RemotePass, an HR & Fintech platform that helps companies onboard, manage, pay, and retain remote workers, has secured $5.5 million in Series A funding.  The oversubscribed round was led by 212 VC with participation from investors in the US, Europe, and the Middle East, including Endeavor Catalyst, Khwarizmi Ventures, Oraseya Capital, Flyer One Ventures, Access Bridge Ventures, A15, and Swiss Founders Fund. With this funding, RemotePass's total capital raised surpasses $10 million, adding to previous investments from BECO Capital, Wamda Capital, Plug & Play, and Flat6Labs. “Witnessing RemotePass's remarkable product growth and stellar customer service since early 2023 solidified our belief in their visionary team & business model. Addressing today's workforce challenges like talent mobility and remote work RemotePass stands out as a key enabler. It connects companies seeking a broader talent pool with emerging market talents who previously lacked access to global financial solutions and processes. This disruption positions them as game-changers in the UAE & KSA, hubs poised for global dominance.” Ali Hikmet Karabey, Managing Director, 212 VC (Lead Investor) Founded by Kamal Reggad and Karim Nadi, RemotePass serves a diverse range of clients, from startups to large listed enterprises like Spotify, Logitech, Paymentology, and others around the globe, enabling them to onboard, manage, and pay their talent base in countries where they do not have a local legal presence. Its clients can hire full-time employees and contractors in over 150 countries. "Our platform helps democratize access to global opportunities, leveling the playing field for skilled individuals and enabling them to compete in a global job marketplace. This funding fuels our mission to empower countless lives and help global teams succeed." Kamal Reggad, CEO and Co-Founder, RemotePass In the evolving global landscape of remote work solutions, RemotePass has emerged as a frontrunner by capitalizing on its deep understanding of emerging markets (especially the Middle East and Africa) and offering a comprehensive suite of benefits through its innovative super app.  This app offers easy access to a range of financial services and benefits tailored to the needs of remote workers in the global marketplace, including multiple payout options, a USD debit card, and easy access to perks like premium health insurance. Apart from an end-to-end contractor management platform, RemotePass provides businesses with EoR services and relocation support.  “We are thrilled with the progress and traction that RemotePass has shown in its few years of operation. The oversubscribed funding round is a testament to the company’s robust financials, strong team, and high growth potential. What impressed us most at Wamda, and what confirmed our decision to back Kamal and his team since inception, is his entrepreneurial capability, which he demonstrated during the difficult days of the pandemic when he pivoted the company and subsequently built a great startup” - Fadi Ghandour, Founder, Wamda Capital Speaking of the pivot, RemotePass was incorporated in 2019 as a business travel SaaS platform. Having operated as a remote-first company since its inception, the founding team had first-hand experience with the challenges of hiring and managing remote teams — especially in emerging markets. The company seized the opportunity to pivot during the COVID-19 pandemic as the world began to embrace remote working at scale. This strategic shift unlocked a remarkable 35% month-over-month growth for the first two years, primarily driven by referrals from satisfied clients “The beauty of serial entrepreneurs like Kamal is that their impact doesn’t stop at their first company. We are so happy to support his journey since Hmizate (his earlier venture) and now with RemotePass as a remote company coming out of the UAE,” - Margaret Pollack, Head of Capital and Investments, Endeavor Catalyst.

