What inspired you to create Qureos, and how has your vision evolved since the company’s inception?
Qureos was started in 2022 to democratize access to mentorship and career growth with a mission to accelerate 100 million careers. I was inspired by the need to bridge skill gaps and connect individuals with the right opportunities at the right time.

Qureos focuses on enhancing professional profiles and aligning talent with suitable roles using advanced technology. Over time, the vision has evolved to include personalised career paths and AI-driven recruitment, enabling individuals and organizations to achieve their goals more effectively.

What were the most significant challenges you faced in building Qureos, and how did you overcome them?
One of the biggest challenges in building Qureos was tackling the “chicken-egg” problem—needing talent to attract jobs and jobs to attract talent. To overcome this, we initially focused on offering upskilling courses and mentorship, providing immediate value to talent while building a critical mass of engaged learners. Once we reached this tipping point, we launched the platform for businesses to recruit, creating a balanced ecosystem of talent and opportunities. This strategic approach helped us establish credibility, scale operations, and achieve sustainable growth.

How does Qureos leverage technology to create a unique and impactful learning and career acceleration experience?
Our AI-driven platform matches talent with relevant job opportunities based on their qualifications and career goals, ensuring alignment with their aspirations. It also provides valuable feedback on skills and gaps to focus on, guiding users toward targeted upskilling. Additionally, the platform helps improve professional profiles for job applications, enhancing visibility and increasing the likelihood of securing roles. By combining mentorship, upskilling, and AI-driven insights, Qureos empowers individuals to navigate their career journeys effectively and achieve their goals. 

What role do emerging technologies play in enhancing Qureos’ offerings?
Emerging technologies like AI and ML are central to Qureos’ offerings, enabling hyper-personalization at scale. These technologies tailor experiences for both job seekers and employers, ensuring precise matches based on individual goals and needs. We aim to provide a personal AI career advisor for job seekers and an AI hiring assistant for recruiters, streamlining guidance and decision-making. By reducing friction in the recruitment process, Qureos shortens the time to hire, creating seamless experiences for both parties. This integration of AI and ML allows us to deliver impactful, scalable solutions that drive better outcomes for talent and businesses alike.

What is the core business model of Qureos, and how do you ensure it delivers value to both learners and mentors?
Qureos operates on a results-driven business model focused on job placements. Recruitment and human capital are inherently complex due to individual differences, which is why we combine advanced technology with dedicated customer support to help clients achieve their goals. We charge a subscription fee for ongoing services and an additional fee upon successful job placements. By prioritizing outcomes, we ensure value for both talent and mentors, aligning our success with theirs. This approach enables us to grow sustainably while delivering meaningful career acceleration and hiring solutions for all stakeholders.

How do you measure success in terms of user outcomes and the overall impact of the platform?
At Qureos, we measure success by the outcomes achieved for both talent and employers. For talent, key metrics include job placement rates, time to secure a role, and improvements in profile data points, reflecting skill and career growth. For employers, success is defined by reduced time-to-hire and lower recruitment costs, ensuring efficiency and value. Additionally, we monitor platform engagement for both talent and employers to assess the overall effectiveness and ensure the platform delivers meaningful value. These insights help us continuously refine our offerings to drive impactful results for all users.

What growth opportunities do you see for Qureos globally and in the Middle East, particularly in addressing regional skill gaps?
Qureos sees significant growth opportunities globally and in the Middle East by leveraging key insights into talent interests, qualifications, and engagement with specific roles. With visibility into 70-80% of GCC job opportunities, we bridge the gap between talent and market demand. This dual perspective enables us to identify skill gaps by country, industry, and job role automatically. By addressing these gaps, we match the right talent to the right roles while providing personalized feedback to help talent upskill effectively. This unique approach positions Qureos to address regional skill gaps and drive impactful career outcomes at scale.

How do you differentiate Qureos from other career development & recruitment platforms in the market?
Qureos differentiates itself by focusing on the unique dynamics of the GCC region, including its diverse labour laws, data privacy regulations, and cultural nuances. Unlike other platforms, we prioritize a data-first approach to recruitment, ensuring precise matches between talent and roles by leveraging deep insights on both job seekers and employers. This rich dataset, combined with proprietary AI algorithms, enables us to predict key trends and deliver highly accurate talent-job matches. By streamlining the recruitment process with this foundation, Qureos provides a seamless experience while addressing the specific needs of the GCC market effectively and efficiently.

