Mohammed Khashoggi, born on September 20, 1988, began his career with a passion for architecture. But during his university years, he realized that entrepreneurship was where his heart truly belonged. That realization sparked a career shift that led him from real estate advisory to hospitality and eventually into technology — the space where he found his true calling.
“I realized my true passion lay in entrepreneurship and business,” he recalls. That passion led him to explore industries that blended innovation with community impact. Eventually, this journey brought him to mobility tech and the creation of Ejaro, Saudi Arabia’s first licensed peer-to-peer car-sharing platform.
The Birth of Ejaro: Turning Idle Cars Into Income
The idea for Ejaro came when Khashoggi noticed something many overlook. Across cities, thousands of cars sat unused while many people struggled to find affordable rentals. This inefficiency inspired him to develop a smart solution using technology and community-sharing principles.
Ejaro launched with a simple but powerful goal: to give people the ability to rent vehicles from each other easily, safely, and affordably. By doing so, Khashoggi saw an opportunity to unlock dormant assets and create new income streams for everyday individuals. “I was inspired to solve this inefficiency through tech — combining my love for community, mobility, and scalable solutions,” he explains.
Ejaro’s Big Milestone: A First in Saudi Arabia
Ejaro quickly made history. It became the first licensed peer-to-peer car-sharing platform in Saudi Arabia. This wasn’t just a personal achievement for Khashoggi. It was proof that innovative, tech-driven solutions could thrive in regulated environments when paired with the right vision and determination.
Securing regulatory approval was a major breakthrough. It allowed Ejaro to integrate with national systems like Absher and Yakeen, helping ensure user identity verification and security. Ejaro also partnered with Tawuniya and Najm to offer tailored, usage-based insurance for car-sharing. This significantly boosted trust among users and regulators alike.
Overcoming Challenges: Education and Trust
Like any startup, Ejaro faced early hurdles. The biggest challenges were gaining trust and navigating regulations in a market unfamiliar with the peer-to-peer model.
“Educating users and authorities was key,” Khashoggi says. Through clear communication, partnerships, and a strong focus on safety and transparency, the team turned skepticism into confidence.
His ability to lead through uncertain territory, while staying focused on progress over perfection, helped Ejaro build a reputation for reliability and innovation.
Scaling Up: A Vision for the GCC
Today, Khashoggi is focused on scaling Ejaro across the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region. His goals include enhancing host engagement, integrating artificial intelligence into operations, and expanding the company’s reach to new cities and countries.
“Our services provide the ease and convenience of locating the nearest vehicles at competitive prices,” the platform states. With that value proposition, Ejaro has already gained thousands of users and created economic opportunities for hosts across Saudi Arabia.
In January 2024, Ejaro secured 12 million SAR (around 3.28 million USD) in a pre-Series A funding round. The investment was led by Tawuniya and supported by other strategic backers. This funding is now helping power Ejaro’s expansion plans and technology upgrades.
Results That Speak for Themselves
Ejaro’s impact is clear. Since its launch:
- The platform has completed over 25,000 rental days.
- Hosts have earned more than 2.5 million SAR by renting out their cars.
- Ejaro’s app and website now support fast booking, identity checks, insurance, and payment, all in one place.
These numbers show that car-sharing is more than a trend. It’s a new way to think about ownership, access, and income generation.
Lessons From the Journey
Khashoggi shares one of the biggest lessons he has learned: resilience is more important than perfection. “Startups rarely follow a straight path,” he says. “Adapting quickly and staying committed has shaped how I lead.”
He also emphasizes the power of strong relationships. “Focus on building strong relationships — they’ll open more doors than any pitch deck ever could.”
These principles have guided not just the growth of Ejaro, but also how Khashoggi leads his team and interacts with the larger mobility and startup community.
Redefining Ownership in the Region
Khashoggi is on a mission to redefine how people view mobility and ownership. Rather than seeing cars as private assets that stay idle, he envisions a future where sharing vehicles becomes a normal, efficient, and sustainable option.
He believes in technology’s ability to transform industries, but even more, he believes in empowering individuals. With Ejaro, users can turn their cars into income-generating tools, while renters gain affordable and flexible mobility options.
His dream is to create a region where access is more important than ownership, and where communities can benefit financially and socially from smart technology.
A Message to His Younger Self
Looking back, Khashoggi says he would tell his younger self to be patient and trust the process. “Don’t be afraid to fail,” he adds. “Every setback is a setup for growth.”
That mindset has helped him turn a simple idea into a platform that is making real change in Saudi Arabia and beyond.
Final Thoughts
Mohammed Khashoggi’s journey from architecture student to tech founder shows the power of following your passion, solving real problems, and staying committed to your vision. Through Ejaro, he is not only disrupting how people rent and share vehicles, but also creating new opportunities for individuals across the region.
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