Saudi Arabia’s construction procurement industry is plagued by inefficiencies—fragmented processes, manual operations, and a lack of transparency. Contractors often face challenges such as dealing with multiple suppliers, prolonged negotiations, and payment delays. With the country’s trillion-dollar infrastructure and real estate projects underway, these issues are more pronounced than ever.
Enter BRKZ, a Riyadh-based construction tech startup transforming the sector through its tech-enabled managed marketplace. BRKZ simplifies procurement processes while offering tailored financing solutions. Recently, the company secured $17 million in Series A funding, including $8 million in equity and $1 million in debt, reflecting strong investor confidence.
Simplifying Construction Procurement
Backed by prominent investors like Aramco’s Waed, BECO Capital, and others, BRKZ builds on its mission to streamline the procurement of construction materials. Contractors and factories using BRKZ can access transparent pricing, competitive quotes within 20 minutes, and financing options such as buy now, pay later (BNPL). The platform has scaled rapidly, now offering over 7,000 SKUs from 1,100 suppliers, a significant leap from 1,200 SKUs and 350 suppliers a year ago.
Founder Ibrahim Manna, a former executive at Careem, launched BRKZ in 2023 after personally experiencing the inefficiencies in the construction supply chain. His frustration led to a vision for an innovative solution addressing material selection, transportation costs, and price volatility. Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 and robust market growth further motivated this effort.
Expanding Reach and Revenue
BRKZ’s growth has been remarkable, with revenue quadrupling in 2024 and RFQ volumes surging from $170 million to $350 million. The startup has expanded its presence to over 40 cities across Saudi Arabia, supporting key projects such as King Salman Park, Neom, and the Red Sea Project. Future plans include extending its reach to the northern and southern provinces.
The company also aims to diversify revenue streams by importing hard-to-source construction materials from China, India, and Turkey. This strategy not only caters to local demand but also aligns with strengthening trade ties between Saudi Arabia and China amid changing global trade dynamics.
Towards a Full-Service Ecosystem
BRKZ envisions evolving into a full-service construction ecosystem by addressing four key pillars: procurement, financing, workforce supply, and equipment procurement/rental. The company is also leveraging AI and machine learning to automate critical processes like pricing predictability and purchase order generation, further improving efficiency for contractors and suppliers.
With a valuation growth of 46% in the past year and positive unit economics, BRKZ is poised to become a transformative force in Saudi Arabia’s construction industry. “Our focus remains on scaling deeper within Saudi Arabia to create a seamless and efficient construction supply chain,” Manna shared.
The startup’s latest funding round will fuel its ambitious roadmap, helping contractors and developers overcome cash flow challenges while driving digitization and innovation across the construction ecosystem.
Since its inception, BRKZ has raised $22.5 million, including pre-seed and seed funding. As it continues to scale, BRKZ is set to redefine the future of construction procurement in the Middle East.