RemotePass, the UAE’s leading platform for onboarding, paying, and managing global remote workers, has announced a strategic partnership with the Dubai Chamber of Digital Economy (DCDE), one of the three chambers operating under the umbrella of Dubai Chambers. This collaboration aims to bolster the UAE startup and business ecosystem, by providing a seamless avenue for global businesses to both access the UAE's skilled workforce and relocate global talent, all without the necessity of establishing a local entity. Additionally, the partnership will offer invaluable support to local firms and will enable them to effortlessly hire top talent from around the world, whether as contractors or full-time employees.In pursuit of the DCDE's strategic goal to attract 300 digital startups to Dubai, RemotePass will play a pivotal role in ensuring the HR success of these ventures. With its global infrastructure, RemotePass provides businesses with the essential tools for seamless onboarding, management, and retention of an exceptional pool of both local and international remote talent. RemotePass handles everything from local and international compliance to automated contracts, and global payroll, and facilitates access for workers to top-tier benefits and financial services. This comprehensive support empowers businesses to build remarkable teams and achieve unparalleled success.  This initiative is part of DCDE's "Business in Dubai'' programme, which serves as a business-matching service designed to connect companies with suitable partners, investors, and customers. It also offers a wide array of institutional services delivered in collaboration with the chamber's strategic partners. RemotePass joins this prestigious roster that includes Dubai World Trade Center, etisalat, Dubai Islamic Bank, and many more. The Dubai Economic Agenda (D33) aims to double the size of the emirate’s economy over the next decade, and this partnership with RemotePass plays a key role by equipping companies to attract, hire, retain, and motivate the best talent locally and from around the world. Out of 557,000 SMEs in the UAE, RemotePass was selected by the DCDE as one of the innovative partners to support this mission.  This partnership cements RemotePass’ position as a pivotal entity in the global workforce management landscape, underscoring its commitment to simplifying remote talent management for businesses while ensuring compliance. The biggest positive impact will be RemotePass's contribution to uplifting the UAE's startup ecosystem, fostering enhanced collaboration, and deploying its expertise in streamlining international and local employment processes, benefiting companies looking to hire globally or locally. Eligible businesses can access RemotePass’ services with an exclusive discount through the incentives offered under the Business in Dubai initiative. Saeed Al Gergawi, Vice President of Dubai Chamber of Digital Economy, commented: “We are pleased to welcome RemotePass as the newest service provider on the chamber’s innovative ‘Business in Dubai’ platform, which enables convenient access to a range of integrated services and solutions for digital companies looking to set up or expand their business in Dubai. Our platform plays a key role in attracting leading digital companies and specialised talent to Dubai, as well as providing comprehensive assistance to local startups and established companies. We remain committed to building the world’s best digital infrastructure and consolidating Dubai’s position as the global capital of the digital economy.” Wesley Hattingh, UAE Country Manager, RemotePass commented: "Dubai is the ideal home for entrepreneurs, which is why more than 30,000 new businesses opened in Dubai during the first half of 2023. We’re thrilled about this partnership with the Dubai Chamber of Digital Economy, which aligns perfectly with our mission to simplify cross-border workforce management for the city’s thriving startup ecosystem. This partnership demonstrates our commitment to advancing innovation in Dubai — for companies looking to hire locally and internationally." 

Coinciding with Cybersecurity Awareness Month, RemotePass, the UAE’s leading platform for managing remote teams, has announced that it has achieved the SOC 2 Type II certification, highlighting its dedication to maintaining the highest standards of data security and that its clients’ sensitive information, including payroll and personal details, is managed with utmost care and the highest security measures.SOC 2 Type II is a widely-recognized certification within the technology and cloud computing domains, managed by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA). It focuses on a company's ability to manage data securely and uphold privacy and confidentiality. Achieving this certification requires a thorough independent audit spanning six months, examining a company’s adherence to stringent criteria that relate to security and operational processes.The certification, which is often a prerequisite for business with public and regulated entities, is vital for RemotePass, enhancing its competitiveness and ability to acquire business. The rigorous assessment and audit enable the company to identify, address vulnerabilities, and enhance its security framework, safeguarding sensitive data. Achieving and maintaining this certification enhances the company’s market standing, credibility, and trust among existing and prospective clients and partners.Kamal Reggad, Co-Founder and CEO of RemotePass, commented, "Securing the SOC 2 Type II certification is not just another badge for RemotePass, but a promise to our clients and remote teams that their data is in safe hands. Our team works tirelessly to ensure that our client’s data is handled with the utmost security and precision. This certification echoes our continuous commitment to providing a platform that businesses can trust, ensuring that every transaction and piece of information is safeguarded with the highest security standards.”Since RemotePass achieved SOC 2 Type I certification in 2022, it has refined RemotePass's internal processes, incorporating regular audits, enhanced security measures, and comprehensive training programs to uphold and elevate its data protection and compliance measures. This recognized standard bolsters confidence in RemotePass's services, giving teams the confidence that their information is secure while they work towards their objectives.Maintaining and enhancing credibility remains a steadfast focus, with RemotePass not only pursuing its SOC 2 Type II certification annually but also exploring other relevant certifications. To ensure enduring compliance, RemotePass employs continuous monitoring, regular internal audits, and swift improvements to its processes.To highlight its commitment to secure remote work solutions, RemotePass will also participate in the upcoming Expand North Star Dubai during GITEX Global 2023.

