A series of events and talks held in September shed light on the e-commerce, start-ups and entrepreneurship scene in Qatar and beyond.
Doha, Qatar: Hamad Al-Hajri, Co-founder and CEO of Snoonu, participated in a series of key industry talks as part of its commitment to empowering the private sector, and share its knowledge around e-commerce and entrepreneurship. Led by Co-Founder and CEO, Hamad Al Hajri, the talks were held throughout the month of September 2021, highlighting Snoonu’s vision and plans to become a unicorn company by 2023.
A special interview was conducted with Hamad Al Hajri on Qatar TV, where he elaborated on the vital role that Snoonu has played in supporting the local economy during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The interview also tapped on the global trend towards e-commerce, and the role Snoonu is playing in accelerating the migration of traditional shopping to e-commerce in Qatar. According to Al Hajri, the purchasing power of e-commerce in Qatar has reached a value of 8.1 billion riyals, which drives Snoonu to work harder on providing an enriching online shopping experience for this significant market.
As part of Snoonu’s contribution to developing the national e-commerce, the company’s unique e-commerce solution, Q-Commerce, considered the first of its kind in the Middle East, acts as an easy-to-use tool to link retailers with shoppers through the Snoonu application.
Furthermore, Al Hajri discussed the development of the economic situation of e-commerce, which has witnessed a quantum leap since 2020, as the rate of economic growth of e-commerce globally has increased by more than 18%, and the global purchasing value through it has reached $3,914 trillion, adding that the purchasing value of e-shopping in Qatar reached 9 billion riyals for the year 2021.
Al Hajri also participated in Qatar University’s Tech Webinar. During his participation, Al Hajri discussed the importance of intellectual leadership in the field of digital technology, and the impact of the entrepreneurs’ technology projects on Qatar’s future. He also shared his experience in promoting advanced technology solutions, and affirmed his commitment to his social responsibility and his work on developing tomorrow's leaders in the digital sector.
Furthermore, Al Hajri participated in a professional coaching conference at Etizan Training Centre, where he highlighted the importance of vocational training in the entrepreneurship field, and for entrepreneurs to have a set of identified achievable goals.
Throughout his talks, Al Hajri reiterated his vision, saying: "My own dream is for Snoonu to become a unicorn company by 2023".
He added, "There are important and essential factors for Snoonu to become a unicorn company, such as; the amount of investment flowing, the percentage of use, the number of users of the application in at least 5 countries”.
Continuing his statement: “Innovation in e-commerce techniques is a significant factor for becoming a unicorn company, by providing creative and new services to the consumers, such as the Last Mile delivery service, which is a delivery service via drones, as well as B2B E-commerce service, which is a business exchange service between manufacturers and e-merchants”.
Throughout the past years, Hamad Al-Hajri has become one of Qatar’s most prolific entrepreneurs, widely known for his modern and open-minded leadership style. In a recent interview with Government Communications Office-directed Q Life Magazine that celebrates outstanding members of Qatar community and their contribution to the society, he shared his thoughts and hopes about tech business and SMEs in Qatar, and vision for Snoonu, emphasizing the key role of the team: “I make sure to set small goals for my team and always celebrate the achievements we accomplish. This is what gives you and the team the encouragement to keep going”.
Snoonu is Qatar's home-grown success story that aims to be the first local Unicorn company. With over 150,000 users, Snoonu plans to expand and diversify its offering by adding new features and services to its platform, with a goal to enter international markets, including the Middle East and CIS.
Engaged in building a resilient economy in Qatar, Snoonu continues to support more than 2,300+ of its partner merchants with lower commissions, supporting them in the difficult context of the pandemic and offering a seamless online shopping experience to keep the community safe.