Saygin Yalcin: Entrepreneur Behind SellAnyCar

Introduction

Saygin Yalcin is a German entrepreneur based in Dubai who is best known as the founder and CEO of SellAnyCar.com. He has worked in e-commerce, automotive technology, digital marketplaces, and business investment across the Middle East.

Before building SellAnyCar, he founded Sukar.com, an online private shopping business that later became part of the Souq.com ecosystem. His career has since expanded into automotive platforms, entrepreneurship content, investment, and corporate leadership.

As of 2026, his strongest publicly documented business role remains his position as Founder and CEO of SellAnyCar.com. He also joined the board of directors and management committee of iMENA Holding following its 2025 funding and restructuring announcement.

For readers interested in companies, entrepreneurs, and commercial developments across the Emirates, AE Businesses also covers business-related information from the UAE.

Saygin Yalcin Quick Facts

Fact	Details
Full Name	Saygin Yalcin
Birthplace	Bremen, Germany
Nationality	German
Profession	Entrepreneur and business executive
Business Base	Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Known For	Founding SellAnyCar.com and Sukar.com
Current Main Role	Founder and CEO of SellAnyCar.com
Education	Studied at WHU, USC, and ITAM
Languages	German, English, Spanish, and Turkish
Other Business Role	Board and management committee member at iMENA Holding

Who Is Saygin Yalcin?

Saygin Yalcin is a technology entrepreneur whose career is closely connected with the growth of online businesses in the Middle East.

He first became widely known through Sukar.com, an online shopping platform launched during the early development of regional e-commerce. He later entered the automotive industry by creating SellAnyCar.com.

The platform was designed to simplify the process of selling a used vehicle. Instead of owners spending long periods searching for buyers, the company created a system where vehicles could be evaluated and purchased through a more structured process.

Over time, his work expanded beyond one company. He became involved with other automotive businesses, entrepreneurship programmes, investment activity, and regional technology companies.

Early Life and Education

Yalcin was born in Bremen, Germany.

His official professional information states that he studied business at several institutions in different countries. These included WHU in Germany, the University of Southern California in the United States, and ITAM in Mexico.

He has also stated that he earned an international master’s degree in business administration and economics.

Studying across several countries gave him experience with different markets and business environments before he developed his major companies in Dubai.

According to his official professional background, he speaks four languages:

• German
• English
• Spanish
• Turkish

His international education later became relevant to a career that crossed European and Middle Eastern markets.

Career Before SellAnyCar

Before becoming a full-time technology founder, Yalcin gained professional experience with large international companies.

His publicly documented career includes work connected with:

• BMW Group
• L’Oréal
• Capgemini Consulting

These roles gave him exposure to established corporate organisations before he moved more deeply into entrepreneurship.

He also created an earlier luxury-goods business called Joe Suis. His official profile states that the company was later acquired by Russian shopping company KupiVIP.ru.

However, his biggest early breakthrough in the Middle East came through Sukar.

Founding Sukar.com

Yalcin founded Sukar.com in 2009.

The business operated as an online private shopping club focused on customers in the Middle East. At the time, regional online shopping was still developing, so Sukar became part of an important period in the growth of Gulf e-commerce.

The company offered products through an internet-based shopping model instead of depending only on traditional stores.

In 2012, Sukar became part of the wider Souq.com business ecosystem.

This is an important detail because the companies should not be confused. Yalcin founded Sukar, while Souq.com was a separate regional e-commerce company.

Amazon later acquired Souq.com, but that later transaction should not be described as Yalcin personally selling Souq to Amazon.

Saygin Yalcin and SellAnyCar.com

The business that became most closely connected with his name is SellAnyCar.com.

He founded the company in Dubai in 2013.

The idea focused on a common problem: selling a used vehicle can involve advertisements, phone calls, price negotiations, inspections, paperwork, and uncertainty about finding a buyer.

SellAnyCar created a different process.

A vehicle owner could begin with an online valuation and then move through an inspection and sale process through the company’s system.

This approach helped place the company within the growing automotive technology market in the UAE.

The platform later expanded its operations and became one of the better-known digital used-car businesses associated with Dubai.

Growth of SellAnyCar

SellAnyCar attracted significant investment as it expanded.

Company information has reported a $35 million funding round, which brought its total funding raised at that stage to around $50 million.

Earlier, in 2015, the company had also explored a much larger fundraising plan connected with international expansion.

Reports at the time discussed a possible $1 billion valuation during those fundraising efforts. However, that figure represented a valuation being sought rather than proof that the company had officially reached a $1 billion valuation.

This difference matters because fundraising targets and completed company valuations are not always the same thing.

Expansion Into Saudi Arabia

SellAnyCar also expanded beyond the UAE.

Its regional development included Saudi Arabia, where related operations appeared under the Kayishha brand.

Saudi Arabia is one of the largest automotive markets in the Gulf, so expansion there gave the business access to another major customer base.

The move also showed how the company’s model could be used outside its original Dubai market.

Carnab.com

Yalcin has also held a leadership role at Carnab.com.

Carnab operates in the automotive sector and has been connected with SellAnyCar’s wider regional growth strategy.

