Why Bkam failed

Bkam, founded in Alexandria in October 2012, was an early mover in the region's price comparison scene. Launched by Mahmoud Abdel-Fattah, a former web developer, Bkam quickly amassed hundreds of thousands of products, ranging from books to electronics, within its first year. This, coupled with the launch of iOS and Android apps (downloaded over 50,000 times by 2013), propelled Bkam to significant popularity in Egypt, attracting thousands of visitors.

Angel investor Osman Ahmed Osman provided initial funding, allowing Bkam to secure further investment from Jabbar Internet Group for expansion into Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. This period also saw the emergence of competitors like Yaoota (Egypt) and Pricena (Dubai), both of which remain active players in the market.

Unfortunately, Bkam's journey came to an end in February 2016 due to financial limitations. The founder, Mahmoud Abdel-Fattah, transitioned to Careem as a Product Manager for over two years and currently heads technology and product at TaskSpotting, a Dubai-based platform connecting brands with micro-influencers for content creation. In an interview, Mahmoud blamed Bkam's shutdown on failed promises of investors. He believed he could have avoided the shutdown if he completed the funding round rather than waiting on an investor who was eventually a no show.

After the shutdown, he helped all 13 employees to secure jobs using his network.

Do you think the shutdown could have been avoided? Let us know in the comments

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