Alrawi app
Interactive audiobook library in Arabic.
| Date | Investors | Amount | Round |
|---|---|---|---|
N/A | Support Program | ||
| Total Funding | 000k | ||
Alrawi operates as a digital platform focused on the production and distribution of high-quality Arabic audiobooks, targeting a market with a notable gap in accessible Arabic audio content. The company was established in November 2017 by three Bahraini co-founders: Hala Sulaiman, Ameera AlQubaiti, and Mohamed Ebrahim. Hala Sulaiman brings approximately 25 years of experience in strategic management and communication to the venture, having launched several startups and held significant roles in both the public and private sectors, including Director of Marketing and Communications at Tamkeen. This background in strategic communications and her extensive expertise in the Middle East market have been instrumental in shaping Alrawi's direction.
The business functions through a mobile application available on both Android and iOS, operating on a subscription-based model. Users can access an unlimited library of audiobooks after an initial one-month free trial. The subscription plans are tiered, with options for monthly, quarterly, semi-annual, and annual payments. The platform provides a diverse range of genres, including novels, poetry, biographies, business management, self-development, and psychology. Alrawi distinguishes itself by creating an ecosystem that connects authors, publishers, narrators, and recording studios to produce interactive audiobooks. This network facilitates the entire audiobook production process, aiming to establish an e-marketplace for the Arabic audio publishing sector.
The application includes features designed to enhance user engagement, such as progress tracking and notifications to help users achieve their reading goals. Recognizing the need for inclusivity, Alrawi has incorporated features for users with special needs, including a voice-over service to assist with app navigation. Significant milestones for the company include securing a content partnership with Emirates Airlines to feature its audiobooks for its passengers and winning several awards, such as the Mohamed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Award for Young Business Leaders for the Best Startup in the Arab World in January 2018 and the Global People's Choice Award at the Pitch@Palace competition in December 2018.
Keywords: Arabic audiobooks, digital publishing, audiobook subscription, Middle East media, Bahrain startup, mobile reading app, Arabic literature, e-learning platform, content distribution, cultural platform, voice-over services, author-narrator network, book-to-audio conversion, digital library, edutech, Hala Sulaiman, Ameera AlQubaiti, Mohamed Ebrahim, Pitch@Palace winner, special needs accessibility