With ecommerce in the Middle East set to hit $70 billion by 20201, online high-tech mattress startup Simba has joined forces with Irish ecommerce technology pioneers Galway native, Paul Kenny and James Whelton, from Cork, of AYM Commerce to expand the brand’s footprint in one of the fastest growing regions in the world.
The Simba/AYM partnership will see AYM work alongside the Simba team to build out an ecommerce offering in the Middle East. Supporting a full product range when launched, the partnership will enable 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 Commerce was established in 2016 to build extraordinary digital and online technologies to shape the future of key industries in the Middle East and beyond. Led by Irish duo Paul Kenny and James Whelton, who are MDs of AYM Commerce, the two have spent years building online businesses in the Middle East.
Paul Kenny Is an NUIG graduate and Colasite Iognaid alumi, and one of the most important figures in the startup space in the Middle East. He is an active investor, mentor and advisor to numerous companies and organizations, including governmental and non-profits, around the world.
Kenny founded Dubai based online coupon website, Cobone at the age of 25, which was later sold in a multi-million-euro deal, to the US based investment firm Tiger Global Management. Before the age of 30, he was a founding partner of four companies including Emerge Ventures, a venture capital firm focused on high-impact early stage and Series A investments in emerging markets. Paul is well known here in Galway as a member of the famous Kenny’s Bookshop and Art Gallery family.
James Whelton is co-founder of CoderDojo, a not-for-profit children’s coding volunteer organisation present in over 70 countries around the world. Having worked side by side at Cobone, at AYM, the pair recently partnered with the Saudi retailer the BinDawood group to launch, Danube Online, the biggest ecommerce grocery platform in the Middle East. For Simba, the AYM partnership is set to see the company’s Middle East sales grow at speed through their online direct to consumer channel.
Simba is a premium range mattress online retailer and sleep brand, launched in February 2016 and headquartered in London. Available in Ireland on simbasleep.ie and in Arnotts, Simba has rapidly become a European market leader raising over $80 million dollars in funding to date to fuel its continued growth across the globe. Simba leverages pioneering next generation sleep technology and innovation to manufacture its unique hybrid memory foam and spring mattresses - shipping 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.
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 seek to become the region’s sleep category leader. Similar to our Irish offering, our Middle East ecommerce offering will include our famous SIMBA Hybrid® mattress, together with our range of other products such as pillows with NASA technology, and a high-tech beside table. We will also maintain our 100 day no hassle return service and incredible 10-year guarantee.”
Managing Director of AYM Commerce and Galway native, Paul Kenny said he is 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 and how it affects our quality of life is becoming ever more prominent. 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.”
To find out more log onto https://aymcommerce.com.
