The Rise of CADO: A Homegrown Brand with Global Ambitions
CADO, the Dubai-founded gifting platform blending design, technology, and logistics, has raised $4.5 million in pre-seed funding to accelerate its regional expansion and launch operations in New York City.
The round was led by Sanabil 500, with participation from a German family office and several regional angel investors. The raise marks one of the largest pre-seed rounds in the MENA experience-commerce space, signaling a surge of investor confidence in the region’s creative economy.
Founded by Leila Al Marashi in 2019, CADO began as a boutique gifting concept and has since evolved into a cross-market platform serving the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Kuwait, with ambitions that stretch well beyond the region.
Turning Gifting Into an Experience: Blending Creativity, Technology, and Logistics
CADO’s success rests on a deceptively simple idea — that gifting is not a transaction, but an experience.
The company has built an integrated ecosystem that combines product design, curated partnerships, and logistics execution—powered by a proprietary tech layer that allows clients to personalize, automate, and track gifting workflows.
Whether crafting bespoke corporate gifts for global brands or delivering limited-edition artisanal sets to premium clients, CADO aims to make gifting emotionally intelligent and operationally seamless.
“We’re not in the business of selling products,” says founder Leila Al Marashi. “We’re in the business of creating moments that move people—and scaling that feeling through technology.”
From Riyadh to New York: CADO’s Two-Track Expansion Strategy
The $4.5 million raise is fueling a dual-market expansion: deepening regional presence in Saudi Arabia while entering the United States to establish a global brand identity.
In Saudi Arabia, CADO plans to build an ecosystem connecting local artisans, suppliers, and creative partners—reflecting the Kingdom’s investment in the creative economy and its Vision 2030 diversification goals.
In parallel, the company’s New York launch serves as both a market test and a statement of ambition. By entering the world’s most competitive corporate-gifting landscape, CADO aims to prove that a brand born in the Gulf can compete globally—not as a novelty, but as a benchmark.
“The future of MENA brands is global,” says Al Marashi. “We want to show the world that creativity and culture from this region can lead, not follow.”
Why CADO’s $4.5 Million Raise Matters for MENA’s Startup Landscape
CADO’s funding is more than a single success story—it’s an indicator of a deeper structural shift in MENA’s investment narrative.
For years, capital has flowed primarily into fintech, SaaS, and mobility. CADO’s round highlights a new frontier: experience commerce, where creativity, logistics, and tech intersect to deliver emotional and cultural value at scale.
Investors are now seeing creative businesses not as “niche,” but as infrastructure for brand and identity exports—an area where the Middle East holds a distinct cultural advantage.
The Future of Experience Commerce: What CADO Represents for MENA
CADO’s story captures a turning point for the region’s startup scene: the rise of companies exporting intangible value—design, emotion, and narrative—rather than purely digital products.
It reflects a maturing ecosystem where startups are global by design, fluent in both heritage and innovation. From Riyadh’s creative corridors to Manhattan boardrooms, MENA’s entrepreneurs are re-framing how the world experiences brand storytelling.
Editor’s Note — From the TechFront MENA Team
At TechFront MENA, we track the innovators who redefine how the region engages the world—where technology becomes a conduit for culture, and commerce becomes experience.
CADO’s $4.5 million raise is emblematic of that shift. It’s not just a growth story—it’s a signal of confidence in MENA’s creative DNA. The company is proving that this region can export more than energy or code—it can export emotion, craftsmanship, and meaning.
As MENA’s creative economy steps onto the global stage, stories like CADO’s remind us:
the next great product from the Middle East might not just be built—it might be beautifully designed to be felt.— The TechFront MENA Editorial Team
