Saudi Express Car Service Startup Garage Raises First Investment Ahead of Imminent Launch

Yet-to-be-launched, express car service startup, Garage, has announced its first investment, a first funding round of $260,000 from angel investors. The KSA startup will use the investment to complete its platform and kick-off its on-ground operations. 

Founded by Osama Al Salloum, Garage aims to digitise the vehicle service sector as part of the 2030 Saudi Vision to not only contribute to digital transformation, but to also create jobs. The startup intends to do so by integrating an easy-to-use application into express vehicle services, allowing vehicles to be served through certified partners.

“Despite the presence of more than 12 million vehicles in Saudi Arabia, the express vehicle service still has not lived up to the aspirations of consumers,” Al Salloum said of his motivations for founding Garage. “As an owner of a vehicle, for example, I am still dealing in the same way that I did 25 years ago to maintain my vehicle, and this matter is totally unacceptable and it is time to change it. Together with our team, our partners, and investors, I aspire to succeed in digitizing this important sector and to provide a reliable, professional service with experienced technicians for all vehicle owners in the Kingdom.”

One of the investors involved in Garage's funding round, Yasser Al-Ghamdi, shares a similar sentiment and sees Garage filling a gap that the vehicle service sector has continually failed to rise to. 

“The automotive service sector in Saudi Arabia has not been affected by development and digitisation in line with the great development in the region, and we aspire in Garage to provide easy and integrated services that suit the aspirations of the new generation of young people, that include providing quality and easy services in the field of vehicle services. We, as investors, are counting on filling an important and viable gap in this area."