💰 VUZ Just Got a $12M Boost
Can the MENA-born platform turn 360° content into the next big thing?
Hey streamers! Today, let’s step into the screen, literally 👀👇
Last week, one news caught my eye: VUZ, the immersive video platform that lets you go behind the scenes at red carpets and stadiums, just raised $12 million.
They want to grow in Saudi Arabia and the UAE, and expand to Africa, Asia, and the U.S.
But what does this funding really mean?
Read on to learn about:
What is VUZ? A closer look at the platform bringing fans behind the scenes
The $12M funding round: How VUZ plans to grow internationally?
So What? The challenges, the opportunities, and some bold ideas
This newsletter is supported by Mediagenix, a global leader in smart content solutions.
With headquarters in Brussels, Mediagenix partners with over 200 media companies worldwide. In MENA, they help broadcasters like MBC Group, Al Jazeera Media Network and BeIN Media Group optimize their business operations.
Mediagenix has been busy in the Middle East this month, and for good reasons:
🇦🇪 The MENA and European teams were at CABSAT in Dubai, meeting with the local streaming ecosystem.
🤝 They announced a new partnership with White Peaks Solutions and Sharjah Broadcasting Authority to bring better content personalization to their streaming platform Maraya.
🏆 And they won the BroadcastPro Middle East Award for Scheduling Automation, recognized as the best in content scheduling and monetization.
Want to learn more about Mediagenix? Download their whitepaper and discover how they can:
Boost scheduling efficiency by up to 80% with AI automation
Automate FAST and pop-up channels
Manage live content and ads with real-time flexibility
Schedule all your content with one powerful system
What is VUZ?
VUZ is a video platform where you watch content in a different way. It uses 360-degree videos to put you in the middle of the action.
You can turn your phone or swipe the screen to look around. Imagine standing on the field during a football game, in the ring during a fight, or behind the stage at a concert. That’s what VUZ is trying to offer.
The app works on mobile, the web, smart TVs, and it’s even available on VR headsets like the Apple Vision Pro. In fact, VUZ was one of the first apps to launch on it, a big win for a MENA startup.
The platform already has over 15 million users and has also passed 3 billion views in total.
When you open VUZ, you land on a homepage full of carousels, like a traditional streaming media platform. The first one is the “Channel List”, premium content coming from partnerships with sports leagues, events, and even brands.
In the UAE, the platform shows up to 192 channels. Here are some of the most followed channels:
Top VIP: 107.8k followers
Expo 2020: 96.8k
Saudi Pro League: 94.2k
Emirates NBD: 84.4k (yes, a bank, and with just one video!)
Ministry of Sports: 78.4k
Not sure how, but even with fewer videos, some of these channels are attracting decent audiences. Other channels include LaLiga, Saudi Pro League, NFL, Formula 1 or Warner Bros. Studio.
VUZ also offers 17 categories to explore, including sports, concerts, fashion, beauty, business, tech, or travel.
You can also follow stars and influencers on VUZ. The platform features over 250 local and international celebrities.
Some of the most followed stars include:
Anasala Family: 723.2k followers
Logan Paul: 438.5k
Lele Pons: 352.5k
Joelle Mardinian: 113k
Lionel Messi also has a channel, with 53.2k followers and 4 videos, mainly from Riyadh Season content. (No sign of Cristiano Ronaldo yet ;)
Finally, VUZ is not just about 360° videos. There’s also a VUZ Shop, where you can buy merchandise from influencers. And they recently launched VUZ Pay, a tool to power payments on the platform.
The company also works with brands like Red Bull, Emaar, Emirates, and more, creating immersive content with advertising and sponsorship deals.
Let me now give you more details about what VUZ plans to do with the $12 million they just raised.
The $12M funding round
VUZ just raised $12 million to grow faster in Saudi Arabia and the UAE, and to expand into Africa, Asia, and the United States.
This was a pre-Series C round led by the International Finance Corporation (IFC). Other backers include Al Jazira Capital, CrossWork VC’s Success Fund, several Saudi family offices, and a few of VUZ’s existing investors.
According to Lucidity Insights, this brings the total amount raised by VUZ to $42 million.
This isn’t their first big round. In 2022, VUZ raised $20 million as part of their Series B. Since then, the platform has signed exclusive immersive streaming deals with LaLiga and the Professional Fighters League (PFL), and started working with more than 100 content creators whose combined audience reaches over 100 million people.
What will they do with the money?
In the U.S., VUZ plans to launch paid marketing campaigns, around major events like the Oscars and big music premieres. The goal is to grab attention during these peak moments and convert new viewers into long-term users.
In Africa and Asia, the focus is on local partnerships, mainly with telecom operators. This will help VUZ scale faster by tapping into existing user networks. They already have over 40 telecom partnerships, with 20 more on the way.
CEO Khaled Zaatarah says VUZ is starting its next phase:
“We’re building a product, a network, and a monetization model that’s hyper-local, but ready to scale globally.”
He believes the company is now ready to grow quickly. VUZ became EBITDA profitable in 2024 and reported an 80% increase in gross profit last year. Is it a sign that the model is working?
Let’s now try to understand the challenges and opportunities for VUZ.
So What?
I would like to understand if VUZ can make immersive video something people really want, and grow it around the world.
The challenges I see today:
❌ Immersive content is fun, but not a must-have. Most people are still happy watching “normal” video.
❌ 360° videos are not cheap: To produce them, you need special 360° cameras. To watch them properly, you usually need a VR headset, and most people, especially in emerging countries, can’t afford one.
❌ YouTube already offers 360° video on phones, computers, and their VR App.
❌ VUZ wants to grow in many places at the same time, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Africa, Asia, and the U.S. But $12 million may not be enough to do all that.
Still, VUZ has some strong points:
✅ They’ve built a big community of creators and celebrities.
✅ They’ve partnered with many brands like LaLiga, Formula 1, and Emirates NBD.
✅ They were also one of the first apps on Apple Vision Pro. That shows they’re seen as a serious player in immersive video.
✅ Raising over $40 million is impressive. Many investors believe VUZ has a real future, not just in MENA, but globally.
If VUZ wants to grow fast, they’ll need bold ideas. Here are a few:
1️⃣ Launch an immersive FAST channel: VUZ could create a 24/7 channel that streams immersive content non-stop, from behind-the-scenes at concerts to slow TV aerial views.
2️⃣ Add 360° views to TOD (beIN Media MENA platform). It could let users experience premium football matches from new angles, sitting with fans, standing near the players, or watching from the coach’s bench.
3️⃣ Work with Smashi TV: By teaming up with a local player like Smashi TV, VUZ could test what fans really enjoy in UAE: live interviews, fans reactions, or close-up action.
4️⃣ Go 360° inside the Dakar Rally: VUZ could partner with the Dakar Rally in Saudi Arabia to deliver immersive, real-time views from inside race cars and bikes.
5️⃣ Expand immersive advertising: VUZ could bring its immersive ad format to TV manufacturers, media agencies, or other streaming platforms, helping advertisers reach audiences in new, interactive ways.
Before you go on with your week, let me know 👇
Wishing everyone a great week! See you online this Friday for a new edition of my Streaming in Short.