What are your key priorities and milestones for Qureos in the next 12-18 months?
In the next 12-18 months, Qureos aims to scale its platform, expand its user base, and enhance its AI capabilities to better serve learners and employers, focusing on regional expansion and technological innovation.

What advice would you give to aspiring entrepreneurs who are looking to solve complex problems like education and employment gaps?
For aspiring entrepreneurs tackling complex problems like education and employment gaps, my advice is to focus on understanding the problem deeply—know your audience, their pain points, and the ecosystem. Start small, test solutions, and iterate based on feedback. Embrace technology like AI to scale and personalize solutions but remain grounded in human-centric design. Persistence is key; solving systemic challenges takes time but creates meaningful, long-term value when approached strategically. Stay committed to your mission and be adaptable to changes along the journey.

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How To Meet Nationalization Targets in GCC?

1. Leveraging AI and Technology for Recruitment
Businesses facing high nationalization quotas and tight timelines can benefit from AI-powered recruitment platforms like Qureos, which assist in identifying talent with specific qualifications and eligibility for national roles. By using predictive algorithms, these platforms enable recruiters to filter candidates based on specific nationalization eligibility criteria, helping streamline compliance efforts without bias. Leveraging technology-driven recruitment solutions, not only speeds up the hiring process but also allows companies to focus on broader growth initiatives by automating initial screening and matching candidates to roles more efficiently.

2. Upskilling and Training Programs for Nationals
Governments across the GCC encourage companies to invest in training programs that equip local talent with in-demand skills. Programs such as the UAE’s Emirati Talent Competitiveness Council and Saudi Arabia’s Human Resources Development Fund (Hadaf) provide resources and subsidies to support this approach. These programs contribute to a skilled, compliant workforce while fostering the professional development of nationals, in line with broader economic goals.

3. Developing Partnerships with Local Educational Institutions
Businesses can partner with universities and vocational institutions to create career pathways for nationals. Many organizations are now establishing internships and entry-level opportunities aligned with academic programs, fostering talent development and aligning with compliance needs. These partnerships help businesses meet nationalization goals while supporting the education system and contributing to local community development.

4. Flexible Employment Models
To meet nationalization quotas, some companies are adopting flexible models, such as part-time roles and remote work, which offer nationals broader exposure across sectors while fulfilling compliance requirements. Flexible employment options enable businesses to attract diverse national talent and meet compliance targets without sacrificing the quality of their workforce.

Government Perspective on Nationalization Goals
The Saudi Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development has highlighted Saudization’s role in creating a “productive and stable work environment” that enhances citizen participation in the labour market and aligns with Vision 2030 goals to strengthen the economic system through localized talent.

By adopting a holistic approach that combines technology, training, educational partnerships, and flexible employment models, GCC businesses can meet nationalization quotas while simultaneously building a skilled and competitive workforce that supports the region’s economic vision.

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Hassan Waheed, Vice President of Corporate Finance and Treasury at DIEZ and Partner at Oraseya Capital,said: “We are proud of the milestones that Oraseya Capital has achieved in startup investments within just a few months of its launch in the end of 2023. The high level of interest in its SANDBOX programme, as well as the many innovative and creative ideas and ambitious projects, reflect the long-term importance of this strategic initiative in promoting the growth of small and medium-sized enterprises in various sectors. We are committed to supporting the digital economy sector in the Emirate of Dubai and contributing to the goals of the Dubai Economic Agenda D33.” 

“Oraseya Capital has invested in startups that have proven high growth opportunities, characterized by creative ideas and innovative visions. Seeking to change the reality and future of the advanced and modern technology sector, we look forward to realizing new levels, all in line with our efforts towards enhancing the competitiveness of Dubai in terms of attracting and financing technology startups, bolstering its stellar reputation as a destination for global investments,” he added.

