Microsoft has announced it has joined forces with Snoonu, Qatar’s fast-growing delivery-services company, in a move that will accelerate the start-up’s digital transformation and allow it to engage its customers and optimise its operations.
The partnership was formalised in a memorandum of understanding (MoU), and will see Snoonu migrate its technology stack to the Microsoft Cloud and adopt Azure Marketplace, one of the world’s largest online catalogues for applications and services. The agreement will also serve as a springboard for Snoonu’s further growth.
“Microsoft is committed to empowering Qatar’s vibrant start-up ecosystem through leverage of the intelligent cloud,” said Lana Khalaf, Country Manager, Microsoft Qatar, at the signing ceremony, also attended by Hamad Al-Hajri, Co-founder and CEO of Snoonu. “Start-ups like Snoonu play a pivotal role in digital economies, disrupting industries and challenging norms. This kind of activity intensifies competition, benefits consumers and other businesses, and breeds job creation and economic growth.”
“At Snoonu, we believe life is too short for slow deliveries, and we bring that concept to our customer-engagement strategy,” said Snoonu’s Al-Hajri. “But to deliver on that promise we needed a technology partner who could give us the tools to build a winning platform for our digital operations. We are delighted to announce our strategic partnership with Microsoft. As one of the fastest-growing 100%-owned Qatari companies, Snoonu aims to continue its expansion in Qatar and expand into new markets. We wholeheartedly believe that the Microsoft Cloud and Azure Marketplace will form the ideal platform for that growth.”
Microsoft has entered into several partnerships and initiatives in Qatar with a view to strengthening the nation’s start-up segment. Fintech Hub, QDB, TASMU, Tawteen, Nautica 360, and many others empower fledgling firms in industries such as fintech, energy, healthcare, and sports. The programmes also lay the foundations for smart cities – an integral goal of Qatar National Vision 2030.
Microsoft is also building a dedicated Qatar-based cloud data centre – scheduled for launch in 2021 – that will allow start-ups and other organisations in Qatar to directly access international markets while reducing entry barriers and simplifying regulatory compliance.
Waseem Ahmed, Snoonu’s Director of Engineering, added: “We are excited to announce our plans to migrate Snoonu’s services to the Microsoft Azure platform. We expect this move to have an extremely positive impact on our efficiency and productivity. Additionally, having Microsoft’s servers located here in Qatar will guarantee a smooth transition process and further simplify our operations.”
“Our partnership with Snoonu is yet another example of Microsoft’s commitment to enable promising entrepreneurs to develop, scale, and build transformational businesses,” Khalaf said. “We thank Snoonu for the trust they have placed in our technology. We shall continue to provide Qatar’s start-ups with access to technology, mentorship, training, and community support so they can transform their ideas into reality.”
