Palestine-based wellness startup Tawazon has raised seed funding from Ibtikar Fund, the Palestinian venture capital firm said in a statement. The exact size of the investment was not disclosed, but a representative of the firm told MENAbytes that it is a six-figure deal (USD).
Founded in 2018 by Suna Zoabi-Othman, Tawazon (which means balance in Arabic), is a Calm-like Arabic meditation app that offers what it calls “scientifically proven” and guided meditation sessions of various lengths. The sessions available on the app are in Arabic, which is what makes it different from Calm, the American meditation app that became a unicorn last year.
Tawazon claims that native language plays an important role in the effectiveness of meditation, and that is why its app is suitable for Arab communities all around the world.
In a statement, the startup said that meditation can help users manage their emotions and reactions. “It has been proven [that meditation] helps reduce the stress and anxiety, improve emotional health and sleep, and lengthen our attention span,” noted the statement, adding that the benefits from daily meditation can include an increase in the “happiness” hormones in our body like serotonin and melatonin, improving our mood and outlook.
Suna Zoabi-Othman, the founder and CEO of Tawazon, said, “I had the firsthand experience of how meditation had helped me become more balanced. I realized that many of us native Arabic speakers would prefer to meditate in our language, yet the Arabic meditation apps available offered only a mediocre product at best. So, I brought together the best team I could to create Tawazon and help others find that balance which we all seek.”
Habib Hazzan, the managing general partner at Ibtikar Fund, said, “We realize the need for meditation and mindfulness, especially during such trying times. We are investing in Tawazon because we see great potential in the product and the ability of the team to make their vision a reality.”