Shahry
AI-based credit scoring engine, enables users to apply for virtual credit through its mobile app that they can then use to purchase different products.
Shahry is a Cairo-based financial technology company established in 2019 by co-founders Sherif ElRakabawy and Mohamed Ewis. The firm operates in the burgeoning Egyptian fintech market, specifically targeting the significant unbanked and underbanked population. This strategic focus is informed by ElRakabawy's previous success as the co-founder and CEO of Yaoota, Egypt's largest shopping search engine, giving him deep insights into the country's e-commerce landscape.
The company's core offering is a mobile application that functions as a buy-now-pay-later (BNPL) platform, providing virtual credit to consumers. Shahry has developed a proprietary credit-scoring engine powered by artificial intelligence to assess and approve user applications, often within a day. A key differentiator in its model is the integration of the shopping experience directly within the app itself. Users can browse products from various online merchants, such as Souq, and complete their purchases without leaving the Shahry platform, which also handles customer service aspects like returns. This integrated approach aims to create a seamless user journey from credit application to purchase.
Shahry's revenue model is twofold: it charges merchants a commission on sales facilitated through the platform and earns interest from the credit extended to users. For customer convenience, installment payments are highly flexible, accepted through multiple channels including Fawry, Aman, and Bee outlets, credit cards, Vodafone Cash, and even at-home cash collection. In May 2020, Shahry secured a significant milestone with a $650,000 pre-seed funding round from the investment arm of the Egyptian Gulf Bank (Egbank), marking a notable instance of a major Egyptian bank directly investing in a local fintech startup. This capital was intended to expand the company's loan portfolio and scale its operations.
Keywords: buy now pay later, BNPL, Egypt fintech, digital lending, consumer finance, purchase financing, mobile payments, credit scoring, e-commerce financing, installment payments, financial inclusion, Sherif ElRakabawy, Mohamed Ewis, Egbank, underbanked services, virtual credit, MENA fintech, Cairo startup, Yaoota, mobile shopping, consumer credit