In a moment that has brought deep sorrow to Egypt’s e-commerce community, Sameh Abdel Fattah, co-founder and CTO of zVendo, has passed away. Known as a dedicated visionary in Egypt’s nascent tech landscape, Abdel Fattah co-led zVendo, an Egyptian SaaS company providing comprehensive e-commerce solutions, from its founding in 2018. Alongside CEO and co-founder Tarek Bakry, he helped grow zVendo into a prominent regional player in online retail technology.
zVendo’s platform offers small businesses the tools to create online stores with ease, serving over 1,000 customers including major brands like Universal, LG, Marie Louis, Sale Sucre, and Dukes. Abdel Fattah’s leadership helped secure partnerships with major Egyptian banks, including CIB, NBE, and Banque Misr, as well as with key payment and logistics providers such as Fawry, Paymob, Paytabs, Valu, and Aramex. He was instrumental in developing zVendo’s reputation as a reliable and flexible provider of 360-degree e-commerce solutions tailored to the Egyptian and broader Middle Eastern markets.
Abdel Fattah was no stranger to the tech industry, having accumulated over 23 years of experience, including a decade in e-commerce. He had worked with multinational corporations like Microsoft and Xceed and was widely respected as an e-commerce expert, regularly sharing insights at regional tech conferences such as Seamless Middle East, Techne Summit, and the Egypt eCommerce Summit. His strategic vision for zVendo not only positioned the company as a local favorite but also earned him recognition in the Egyptian Entrepreneur Awards.
In 2021, zVendo gained significant traction with a pre-Series A investment led by Mobica and Gratus Holding. This funding round was pivotal in supporting the company’s plans for regional expansion across the GCC and enhancing its platform’s technological capabilities. Commenting at the time, Bakry expressed optimism that the fresh capital injection would bolster zVendo’s regional presence and broaden its service offerings, particularly in integrating advanced logistics and payment options.
Gratus Holding and Mobica’s support marked a transformative moment for zVendo, aligning the company with powerful allies as it pursued its expansion goals. Gratus Holding founder Bishoy Azmy described zVendo as the “Shopify of the Middle East” and praised its potential to transform the region’s e-commerce market. Similarly, Mobica’s leadership expressed confidence in zVendo’s “cutting-edge technology and smart management” in a sector that has seen rapid growth amid the rise of digital commerce across the Middle East.
Abdel Fattah’s passing comes in the wake of another high-profile loss in Egypt’s tech sector: Hassan Hesham, co-founder of social commerce startup Brimore, tragically passed away in April 2023. Brimore, which has faced fierce competition in Egypt’s e-commerce market, struggled to maintain its momentum following Hesham’s sudden departure. These losses highlight the unique pressures faced by startup founders and the substantial impact they have in shaping Egypt’s entrepreneurial ecosystem.
zVendo remains focused on advancing Abdel Fattah’s vision of an inclusive, accessible platform that empowers businesses to sell online with minimal technical barriers. The company’s strong foundation and established partnerships provide a solid path forward, though his absence will be felt deeply within the company and the broader tech community.
Abdel Fattah’s legacy at zVendo testifies to his enduring impact on e-commerce and his commitment to driving technological innovation in Egypt and beyond. He leaves behind a community of entrepreneurs, colleagues, and collaborators who will continue to build on his vision, honoring his contributions to Egypt’s digital economy.