Qatar's Snoonu buys YC-backed BiteSight to add video food discovery
What's the deal? Qatari super-app Snoonu has acquired BiteSightDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →, a US social and video commerce startup backed by Y Combinator and SurgePoint CapitalDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →. Terms were not disclosed.
What does BiteSight do? Founded in 2023, the startup links short-form food videos with restaurant discovery and ordering. It built its early audience in New York and San Francisco.
The app recorded more than 150,000 downloads and reached No. 2 in the US App Store's Food & Drink category, ahead of Uber EatsDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom → and McDonald's. It raised $1.5 million from Y Combinator, SurgePoint Capital, and executives at companies including Airbnb and Starbucks.
What's the endgame? Snoonu wants to move beyond delivery into a broader commerce platform. BiteSight's content-led format gives it a tool to differentiate in a crowded Gulf market, where delivery platforms compete heavily for customers and merchants.
Why now? The deal follows a wider consolidation push in the region. In July 2025, Saudi platform Jahez agreed to buy a 76.56% stake in Snoonu for $245 million, giving it a foothold in Qatar while Snoonu kept its own brand.
Founder and chief executive officer Hamad Al Hajri framed the deal as part of a plan to attract talent to Qatar. "We want to help position Qatar as a capital for entrepreneurship, innovation and technology," he said.
BiteSight's founders will build from Qatar. Co-founder Bernardo Burboa Quiroga said joining Snoonu lets the team combine "our approach to social food discovery with Snoonu's technology, reach and regional expertise."
What could go wrong? The strategic value hinges on whether BiteSight's video-first format can draw users and merchants at Gulf scale — something its US traction does not guarantee. The available reports do not detail the deal's immediate impact.
The signal: As social media, entertainment, and shopping converge, content-led discovery is becoming a battleground for delivery apps. Snoonu is betting that inspiration, not just logistics, will win the next round of competition.
Read more: 974qa.net
Image credit: Generated with Gemini
