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Dubai based visual content SaaS platform, Flashy, the first sophisticated AI-powered content solution tailor-made for brands across MENA, has secured pre-seed funding with the support of regional and global backers, alongside a significant investment by the Ukrainian VC fund TA Ventures, as the firm's first investment into the Middle East.
Founded in Dubai in July 2021 by co-Founders Aidan Christofferson, with a background in finance and commodity trading, and Jacopo Trinca, an e-commerce veteran across Lazada and Amazon MENA, Flashy was created after recognising the growing demand for the provision of digital content at scale for brands and businesses looking for quality imagery alongside pro editing and a fast turnaround. With an aim to become the MENA region's largest visual content provider, the vertically integrated Flashy platform enables scalable visual content solutions allowing fast moving brands to focus on their core business and product offering.
The $400,000 pre-seed round will enable Flashy to expand the current team structure, as it launches a new seed round raise of $2M, just 7 months after the start-up was incorporated, alongside continued demand and growth for the platform services across the region.
Flashy allows businesses to easily produce digital content at scale and across various locations. Flashy has developed a 1-click, book-and-shoot solution, allowing businesses to work with verified, vetted photographers, videographers and content creators across MENA. Backed by AI-powered editing systems, the Flashy platform allows a consistent processing of high-quality images and ability to deliver the work within 24hrs.
Within just seven months of inception, Flashy provides scalable visual content solutions for large UAE & KSA clients including Hilton Group, Accor, IHG, Nomad Homes and Kitopi. Flashy has also helped brands including Papa Johns and Hardee’s to showcase their products for the UAE and EGY markets.
Flashy Co-Founder Aidan Christofferson says: “Moving quickly in a market with few existing visual content solutions, Flashy already has the capacity to generate thousands of images every day, across MENA. Our platform is supported by a team of vetted, verified photographers and videographers in every GCC country. Within seven months of starting, we are delighted to have the support of our pre-seed backers and investors to enable us to meet the obvious need of brands across the region and to work as a trusted source of visual content solutions, at scale for household name brands - we are looking forward to continuing to scale our provision with the current seed funding raise this year.”
Jacopo Trinca adds: “Alongside the benefits of speed and supply, Flashy Creatives across MENA are partnering with Flashy to work on content for major international brands through our low-touch, streamlined platform. The traditional model utilised to source creatives, from traditional agencies to standalone freelancers, is extremely high-touch and difficult to scale for mid-sized and larger enterprises. Flashy is built to help businesses and brands deploy high quality visual content across numerous platforms that represents their brands at the highest level, producing imagery regularly, and at scale. Less than 7% of professionals are admitted onto the Flashy platform, to ensure consistency and quality. Over our launch week, more than 1000 photographers signed up on the Flashy platform and via our vetting and verification process, we are expanding our pool of talented providers across the Middle East to meet demand.”
