Growdash raises $750K to fuel GCC expansion

Growdash, a pioneering restaurant-tech startup based in the UAE, has successfully concluded a pre-seed funding round, securing US$750,000. The funding was led by Flat6Labs, with participation from Plus Venture Capital (+VC), Judah VC, TPN Investments, and a group of prominent angel investors, including former Talabat CEO Abdulhamid Alomar and serial entrepreneur Zeid Husban.

Restaurants operating in the highly competitive food and beverage (F&B) sector in the region face significant challenges in maximizing growth potential, achieving profitability on online food delivery platforms, and optimizing return on investment. Recognizing these obstacles, Sean Trevaskis and Enver Sorkun, both former executives at Talabat and Deliveroo, founded Growdash in 2022. The company’s mission is to empower restaurants by providing them with comprehensive market data and insights to inform their growth strategies and improve bottom-line profitability.

Growdash offers a purpose-built software-as-a-service (SaaS) solution that connects data points throughout a restaurant’s pre- and post-order journey. Notable brands such as Nandos, Wagamama, Kreative Restaurants & Co, Papa Murphy’s, and Malak Al Tawouk have already used Growdash’s platform to achieve over an 800 percent increase in returns on their online advertising efforts while positively impacting profitability.

The newly secured funding will be utilized to expand Growdash’s team, enhance its proprietary capabilities with advanced features, and extend its services to other markets in the region. Currently operating in the UAE and Kuwait, Growdash plans to launch its SaaS offering in Qatar and Saudi Arabia this year, followed by further expansion across the wider region in early 2024.

Co-Founder and CEO of Growdash, Sean Trevaskis, expressed excitement about partnering with Flat6Labs and Plus Venture Capital, along with a group of investors focused on the F&B industry, who continually support and encourage the company’s ambitious plans. He emphasized the significant growth achieved by Growdash this year and how the funding will further accelerate their expansion, allowing restaurants to excel in the highly competitive online food delivery landscape.

Enver Sorkun, Co-Founder and Chief Product Officer at Growdash, highlighted the value-add ecosystem created by the company’s SaaS platform, benefiting all stakeholders involved. Currently serving over 150 restaurant brands and leading regional food aggregators, Growdash aims to help restaurants seize the full potential of acquiring new customers and increasing revenue without incurring significant investment risks.

Ryaan Sharif, General Manager at Flat6Labs UAE, praised the platform’s potential to revolutionize how restaurants leverage online channels for growth. He emphasized Flat6Labs’ commitment to providing not only working capital but also expertise in grooming early-stage startups to become market leaders, aligning with their goal of fostering a thriving ecosystem of disruptive startups in the GCC.

Hasan Haider, Founder and Managing Partner at +VC, expressed excitement about investing in Growdash and commended the company’s dedication to empowering restaurant growth through analytics and business intelligence. He looks forward to supporting the company in scaling, revolutionizing the industry, and becoming a leader in the space.

Growdash provides its clients with an easy-to-use dashboard, consolidating performance data across various food delivery channels at the brand and branch level. Through its purpose-built algorithm, the platform analyzes key metrics such as Return on Advertising Spend, Menu Conversion, Average Order Value, and Cost per Order. The insights generated enable restaurants to make informed growth decisions, improve operational profitability, and drive customer conversion through both paid campaigns and organic channels.