qlub has raised $72.0M in total across 3 funding rounds.
qlub's investors include Balderton Capital, Cherry Ventures, High-Tech Gründerfonds, Redalpine Venture Partners, Wilbe Capital, Ian Hogarth, EQT Ventures, Notion Capital, Point Nine Capital, Ballistic Ventures, JIMCO, Jeff Immelt.
Qlub is a Dubai-based restaurant technology company building a contactless dining platform that streamlines the guest experience and back‑end operations for hospitality venues. The company’s core product is a QR‑code‑driven solution that lets diners instantly access digital menus, place orders, split bills, add tips, and pay securely—all from their smartphones, without downloading an app or creating an account. Qlub serves restaurants, cafes, hotels, and lounges, primarily in the Middle East and increasingly in international markets, helping them reduce checkout friction, improve table turnover, and enhance customer satisfaction.
Since its launch, Qlub has gained strong traction, raising over $68 million in funding and counting hundreds of restaurants across the UAE and Saudi Arabia as partners. The company has grown to nearly 300 employees and is positioned as one of the leading PayTech players in the region’s restaurant-tech space. With a focus on fast, secure, app‑free payments and integrated digital menus, Qlub is scaling rapidly as demand for frictionless, post‑pandemic dining experiences continues to grow.
Qlub was founded in 2021 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, by a team of entrepreneurs and technologists who saw an opportunity to modernize the restaurant payment experience in the Middle East. The idea emerged from observing how traditional payment processes in restaurants—waiting for the bill, calling the server, and handling cash or card terminals—created friction for both guests and staff, especially during peak hours. The founders envisioned a simple, app‑free solution that would let diners scan a QR code at their table to view the menu, order, split the bill, and pay instantly.
The company quickly gained early traction by partnering with popular restaurants in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, demonstrating clear value in reducing wait times and improving operational efficiency. A major milestone came in early 2022 when Qlub closed what was then the largest PayTech seed round in the region, raising $17 million. Backed by prominent investors like Cherry Ventures and Point Nine Capital, Qlub used this capital to expand its platform, enter new markets like Saudi Arabia, and grow its team, establishing itself as a key player in the region’s digital dining transformation.
Qlub is riding the convergence of several powerful trends: the post‑pandemic shift toward contactless and self‑service experiences, the rapid digitization of small and mid‑sized businesses, and the rise of embedded finance in vertical SaaS. In the restaurant sector, operators are under pressure to improve margins, reduce reliance on cash, and deliver modern guest experiences—all of which Qlub addresses through its integrated platform.
The timing is particularly favorable in the Middle East, where governments are pushing cashless economies, tourism is booming, and hospitality operators are eager to adopt digital tools. Qlub sits at the intersection of fintech and restaurant tech, effectively turning every table into a point‑of‑sale terminal. By reducing friction in the payment journey, the company not only improves guest satisfaction but also generates valuable transaction data that can power loyalty programs, dynamic pricing, and targeted marketing—positioning it as a potential infrastructure layer for the future of dining.
Looking ahead, Qlub is well‑positioned to expand beyond the Middle East into other high‑growth markets where restaurant digitization is still in early stages. The next phase will likely involve deeper integrations with POS providers, expansion of value‑added services (like loyalty, analytics, and marketing tools), and potentially moving upmarket to serve larger hotel and hospitality groups. As the line between payments and customer experience blurs, Qlub could evolve from a payment facilitator into a full‑stack restaurant operating system.
The company’s success will depend on its ability to maintain a seamless user experience, scale operations efficiently, and defend its position against both local players and global competitors. If executed well, Qlub has the potential to become a defining player in the global restaurant‑tech stack—much like how Stripe or Square became foundational in broader commerce. For investors and operators alike, Qlub represents a compelling bet on the future of frictionless, digital‑first dining.
qlub has raised $72.0M across 3 funding rounds. Most recently, it raised $30.0M Series B in July 2025.
| Date | Round | Lead Investors | Other Investors |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 1, 2025 | $30.0M Series B | Balderton Capital, Cherry Ventures, High-Tech Gründerfonds, Redalpine Venture Partners, Wilbe Capital, Ian Hogarth | |
| Mar 1, 2023 | $25.0M Seed | Balderton Capital, Cherry Ventures, EQT Ventures, High-Tech Gründerfonds, Notion Capital, Point Nine Capital, Redalpine Venture Partners, Wilbe Capital, Ian Hogarth | |
| Jan 1, 2022 | $17.0M Seed | Balderton Capital, Ballistic Ventures, Cherry Ventures, EQT Ventures, High-Tech Gründerfonds, JIMCO, Jeff Immelt, Notion Capital, Outliers Capital, Point Nine Capital, Redalpine Venture Partners, Venture Highway, Wilbe Capital, Gerald Parloiu, Ian Hogarth |