Hassan Waheed said that in addition to these new investments, Oraseya Capital has strengthened its efforts by leading an investment round in Growdash, a Dubai-based SaaS platform that specializes in empowering the marketing and operations efforts of restaurants, as well as building, implementing, and managing their growth strategies through digital sales channels. Oraseya Capital has also participated in a series of investment rounds for several other startups, including RemotePass, an HR tech-platform streamlining management of remote teams, and iSchool, an EdTech upskilling youth with digital capabilities. The seven startups that received funding from the fourth cohort of the SANDBOX Accelerator programme are: Qureos, a recruitment tech startup matching talent with jobs 10x faster; Herogo, the sustainable food tech subscription platform for fruit and vegetables; Lisan, a deeptech generative AI startup specialising in Arabic linguistics; Sthrive, a B2B SaaS platform for retailers designed to boost sales and employee performance; Zoya, a fintech startup that makes halal investing easy and accessible for Muslims worldwide; JobEscape, a productivity startup upskilling freelancers and employees alike, with AI tools; and Opteam, leveraging AI-driven optimisations to project management in the construction sector. For more information about the seven startups, click here.

Zoya: High-Impact Programme
Saad Malik, Co-founder and CEO of Zoya, said: “SANDBOX provided an invaluable foundation for Zoya. Their mentorship and supportive community empowered us to refine our startup and prepare for the next stage of our journey. We’re excited to apply these insights as we move forward.” 

Qureos: Exceptional Value
Alex Epure, CEO and Co-founder of Qureos, said: “The SANDBOX Accelerator programme is very well structured with lots of value. It’s backed by Oraseya Capital which can follow on future investment rounds which is not always the case with other programmes.” 

SANDBOX is a 5-month Accelerator programme spanning 2 phases. The first phase is an “Evaluation phase” lasting 8-weeks, which culminates with startups pitching to the Investment Committee of Oraseya Capital. Successful startups then formally proceed into the 3-month SANDBOX Accelerator programme, each receiving an investment offer from Oraseya Capital. The SANDBOX programme encourages a mindset of experimentation and is focused heavily on revenue generating activities and well as further fundraising efforts. Startups benefit from mentorship hosted by experts in the world of business and technology, as well as exposure to fellow investors.

 Startups participating in the programme benefit from more than 50 hours of workshops that include access to an integrated package of financial analytics, marketing strategies and legal compliance programs. Entrepreneurs in the SANDBOX programme also receive more than 30 hours of mentoring from industry experts and have the opportunity to network with regional investors.

The fifth edition of SANDBOX, which has already received more than 1,100 applications, will commence at the beginning of September 2024. Startups interested in participating in the sixth edition of SANDBOX to drive the growth of their technology startups and benefit from Oraseya Capital’s investment support can submit applications at www.sandboxaccelerator.com.

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Shadi Joulani, Co-Founder of Dukkantek, comments, “Our partnership with Qureos will allow us to focus on our global expansion plans for 2022. We are confident that access to the Qureos community and utilizing the talent recommendation algorithm will enable us to access top emerging talent for a fraction of the time and cost. Qureos partnership will allow Dukkantek to focus more on what is important; partnerships and assisting merchants.”

Qureos global community will play a pivotal role in Dukkantek’s team-building process by reducing the time and resources spent on hiring. Empowered with a performance-based hiring methodology, Qureos will assess the job readiness of the candidate and further ensure a skill match for the open position at Dukkantek.

Alexander Epure, Co-Founder and CEO of Qureos, comments, “Qureos is a gateway to talent from over 140 countries. While remaining committed to democratizing learning and earning opportunities globally, we offer a seamless talent experience by reducing the time-to-hire by up to 36% and cost-of-hire by up to 81%. We look forward to further establishing our partnership with Dukkantek, allowing them to entrust us with their recruitment fully. Qureos’ promise is to improve both the candidate and recruiter experience, which will swiftly aid Dukkantek’s strategy and meet growing demand.”

Recently announcing its $3 Million pre-seed funding, Qureos is set to accelerate 100 Million careers globally and disrupt the traditional path to employment by empowering upskilled talent to secure jobs globally. The growing Qureos community has to date attracted 40,000 apprentices, 200 mentors, and 300 business partners.

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Founded in August 2021 by Alexander Epure, Mehrad Yaghmai and Usama Nini, Queros aims to accelerate careers by making mentorship more accessible.

Qureos plans to use this investment to build product-led operations and expand its remote-first team with a focus on hiring talent for its offices in the UAE, Pakistan and India.

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