MessageBird, a cloud communications platform that is used by local companies such as Etisalat, Careem and Okadoc, raised $200 million in a Series C round to expand into international markets, including the Middle East and triple the size of its global workforce.
The fundraising, which was led by Silicon Valley-based Spark Capital, valued the Amsterdam-based start-up at $3 billion, the company said in a statement on Sunday.
Investors such as Bonnier, Glynn Capital, LGT Lightstone, Longbow, Mousse Partners, New View Capital, Accel, Atomico and Y-Combinator also participated in this round.
“MessageBird has pioneered OPaaS [Omnichannel Platform as a Service] based on the idea that global companies should have zero-friction communication with their customers anywhere in the world and on any channel they prefer,” Robert Vis, the company’s founder and chief executive, said.
“This latest round is validation that there is pent up demand from customers all over the world who also want traditional businesses to move into this brave new messaging-first omnichannel world and we have the ... product on the market to help them do just that,” Mr Vis said.
Founded in 2011, MessageBird helps its clients shift customer engagement away from the inefficient channels of email and voice to more suitable messaging channels to their business.
The UAE and Egypt are key markets for MessageBird in the Middle East, the company said, adding that the new funding will be used to expand into the core markets in Europe, Latin America, Middle East and Asia, as it officially launches a work from anywhere policy.
“As consumers increasingly demand that businesses talk to them in the apps that they prefer, businesses are finally being forced to adopt omnichannel strategies at scale,” said Will Reed, general partner at Spark Capital.
MessageBird has built a customer-centric, engaging platform adaptable to any channel, he added.
The company, which has nearly 15,000 global customers, raised fresh funds remotely due to the coronavirus-related restrictions.
It came following a surge in demand globally for customer communication tools, as businesses struggled to cope with the pivot from physical in-store and call centre-based customer service to a fully remote workforce and online only sales.
Some of the MessageBird’s global customers include Lufthansa Airlines, Heineken, Hugo Boss, Rituals Cosmetics, SAP, Uber, Glovo, HelloFresh and Deliveroo.
Its services include enabling businesses to communicate and share media with any customer instantly across WhatsApp, text, voice, Messenger, WeChat, Google Business Messaging, Line and Telegram. Incoming messages across every channel are grouped into a single customer thread for easy ticketing and response.
Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026
1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.
7. Limited time periods for audits
Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.
8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer
