Qlub, a UAE-based startup streamlining restaurant payments via QR codes, has raised $30 million in fresh funding to fuel global expansion, with state investor Mubadala Investment Company among its backers.
The round was co-led by Shorooq Partners and Berlin-based Cherry Ventures, with participation from telecom firm e&, China’s Legend Capital, and other existing investors.
The funding will go towards expanding into new markets, upgrading analytics tools for restaurant partners, and deepening its footprint in existing regions including the Gulf, Southeast Asia, and Latin America, according to a company statement.
“We’re thrilled to have the support of investors, both new and existing partners as we continue to build Qlub’s vision,” said Mahmoud Fouz, co-founder and co-CEO of Qlub. “We’re grateful for the confidence our investors have placed in us and excited for what lies ahead.”
Qlub, founded in 2021, positions itself as a payments layer for restaurants and said its product improves operating efficiency by offering a QR-based payments system that lets diners browse menus, place orders, and settle bills from their smartphones.
The company had previously raised $25 million in a seed extension round in 2023, led by global investment firm Al Dhabi Capital and major UAE family offices. That followed a $17-million seed round in 2022 co-anchored by Cherry Ventures and Point Nine.
The startup has since scaled across thousands of restaurants in markets including the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Brazil, and Australia and claims to process several billion dollars in transactions annually while serving millions of users each month.
Its clients—which include Paul Café, Wagamama, and La Petite Maison—have reported a 300% jump in tipping, according to the company.
They have also said to have reported a sevenfold increase in positive Google reviews, an 80% reduction in checkout line by streamlining the process, reducing labour costs, and decreasing the number of required cashiers by an average of a third, and an overall improvement in space utilisation by minimising the need for multiple cashier counters.
“From the very beginning, we saw in Qlub more than just a payments solution—we saw a new infrastructure for how hospitality should work in a digital-first world. Eyad and Mahmoud and the team have consistently proven that they can blend product innovation with deep market understanding, unlocking new behaviour at the intersection of tech and experience,” Mahmoud Adi, Founding Partner at Shorooq, said.