Dubai: Qureos, a UAE-based startup dedicated to advancing careers in the MENA region, announces the launch of Iris, a game-changing AI recruitment platform set to reshape the talent acquisition landscape in the region. Designed to empower employers with unparalleled efficiency, Iris delivers an entirely new approach to candidate sourcing, evaluation and matching the requirements by harnessing the benefits of advanced AI and ML algorithms. Streamlining the entire process, Iris can present an average of 47 relevant candidates per search in just 26 seconds. This groundbreaking platform holds the potential to reduce time-to-hire and slash recruitment costs by up to 43% and make the age-old challenges associated with talent acquisition a thing of the past. With Iris at the helm, hiring managers no longer have to undergo tedious manual screening and sifting through endless resumes. Iris conducts rapid and comprehensive evaluations of candidates, pinpointing ideal matches with remarkable precision. Iris will also play a pivotal role in helping employers to address the prolonged time to employment in the region, which currently is up to 18 months for early-in-career talent, narrow the skills gap and tackle the pressing issue of job creation. According to a recent study by McKinsey, the MENA region is predicted to witness a significant workforce expansion of 127 million in the next decade, primarily driven by its burgeoning youth population. Alexander Epure, CEO & Co-founder of Qureos, emphasized the significance of Iris, stating, "Iris embodies Qureos' mission to accelerate 100 million careers, redefining the hiring process and aligning aspirants with their goals. Its power lies in uncovering hidden gems among a sea of candidates, often overlooked by employers. Recognizing that 30% of Middle East respondents, as per a PwC survey, are seeking new career opportunities, Iris serves as a critical catalyst for career advancement in the region. By enhancing hiring effectiveness for employers and empowering candidates to harness their potential, Iris aims to reshape the recruitment landscape”.Qureos features a talent pool of over 7 million candidates from countries, including UAE, KSA, Egypt, Pakistan, India, Bahrain, Oman, Qatar, Kuwait, Sri Lanka, and Lebanon. To ensure that employers get access to a diverse range of highly qualified individuals, Qureos also offers candidates unparalleled opportunities to grow and upskill. Through practical, hands-on projects and personalized 1-on-1 mentorship, candidates are guided by industry-leading mentors from organizations such as Google, Microsoft, PayPal, Amazon, Cisco, and over 100 global businesses.Iris enhances the candidate experience by ensuring transparency at every stage of the recruitment process, providing AI-generated matching summaries to objectively shortlist candidates based on their skills and performance. Abdulrahman AlKooheji at Gro Partners, a renowned investments-focused consultancy and advisory company in the UAE, had the opportunity to use Iris during its beta phase and lauded it for its game-changing impact. “In an era where instant results are not only desired but expected - a sentiment mirrored in sectors like retail and delivery - Iris emerges as a timely and apt solution for the entire recruitment industry. My personal experience with the beta version left me appreciative of their AI's ability to quickly and accurately process results. With its rapid execution and potential for significant cost-saving, Iris is well-positioned to be a game-changer, serving businesses both at a regional and global level. Kudos to the team for this excellent work!”Since its inception, Qureos has been diligently serving prominent companies in the UAE, including RemotePass, DP World, and Unilever. With Iris, Qureos aims to disrupt the recruitment space and create enhanced career prospects throughout the region.h its AI Recruiter, Iris. Iris automates the sourcing, shortlisting and outreach to candidates - all in the blink of an eye.