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VEON Invests $15M in Pakistani B2B E-commerce Platform 'Dastgyr'

VEON Invests $15M in Pakistani B2B E-commerce Platform 'Dastgyr' Image Credit: EdSamuel/Bigstockphoto.com

VEON, a global digital operator that provides mobile connectivity and services, announces that the Group’s VEON Ventures division has completed a US$ 15 million investment as part of a Series A round for Dastgyr, a Pakistan-based B2B e-commerce marketplace platform. This investment will contribute towards boosting Pakistan’s e-commerce market.

Dastgyr offers businesses a one-stop-shop application that connects thousands of retailers with suppliers to give them access to real-time visibility on pricing and financing rates. Platform partners have included Coca-Cola, Nestle, and Reckitt.

The deal is VEON Ventures’ largest investment in a Pakistani start-up and reflects the Group’s continued commitment to the region and to the growth of Pakistan’s digital economy.

Dastgyr will remain an independent entity, with a minority position being taken by VEON Ventures. The new investment round will support Dastgyr’s expansion into 15 new cities in Pakistan, alongside its existing network in Karachi, Lahore, Sialkot and Gujranwala.

VEON Ventures’ investment in Dastgyr Series A funding was made alongside Zinal Growth, DEG, Khwarizmi Ventures, OTF Jasoor Ventures, Cedar Mundi Ventures, Reflect Ventures, Century Oak Capital, Haitou Global, GoingVC, Astir Ventures, K3 Diversity Ventures, Chandaria Capital, along with the founders of Property Finder, Ayoconnect, Quiqup and senior management from DoorDash.

Mohd Khairil Abdullah, CEO of VEON Ventures
Pakistan, with its rapidly growing digital sector, is a key market for VEON. By bringing together Dagstyr's e-commerce business with Jazz's communications network and JazzCash's mobile payments platform, we will catalyse growth in digital services in Pakistan. This would be further enhanced by the digital banking services that we have ambitions to provide.

Aamir Ibrahim, CEO of Jazz
Pakistan’s start-up ecosystem is at a critical juncture and only startups focused on addressing key challenges and adopting localized solutions will survive and thrive. This investment highlights VEON’s commitment to scaling up Pakistan’s digital economy and provides Dastgyr with a platform to build synergies with Jazz’s subscriber base of 75 million and with JazzCash, further integrating the startup into Pakistan’s fintech ecosystem.

Author

Ray is a news editor at The Fast Mode, bringing with him more than 10 years of experience in the wireless industry.

For tips and feedback, email Ray at ray.sharma(at)thefastmode.com, or reach him on LinkedIn @raysharma10, Facebook @1RaySharma

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