nigeria and says that it will be launched later this year in South Africa.
“Vuz’s Tech Edge and Global Reach EUT good in accordance with our mandate to support scalable platforms that enable makers,” said Farid Fezoua, IFC Global Director for disruptive technologies, services and funds.