Cairo-based ecommerce enablement company Wuilt has closed a $2 million funding round to support its expansion across Middle Eastern markets following a strategic decision to eliminate subscription fees in Egypt. The round was led by returning investors Flat6Labs and MTF VC, with participation from Hub71, JIMCO (Abdul Latif Jameel’s venture arm), Purity Tech, and angel investors.
The funding comes eight months after Wuilt made the calculated decision in April 2025 to remove all subscription charges for Egyptian merchants, sacrificing hundreds of thousands of dollars in recurring revenue to accelerate user adoption. Since implementing the free model, the platform has attracted more than 20,000 new merchants, demonstrating substantial appetite for cost-effective ecommerce solutions in the region.
Revenue Model Transformation
Co-founded in 2019 by Ahmed Rostom and Mahmoud Metwaly, Wuilt has restructured its business model around value-added services rather than traditional subscription fees. The company now generates revenue through three primary offerings: Wuilt Shipments for logistics, Wuilt Pay for payment processing, and Wuilt Wallet for financial services.
“We didn’t pivot just to grow—we pivoted to make growth possible for everyone else” ~ Ahmed Rostom, Co-founder and CEO.
This approach represents a departure from conventional SaaS pricing models that typically charge monthly or annual fees for platform access. Instead, Wuilt monetizes through transaction-based services that scale with merchant success, aligning the company’s revenue growth with customer business expansion.
Regional Expansion Plans
The fresh capital will fund Wuilt’s geographic expansion, beginning with a UAE launch scheduled for the fourth quarter of 2025. The company plans to extend its free platform model to additional Gulf Cooperation Council countries and Turkey during the first quarter of 2026.
Wuilt is simultaneously developing artificial intelligence features designed to help merchants streamline operations and improve efficiency. These AI-powered tools are intended to provide automated optimization recommendations and scaling support for platform users.
“E-commerce in our region has always been gated by cost, complexity, and outdated thinking. We’ve removed those gates completely” ~ Ahmed Rostom, Co-founder and CEO.
Market Positioning Strategy
The company’s long-term objective centers on becoming foundational infrastructure for small businesses and social commerce sellers throughout emerging markets, with initial focus on the Middle East and North Africa region. This positioning targets entrepreneurs who may lack resources for traditional ecommerce solutions or technical expertise to build independent online stores.
By eliminating upfront costs and subscription barriers, Wuilt aims to capture market share among price-sensitive merchants while building a larger user base for its value-added services. The strategy reflects broader trends toward freemium models in software, though applied specifically to ecommerce enablement rather than consumer applications.
Investor Backing and Growth Metrics
The participation of both returning and new investors suggests confidence in Wuilt’s revised business model despite the revenue sacrifice involved in eliminating subscription fees. Flat6Labs and MTF VC’s continued backing through follow-on investments indicates sustained support from early-stage backers.
The addition of 20,000 merchants since the April pivot provides measurable validation of the free model’s effectiveness in driving user acquisition. However, the company’s ability to convert these users into revenue through value-added services will determine the long-term success of its strategic shift.
Wuilt’s approach reflects growing recognition that traditional barriers to digital commerce adoption in emerging markets may require unconventional solutions. The company’s combination of free access, localized services, and transaction-based monetization represents an experiment in making ecommerce infrastructure more accessible to smaller merchants across the region.