Loading organizations...
Key people at CAFU.
CAFU is a Dubai, United Arab Emirates-based technology company that operates an on-demand mobile application delivering fuel and comprehensive vehicle maintenance services directly to individual consumers and commercial fleets. The platform functions as an automotive super app, allowing users to schedule mobile car washes, engine oil changes, tire replacements, battery servicing, and vehicle insurance. Operating with an estimated workforce of between 875 and 5,000 employees, the enterprise generates revenue by charging customers for these dispatched automotive services across its core market and expansion regions like Canada and Saudi Arabia. The company utilizes infrastructure and payment partnerships with recognizable technology firms like AWS and Adyen, with the latter collaboration recently increasing conversion rates by over two percent to add nearly AED 2 million in new revenue. CAFU was founded in 2018 by Rashid Ghurair.
Key people at CAFU.
CAFU is a Dubai-based mobile app delivering on-demand car services, including fuel delivery, car wash, battery replacement, tire changes, engine oil changes, and car insurance, targeting individual car owners and business fleets to eliminate the hassle of traditional vehicle maintenance.[1][3][4] Launched in 2018, it has grown from a fuel-focused service into a comprehensive mobility platform, expanding to EV charging pilots in Canada and aiming for global scale while addressing urban drivers' time constraints in regulated markets like the UAE.[2][4]
The company solves pain points like gas station visits and scattered car care by bringing services directly to users via app, with strong growth evidenced by a +60 Mosaic Score increase in recent months and operations across continents.[1][3] It competes with players like Spiffy and has pivoted from free delivery to fundraising for sustainability, positioning as a one-stop car ownership solution.[1][6]
CAFU was founded in 2018 by Rashid Al Ghurair, a third-generation member of one of the UAE's prominent business families, who serves as CEO and co-founder with a background in engineering, entrepreneurship, technology, and regional market dynamics.[2][4] The idea emerged from Al Ghurair's frustration with traditional refueling hassles, aiming to create a safer, tech-driven alternative that delivers fuel and services directly to vehicles via mobile app.[4]
Early traction came in Dubai, where CAFU launched as the UAE's pioneering on-demand fuel service, quickly expanding to car wash, maintenance, and insurance amid rapid regional growth.[1][2][4] Pivotal moments include international pilots like the world's first on-demand EV charging in Canada and digital architecture transformations for scaling, humanizing its rise from local innovator to global aspirant.[2][7]
CAFU rides the on-demand mobility and urban logistics trend, capitalizing on rising EV adoption, time-scarce lifestyles, and gig-economy apps in emerging markets like the Middle East.[2][4] Timing aligns with UAE's tech hub ambitions and global shifts to sustainable energy, where regulated fuel markets favor volume-based disruptors over stations.[2]
Market forces like EV infrastructure gaps and fleet digitization boost it—e.g., first-mover EV charging pilots fill voids regulators haven't addressed.[2] It influences the ecosystem by benchmarking innovation, inspiring regional startups to go global, and pressuring competitors like Spiffy or Bringwash to match service breadth amid quick-commerce parallels.[1][2]
CAFU's pivot to fundraising and paid delivery signals maturation toward profitability, with EV/hydrogen expansion and global talent hunts positioning it for "world domination" beyond UAE.[2][6] Trends like electrification, AI-optimized logistics, and regulatory easing in new markets will shape its path, potentially evolving from regional pioneer to logistics leader if it secures funding and navigates expansion hurdles.
Watch for Canada pilots scaling and equity raises unlocking hypergrowth—CAFU's app-born convenience could redefine car ownership worldwide, starting from Dubai's roads.
