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Dubai: With ecommerce in the Middle East set to hit $70 billion by 20201, online high-tech mattress startup Simba has joined forces with AYM Commerce to expand its footprint in the region. AYM Commerce -which counts ecommerce technology mavens Paul Kenny and James Whelton on its leadership team- was established in 2016 to build extraordinary digital and online technologies to shape the future of key industries in the Middle East and beyond.
Launched in February 2016 and headquartered in London, Simba is a premium range mattress online retailer and sleep brand, and rapidly became the European market leader. The company has raised over $80 million dollars in funding to date to fuel its rapid growth across the globe. Simba leverages pioneering next generation sleep technology and innovation to manufacture its unique hybrid memory foam and spring mattresses and ships them directly to consumers, vacuum-compressed and in a box. The pioneering SIMBA sleep ‘mattress in a box’ concept allows mattresses to be ingeniously rolled up and boxed, and then delivered door to door in record time.
Simba’s partnership with AYM Commerce is set to see the company’s Middle East sales grow at speed through their online direct to consumer channel. The partnership will see AYM work alongside the Simba team to build out a tailored Middle East ecommerce offering, supporting a full product range, that, when launched, will allow Middle East consumers to order products such as the Simba Hybrid® Mattress to be delivered within 24 hours across the UAE and Saudi Arabia by June 2018. AYM’s Paul Kenny and James Whelton are well known Middle East technology and ecommerce entrepreneurs with a vast knowledge of building ecommerce platforms in the Middle East. Kenny is former founder of Cobone and Whelton is co-founder of CoderDojo, the world’s largest coding movement for children. In 2017, the pair launched the region’s largest ecommerce grocery platform, the Danube App, through AYM’s partnership with the BinDawood group, pioneers of the retail industry in Saudi Arabia.
CEO and Co-founder of Simba James Cox commented; “Online shopping in the Middle East is rapidly evolving and has grown by 1500% over the last decade.1 We see AYM’s immense ecommerce experience as a key driver in supporting Simba’s rapid Middle East expansion as we ramp up innovating the region’s sleep category. Our Middle East ecommerce offering will include our famous SIMBA Hybrid® mattress, and also include range of other products such as pillows with NASA technology, and a high-tech beside table. As with other markets, we will maintain our 100 day no hassle return service and incredible 10-year guarantee.”
Managing Director of AYM Commerce, Paul Kenny said: “We are delighted to announce this ecommerce partnership with Simba, another high-tech innovator, who like AYM, have a young entrepreneurial leadership team. I think the concept of sleep items and how they affect our quality of life is becoming ever more prominent in the Middle East. The Simba product offering is revitalizing the sleep sector globally and the AYM/Simba partnership will accelerate Simba’s footprint across the Middle East and boost the company’s growth through tailored ecommerce technology. We are set to launch in UAE and Saudi Arabia by end of June, from which point, people will be able to order a luxury, world class bed and sleep products in minutes on their phones and have them delivered to their door the next day.”
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About AYM
AYM specialises in breakthrough digital technologies and online business in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. Our objective is to build extraordinary digital and online technologies that will shape the future of key industries in the Middle East and beyond and create attractive returns for our investors.
To achieve this goal, we seek to forge lasting partnerships with entrepreneurs, technologists and executives and deliver the capital, industry expertise and broad network of relationships needed to succeed.
About Simba
Launched in February 2016, high-tech sleep brand Simba was co-founded by James Cox and Steve Reid alongside the McClements family.
James previously worked with start-ups, advising them on growth and strategy, and investing in their innovations. Steve founded Tribesports.com, an upmarket leisure wear brand.
James’ was introduced to Andrew McClements, who - from a bed-making dynasty - had been selling thread used for the making of mattresses since 1979. In 2002, he started making them himself. Andrew is the innovator and product developer.
Simba has the stamp of approval from some of the UK’s most respected heavyweight investors. Tom Teichman is Simba’s chairman who’s backed Made.com, Lastminute.com and Notonthehighstreet.com. Richard Reed, founder of Innocent Drinks, Numis Securities, Henderson Global Investors, Nigel Wray (formerly Domino’s Pizza and Saracens) and advertising legend, Sir John Hegarty, founder of incubator The Garage Soho, all invest their time and money.
Simba has already achieved extraordinary sales of over 100,000 mattresses across Europe, with thousands of five star customer reviews.
© Press Release 2018
