Moroccan retail-tech startup Woliz has raised US$2.2 million in a pre-seed funding round to accelerate the development of its AI-powered, fintech-enabled platform.
Founded by Kamal El Hardouzi, Woliz is digitising neighbourhood retail by placing small merchants at the centre of a unified ecosystem that connects commerce, finance, telecoms, institutions, and consumers.
The platform is designed to give independent shop owners access to tools typically reserved for large retail chains. Merchants can order stock digitally, automatically track sales, verify income, and build a financial footprint that improves access to credit from financial institutions.
The $2.2 million round was led by Sanlam Maroc, the Moroccan subsidiary of global financial services group Sanlam. The investment will support product development, team expansion, and faster merchant onboarding across multiple Moroccan cities.
Woliz plans to scale its model beyond Morocco to other African markets facing similar retail and financial infrastructure challenges.
“Morocco is the foundation. Africa is the natural extension,” the company said.
