• Jordan-based mobile games publisher Tamatem, is expanding to China after securing an investment and strategic partnership with MSA Novo, the emerging markets investment franchise of Chinese VC, MSA Capital.
• Founded in 2013 by Hussam Hammo, Tamatem is the leading Arabic mobile games publisher in the region with over 50 published games, 150 million downloads, and seven million monthly active users.
• Tamatem plans on multiplying its expansion efforts in the industry. Today, the company has over 100 employees and plans to double in size by the end of the year. 
• The partnership with MSA Novo will help Tamatem work with Chinese developers to bring mobile games to the Arabic-speaking market and widen its mobile games offerings.
• Tamatem is part of Wamda's portfolio of startups.

Press release:

Tamatem announces an investment and strategic partnership with MSA Novo. 

MSA Novo is the emerging markets investment franchise of MSA Capital, a mature markets-oriented firm with over $2 billion in assets under management that has invested in sector-leading companies in Greater China, the United States, and Europe across healthcare, enterprise, and consumer verticals. 

Led by veteran technology investors and operators, MSA Novo has been one of the most active venture capital funds in the region over the last 3 years, with over 35 portfolio companies across the Middle East and Sub-Saharan Africa. MSA has 5 regional offices, including Amman, where Tamatem is headquartered. MSA’s portfolio comprises some of the most successful technology companies in the region, including both unicorn companies to emerge since Careem – Kitopi and Swvl, as well as several of the most valuable companies in the geography, such as Tabby, Sary, TradeDepot, Homzmart, Capiter, Zid, Cassbana, Goldfinch, and Thndr. 

MSA Novo also has significant investment exposure in Latin America, South Asia, Emerging Europe, and Southeast Asia – investing at both the venture and growth stages in category-defining companies like Nubank, Klarna, Animoca, Asia Innovations Group, Gorillas, Mobile Premier League (MPL), Slice, Xepelin, Belvo, Jar, AppsforBharat, and Favo.

Said MSA Novo Managing Partner Ben Harburg of the investment in Tamatem “Emerging markets are witnessing the explosive growth of mobile gaming, just as we experienced in China. Tamatem has positioned itself as the leading development and distribution platform for gaming in the Middle East, a region with some of the most compelling user characteristics globally, notably average revenue per user and daily time spend online.” Harburg further elaborated on the role MSA will play within Tamatem “MSA has deep connectivity to the Chinese gaming ecosystem and global developers. We will work with Tamatem to forge strategic partnerships with gaming majors to accelerate the company’s development work, as well as attract top franchises to the region for localisation and optimisation. We are proud to partner with one of the flagship technology companies in Jordan as we endeavor to provide global best practices and connectivity to accelerate the development of the local entrepreneurial ecosystem”

“We are very happy to partner with MSA Novo. This partnership is a great testament to the massive potential of the MENA mobile games market. We look forward to expanding the ever-growing mobile games ecosystem and taking it to the next level.” Hussam Hammo, CEO & Founder of Tamatem Games.

Tamatem plans on multiplying its expansion efforts in the industry. Today, the company has over 100 employees and plans to double in size by the end of the year. Tamatem is also setting a stronger foot in its presence in China. Partnering with various Chinese developers to bring the best mobile games to the Arabic-speaking market. Tamatem’s partnership with MSA Novo is a great forward step in the direction of widening its mobile games portfolio and publishing top-tier games through the Chinese mobile games market.