Irish tech entrepreneurs announce new Middle East partnership with online global sleep brand

With ecommerce in the Middle East set to hit $70 billion by 2020, online high-tech mattress startup Simba has joined forces with Irish ecommerce technology pioneers Paul Kenny and James Whelton of AYM Commerce to expand the brand’s footprint in one of the fastest growing regions in the world.

The Simba/AYM partnership will see AYM work alongside the Simba team to build out an ecommerce offering in the Middle East. Supporting a full product range when launched, the partnership will enable Middle East consumers to order products, such as the Simba Hybrid® Mattress, to be delivered within 24 hours across the UAE and Saudi Arabia by June 2018.

AYM Commerce was established in 2016 to build extraordinary digital and online technologies to shape the future of key industries in the Middle East and beyond. Led by Irish duo Paul Kenny and James Whelton, who are the MDs of AYM Commerce, the two have spent years building online businesses in the Middle East.

Paul Kenny is recognised as one of the most important figures in the Middle East’s digital/ecommerce space having founded the successful Dubai-based online coupon website, Cobone at the age of 25.  James Whelton is co-founder of CoderDojo, a not-for-profit children’s coding volunteer organisation present in over 70 countries around the world. Having worked side by side at Cobone, at AYM, the pair recently partnered with the Saudi retailer the BinDawood group to launch, Danube Online, the biggest ecommerce grocery platform in the Middle East. For Simba, the AYM partnership is set to see the company’s Middle East sales grow at speed through their online direct to consumer channel.

Simba is a premium range mattress online retailer and sleep brand, launched in February 2016 and headquartered in London. Available in Ireland on simbasleep.ie and in Arnotts, Simba has rapidly become a European market leader raising over $80 million dollars in funding to date to fuel its continued growth across the globe. Simba leverages pioneering next generation sleep technology and innovation to manufacture its unique hybrid memory foam and spring mattresses – shipping them directly to consumers, vacuum-compressed and in a box. The pioneering SIMBA sleep ‘mattress in a box’ concept allows mattresses to be ingeniously rolled up and boxed, and then delivered door to door in record time.

Managing Director of AYM Commerce, Paul Kenny said: “We are delighted to announce this ecommerce partnership with Simba, another high-tech innovator, who like AYM, have a young entrepreneurial leadership team. I think the concept of sleep and how it affects our quality of life is becoming ever more prominent. The Simba product offering is revitalizing the sleep sector globally and the AYM/Simba partnership will accelerate Simba’s footprint across the Middle East and boost the company’s growth through tailored ecommerce technology. We are set to launch in UAE and Saudi Arabia by end of June, from which point, people will be able to order a luxury, world class bed and sleep products in minutes on their phones and have them delivered to their door the next day.”

CEO and Co-founder of Simba James Cox commented; “Online shopping in the Middle East is rapidly evolving and has grown by 1500% over the last decade.¹ We see AYM’s immense ecommerce experience as a key driver in supporting Simba’s rapid Middle East expansion as we seek to become the region’s sleep category leader. Similar to our Irish offering, our Middle East ecommerce offering will include our famous SIMBA Hybrid® mattress, together with our range of other products such as pillows with NASA technology, and a high-tech beside table. We will also maintain our 100 day no hassle return service and incredible 10-year guarantee.”