A Chat with Alexander Ponomarev, CEO at Syrve MENA: A Leading Middle Eastern Restaurant Tech Provider

Tell us about Syrve MENA

Syrve MENA is the largest regional hub for Syrve, a global provider of point-of-sale (POS) and restaurant management solutions specifically tailored for the food and beverage (F&B) industry. We’re transforming how F&B businesses operate across the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Pakistan, Oman, Egypt, and Kenya. We are reimagining restaurant management through breakthrough innovations.

Syrve improves service speed, empowers kitchen teams, manages staff, optimises stock-taking and ordering, simplifies cost control, and analyses performance. Over 9,500 F&B businesses worldwide trust Syrve’s innovative tech solutions, including FaceID, AI Forecasting, and a best-in-class inventory management program.

We’ve structured our offerings into three tiers: Start (250 AED/month), Pro (350 AED/month), and Enterprise (450 AED/month), ensuring every business finds the right fit for their growth stage.

What do you think makes this company unique?

Total integration. While most restaurant tech companies solve one problem, we solve them all. Our platform creates a unified ecosystem where front-of-house and back-of-house operations communicate seamlessly with each other.

Our solution empowers restaurants to expand their reach, engage new audiences, and drive business growth through seamless integration and flexibility. With open APIs available for integration with any service as needed, businesses can easily connect to corporate reporting, guest communication, loyalty systems, coupons, and more. Though this flexibility supports our platform, the true strength lies in the value we bring to our clients.

Our AI Forecasting considers everything (weather patterns, cultural events, traffic data, and holidays) to predict exactly what your restaurant needs. Imagine never running out of ingredients during a busy weekend or eliminating food waste because you ordered precisely the right amount. That is what we strive for.

We further this philosophy of removing friction with Face ID — your face becomes your key, making operations faster and more secure.

What is your advice to aspiring entrepreneurs?

Focus creates results. I’ve seen brilliant entrepreneurs fail because they chased every opportunity instead of mastering their core vision. Pick your lane and dominate it.

I would also emphasise the importance of lifelong learning. The world is constantly changing, and it’s an entrepreneur’s responsibility to stay up-to-date, especially in the technology sector, which continues to grow year after year and even month to month.

Dubai taught me this: yesterday’s performance doesn’t guarantee tomorrow’s success. Every morning, you’re competing against not just your rivals, but against who you were yesterday.

What most excites you about Syrve MENA?

Picture this: a restaurant owner calls me, voice full of excitement, telling me our system just helped them handle their busiest night ever. Our mission is to automate 80% of the F&B industry routines. When I see our technology turning chaotic dinner rushes into smooth operations, that’s when I know we’re building something transformational.

While we experience ups and downs and occasionally face complaints or customer churn, we learn and grow from these challenges. Our team works hard to address issues and improve our service. Facing challenges head-on and continuously striving to enhance the quality of our business keeps me motivated and helps us grow.

How has the company evolved over the last couple of years?

Our journey began in 2019 with ambitious goals and a proven European foundation. Syrve had already conquered Eastern Europe and the UK, but the MENA region was unknown territory, with different cultures, business practices, and expectations.

I joined in 2020 as COO, bringing over a decade of experience in restaurant automation from Europe and Asia. Later, becoming CEO meant steering our expansion beyond the UAE into six additional countries, each with unique market dynamics.

Let me share some numbers: a 40% increase in client growth since 2022, expanding from a Dubai startup to a regional leader serving over 1,400 businesses. But numbers only tell part of the story. We’ve evolved from software vendors to strategic partners, introducing best practices and comprehensive training that elevate our clients’ entire operations.

What can we hope to see from Syrve MENA in the future?

We’re approaching 10,000 global clients. Saudi Arabia and Qatar represent massive opportunities, and we’re strategically positioning ourselves to lead restaurant automation across the entire EMEA region.

However, what excites me most is building a connected ecosystem where hospitality businesses share insights, strategies, and success stories. We’re empowering entrepreneurs to create remarkable hospitality experiences.

Industry awards and partnerships with leading F&B brands validate our approach, but client success stories drive our progress.