- Saudi startup Munjz takes on the mantle of digitalising the facilities management industry in the kingdom as it races to compete in the built industry on a global scale
Munjz: Embracing digital transformation of facilities management in Saudi Arabia
Abdullah Abdulaziz AlDaij, the founder and CEO of Munjz walks Gulf Business through his platform’s transformative journey that follows Saudi Arabia’s growth story as the kingdom’s built sector competes at the global level.
Q. What was the inspiration that drove you to set up Munjz?
The inspiration behind Munjz comes from recognising the inefficiencies in the traditional facilities management industry. This sector is highly fragmented and outdated, making it unsustainable in the long run. With the global facility management market expected to reach $1.7tn by 2027, and even more growth anticipated in our region, we saw a market gap and an opportunity that needed to be addressed.
Saudi Arabia, in particular, stands out due to the strong support exhibited by the government across various sectors, a growing population, and the absence of a dominant player in the emerging tech-driven facilities management space. This environment inspired us to establish Munjz, which straddles both – a B2B and B2B2C approach.
Q. Walk us through your platform’s evolution journey in the facilities management sector?
Munjz was established in 2018 to address the needs of both residential and commercial tenants, initially offering on-demand maintenance services through our platform in a B2C model. In 2021, we transitioned to a B2B model, introducing a comprehensive digital platform for the maintenance and facilities management industry in Saudi Arabia.
Today, our platform utilises advanced Property Management Systems (PMS) to streamline operations. It serves property and business owners, facility managers, and maintenance managers by providing a unified hub for managing operations and property revenues.
Our platform comprises three prop-tech segments: Munjz-Connect for residential and commercial sectors, Munjz-Now for Consumers, and Munjz Market for vendors and service companies.
We have taken it upon ourselves to lead the digital transformation of this industry and provide more efficient, customer-centric solutions for our clients.
Q. What are some technological trends that you have adopted?
Among our technological offerings is our advanced reporting system, tailored to specific business domains, which generates an abundance of data. This resource equips our clients with the insights they need to make informed decisions.
Additionally, our platform offers e-payment capabilities, automating revenue capture from resends directly within our ecosystem, streamlining financial processes, and enhancing overall convenience. We empower facilities management users with tools for customised workflow automation, enabling them to optimise efficiency and productivity.
Our white-labeling options allow clients to brand our platform as their own, strengthening brand identity and customer trust. Leveraging data insights, our platform provides clients with a deeper understanding of their operations and customer behavior, facilitating data-driven decision-making.
Moreover, we facilitate seamless integration with third-party services through our marketplace, ensuring that clients have access to an array of complementary tools and services within a unified platform. These technological advancements underscore our commitment to staying at the forefront of innovation and delivering a robust, adaptable platform that caters to the ever-evolving needs of our clients.
Q. Does AI impact your platform in any way?
Absolutely, AI plays a significant role in shaping our platform’s capabilities. It empowers our facilities management users to leverage historical data for predictive analysis without the need for explicit programming. This means that AI automates specific tasks, allowing our users to concentrate on tasks that demand human expertise and insight.
By harnessing AI, we enable our users to make accurate predictions regarding operational expenses, job volumes, and more. This not only enhances efficiency but also contributes to better decision-making.
Ultimately, AI’s integration into our platform optimises processes and liberates our users to focus on tasks that truly benefit from their unique human perspectives. It’s a pivotal element in driving productivity and effectiveness within our ecosystem.
Q. What are your learnings as an entrepreneur?
As an entrepreneur, I’ve learned some invaluable lessons along the journey. Firstly, it’s crucial not to become sentimentally attached to one’s initial idea; being open to pivot in response to potential market needs is essential for success. Embracing failure as a chance for a fresh start has also been a significant takeaway – it’s through setbacks that we often find the path to innovation and improvement.
Another important lesson is that there’s no “perfect” time or product; sometimes, you just have to stop planning and take action. Lastly, our last funding round reinforced the market’s demand for our solution and underscored the opportunity we’re pursuing. These learnings have been instrumental in our entrepreneurial journey, guiding us towards adaptability, resilience, and a deep understanding of our market and its needs.
Q. Could you tell us about your funding structure and your expansion plans?
We recently secured $5m in a Pre-Series A funding round in February 2023, a testament to our growth potential. These funds are pivotal in our mission to establish ourselves as the industry leaders in facilities management. Our strategic vision involves not only advancing our technology and app interface but also expanding our service offerings and geographical reach throughout the kingdom.
Crucially, our expansion strategy has received significant momentum through strategic partnerships with six industry giants in Saudi Arabia: Osus Real Estate, Innovest Real Estate, Jawdah Real Estate, Deal App, Aqar App, and Nawat Investment.
These partnerships enable Munjz to seamlessly integrate its platform across the extensive property portfolios of each partner.
Additionally, we’re positioning Munjz as the central hub connecting not only property owners, residents, and maintenance providers, but also brokers, sellers, and buyers in real-time. Thus, enhancing the real estate ecosystem and solidifying our role as a key player in the industry. Our utilisation of funds is dedicated to achieving these ambitious goals and maintaining our trajectory of growth and innovation.