Corporate material from iMENA has identified him as CEO of Carnab as well as SellAnyCar.

In 2021, a $122 million regional expansion plan involving SellAnyCar and Carnab was announced.

Importantly, this amount referred to a company expansion plan. It should not be confused with Yalcin’s personal money or personal wealth.

Startup Hero and Entrepreneurship Content

His public career is not limited to running companies.

He also created Startup Hero, a YouTube-based entrepreneurship programme.

The concept allowed people with business ideas to present their plans and receive advice, exposure, and possible investment opportunities.

The programme attracted strong interest. Reporting around its early launch stated that thousands of people applied to participate.

Through Startup Hero and other online content, Yalcin became known to an audience interested in startups, business building, investment, and entrepreneurship.

Business Recognition

His work has also received recognition from established regional publications and organisations.

In 2015, Gulf Business included him among its Top 10 Entrepreneurs in the Middle East.

In 2018, he received recognition in the technology services category at the Khaleej Times Emerging Leader Awards.

These honours reflected his growing public position within the Middle East’s technology and entrepreneurship sector.

Saygin Yalcin as an Author

Yalcin later expanded into publishing.

In 2023, German publisher FinanzBuch Verlag released his business book:

Meine Kinder werden reich geboren: Das werde ich ihnen beibringen

The book focuses on business and financial thinking.

Publishing gave him another platform for discussing entrepreneurship beyond his companies and social-media content.

Television and Public Media

His business journey has also appeared in German television programming.

ARD and Bayerischer Rundfunk have carried a documentary programme about his career called Saygin Yalcin · Superreich mit Online-Shops.

This media coverage helped introduce his work to audiences outside the Middle East.

He has also appeared in interviews and business discussions connected with entrepreneurship and digital companies.

iMENA Holding Role

One of the most important recent developments in his career came in 2025.

iMENA announced a $135 million pre-IPO capital raise involving investors including Yalcin, Sanabil Investments, FJ Labs, and other investors.

Following the transaction, he joined the company’s board of directors and management committee.

This moved his public business role beyond managing his own companies and into the leadership structure of a wider regional technology group.

iMENA has interests in several digital businesses across the Middle East, including automotive, marketplace, and technology platforms.

The $135 million amount refers to the overall investment round involving multiple participants. It should not be described as a $135 million personal investment made only by Yalcin.

What Is Saygin Yalcin Doing Now?

As of 2026, the latest reliable business information continues to connect Yalcin with SellAnyCar.com as its founder and CEO.

His recent work also includes his leadership involvement with iMENA Holding.

Therefore, the clearest description of his current professional position is that he remains a Dubai-based entrepreneur working across automotive technology, digital businesses, corporate investment, and regional technology leadership.

Why Is Saygin Yalcin Famous?

He is mainly known for three important parts of his career.

First, he helped build Sukar.com, an early Middle Eastern online shopping business.

Second, he created SellAnyCar.com, which became his best-known company and established his name in the automotive technology sector.

Third, he developed a wider public presence through startup programmes, business content, investment activity, publishing, and corporate leadership.

Together, these projects made him a recognisable entrepreneur within Dubai’s technology and digital-business community.

Verified Interesting Facts

He studied in three countries

His education included institutions in Germany, the United States, and Mexico.

SellAnyCar was not his first company

Before entering automotive technology, he had already built businesses including Joe Suis and Sukar.

His career connects e-commerce and automotive technology

He moved from online fashion and shopping businesses into digital vehicle sales.

He speaks several languages

His official profile lists German, English, Spanish, and Turkish.

He became a published author

His German-language business book was released in 2023.

His role expanded in 2025

Joining iMENA Holding’s board and management committee gave him a broader role in regional technology investment and governance.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is Saygin Yalcin?

Saygin Yalcin is a German entrepreneur based in Dubai. He is best known as the founder and CEO of SellAnyCar.com and as the founder of Sukar.com.

What company did Saygin Yalcin found?

His best-known current company is SellAnyCar.com, which he founded in Dubai in 2013. He had previously founded Sukar.com.

Where is Saygin Yalcin from?

He was born in Bremen, Germany.

Where does he work?

His business career is mainly based in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

What is SellAnyCar?

SellAnyCar is a digital automotive platform designed to make selling used vehicles easier through online valuation, inspection, and purchasing services.

Did Saygin Yalcin found Souq.com?

No. He founded Sukar.com. Sukar later became part of the Souq.com ecosystem.

Is Saygin Yalcin involved with iMENA?

Yes. In 2025, he joined iMENA Holding’s board of directors and management committee following a major investment and restructuring announcement.

What did Saygin Yalcin study?

His official professional information says he studied business at WHU, USC, and ITAM and holds an international master’s degree in business administration and economics.

Final Thoughts

Saygin Yalcin built his career by creating and developing internet businesses across different industries.

His early work in online shopping led to Sukar.com, while his later move into automotive technology produced SellAnyCar.com. He has since expanded into investment, business media, publishing, and corporate leadership.

Today, his strongest verified public identity remains that of a Dubai-based German entrepreneur and the founder and CEO of SellAnyCar.com, with additional involvement in the leadership of iMENA Holding.