Zameeli lands Sharia‑compliant financing from Sharakah
ZameeliCompany
SharakahInvestor
Zameeli, an Omani freelance‑marketplace SaaS, secured an undisclosed Sharia‑compliant financing facility from Sharakah on June 18, 2026, aimed at technology upgrades, operational improvements, and geographic expansion across Oman.
Zameeli has secured an undisclosed Sharia‑compliant financing facility from Sharakah, Oman’s SME development arm, marking the platform’s first institutional capital raise. The deal, announced on June 18, 2026, provides the freelance‑marketplace SaaS with a growth‑oriented funding line that respects Islamic finance principles.
Founded in 2023 by Tariq Al Habsi and Mahmoud Tantora, Zameeli operates a B2B marketplace that matches small‑ and medium‑sized enterprises with local Omani freelancers offering design, marketing, videography, content creation and social‑media services. The platform’s subscription‑based model generates recurring revenue from both SME clients and freelancers, positioning it as a vertical SaaS play within the broader gig‑economy sector. While the company has not disclosed ARR or net‑revenue‑retention metrics, its rapid user‑base growth and expanding freelancer network suggest a scaling trajectory that now requires capital to sustain momentum.
Growth Capital Rationale
The financing will be deployed to enhance Zameeli’s technology stack, improve operational efficiency, and broaden its user experience. Upgrades are expected to reduce latency, introduce AI‑driven matching, and support higher transaction volumes. Operational improvements target back‑office automation and data analytics, which should lift gross margins as the platform scales. Marketing spend and geographic rollout across additional Omani governorates are also earmarked, aiming to capture a larger share of the Sultanate’s SME market, which the Omani government is actively digitising.
Market Implications
Zameeli’s Sharia‑compliant funding underscores a growing appetite among regional development funds for SaaS businesses that align with Islamic finance norms. For operators, the deal validates the viability of niche, locale‑specific marketplace models that can attract non‑traditional capital sources. Investors will watch Zameeli’s ability to translate the financing into measurable growth—higher ARR, improved net‑revenue‑retention, and expanded freelancer supply—because those metrics will dictate future valuation multiples in a market where comparable vertical SaaS firms trade between 6‑9 × ARR. The partnership also signals that government‑linked entities like Sharakah are willing to back technology platforms that drive SME productivity, potentially catalysing a wave of similar financing structures across the GCC’s digital economy.
Why It Matters
The financing gives Zameeli the runway to upgrade its platform and accelerate market penetration, which could lift its ARR and improve net‑revenue‑retention as more SMEs adopt the service. For the broader SaaS ecosystem, the deal illustrates how Sharia‑compliant capital can be mobilised for high‑growth B2B software, expanding the pool of investors willing to fund niche verticals in emerging markets. Operators can look to replicate Zameeli’s model—combining a clear market need with compliance‑friendly financing—to unlock growth without sacrificing governance standards.
Key Points
- Zameeli secured an undisclosed Sharia‑compliant financing facility from Sharakah on June 18, 2026.
- The capital will fund technology upgrades, operational efficiency, marketing, and geographic expansion across Oman.
- Zameeli’s marketplace connects SMEs with local freelancers in design, marketing, video, content and social‑media services.
- The deal highlights growing investor appetite for SaaS ventures that meet Islamic finance criteria.
- Sharakah’s involvement signals government‑linked support for digital‑economy platforms in the GCC.
Analysis
Zameeli’s financing from Sharakah reflects a convergence of two trends: the rise of vertical SaaS platforms that serve specific regional markets, and the increasing availability of Sharia‑compliant capital for high‑growth tech firms. By earmarking funds for AI‑driven matching, back‑office automation, and broader Omani rollout, Zameeli aims to boost its recurring revenue base and improve gross margins—key levers that drive valuation multiples in the SaaS sector. The partnership also provides a template for other GCC startups seeking growth capital without compromising Islamic finance principles, potentially expanding the investor universe for niche SaaS businesses. For operators, the infusion of compliant debt capital offers a lower‑cost alternative to equity dilution, preserving founder ownership while still delivering the runway needed to scale. Investors will monitor Zameeli’s post‑funding performance metrics—ARR growth, net‑revenue‑retention, and freelancer network expansion—to gauge whether the deal translates into a valuation uplift comparable to other vertical SaaS exits in emerging markets.