Omar Hagrass: The Visionary Disrupting the Logistics Industry in the Middle East
In the evolving landscape of entrepreneurship in the Middle East, a new generation of leaders is emerging — innovative, fearless, and determined to solve long-standing inefficiencies through technology. One such name that has rapidly risen to prominence is Omar Hagrass, the co-founder and CEO of Trella, a Cairo-based digital freight marketplace that has transformed the logistics and transportation industry across the MENA region and beyond.
Omar’s journey from a young Egyptian engineer to one of the region’s most promising startup founders is a story of vision, resilience, and strategic brilliance.
Early Life and Education
Omar Hagrass was born and raised in Cairo, Egypt, a city known for its entrepreneurial energy and vibrant culture. Growing up in a country that sits at the crossroads of Africa, the Middle East, and Europe, Omar was exposed to both the challenges and opportunities that characterize emerging markets.
He pursued a Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering at The American University in Cairo (AUC) — one of the most prestigious institutions in the region. During his time at university, Omar developed a strong foundation in problem-solving, systems thinking, and data-driven decision-making. These skills would later become the bedrock of his entrepreneurial journey.
While still a student, Omar was fascinated by how technology could be used to bridge gaps in traditional industries such as transportation, energy, and infrastructure. His curiosity about innovation and efficiency led him to study global startups and disruptive business models like Uber, Amazon, and Tesla.
Early Career and Professional Growth
After completing his studies, Omar began his professional journey at Procter & Gamble (P&G), a global consumer goods giant known for its focus on operational excellence and leadership development. Working in such a structured, fast-paced environment gave him valuable exposure to supply chain management and logistics — fields that would later define his entrepreneurial path.
At P&G, Omar held roles that required both analytical rigor and strategic execution. He gained insights into how large-scale supply chains operated — and, just as importantly, where they often failed. He observed the inefficiencies in the movement of goods, the lack of visibility in logistics, and the heavy reliance on outdated systems.
This experience planted the first seeds of what would later become Trella — a digital solution to modernize and optimize freight logistics.
The Birth of Trella
In 2019, Omar joined forces with three like-minded entrepreneurs — Pierre Saad, Ahmed ElFangary, and Lo’ai Medawar — to found Trella. Their shared vision was to build a digital freight marketplace that connects shippers (companies that need to move goods) directly with carriers (truck drivers and fleet owners).
The idea was simple but powerful: use technology to bring transparency, efficiency, and trust to one of the most fragmented industries in the region.
Before Trella, the logistics and trucking market in Egypt — and across the Middle East — was largely informal. It was dominated by manual processes, middlemen, and inefficient communication between shippers and carriers. The result was higher costs, wasted fuel, empty truck journeys, and unpredictable delivery times.
Trella’s platform changed that. By leveraging data analytics and real-time tracking, it created a two-sided digital marketplace that allowed shippers to book reliable carriers while helping drivers find consistent, fairly priced work.
Rapid Growth and Expansion
Trella quickly attracted attention for its innovative approach. Within its first year, the company raised seed funding from Raed Ventures, Global Founders Capital, and Endure Capital. It also gained support from Y Combinator, one of the world’s most prestigious startup accelerators, which helped Trella refine its model and prepare for regional expansion.
By 2020, Trella was operating not only in Egypt but also in Saudi Arabia and Pakistan — two of the largest logistics markets in the region. The company’s platform began facilitating millions of shipments annually, connecting major corporate clients like Coca-Cola, Maersk, Nestlé, and Unilever with tens of thousands of truck drivers.
Under Omar’s leadership, Trella became known for its focus on technology and scalability. The platform used advanced algorithms to optimize routes, reduce empty miles, and ensure better asset utilization — improving both environmental sustainability and driver income.
Leadership and Vision
Omar Hagrass is widely recognized for his strategic mindset and leadership style, which combine corporate discipline with startup agility. He believes in empowering teams, experimenting with data-driven ideas, and maintaining a customer-first mindset.
In interviews, Omar often highlights that Trella is not just a logistics company but a technology company solving logistics problems. This perspective has allowed Trella to stay ahead of competitors by continuously innovating in areas like:
- Predictive analytics for freight demand forecasting
- Digital payments and credit solutions for drivers
- Machine learning algorithms for route optimization
- Telematics and IoT integration for real-time visibility
By focusing on these technologies, Trella has positioned itself as the leading freight tech startup in the Middle East and North Africa.
Challenges and Resilience
Like all startups, Trella faced its share of challenges — from regulatory hurdles and infrastructure limitations to the economic disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
During the pandemic, supply chains across the region were severely disrupted, exposing vulnerabilities in traditional logistics systems. However, Trella’s digital model turned out to be a critical advantage. It allowed shippers to maintain continuity through contactless transactions and enabled truckers to find steady work even amid restrictions.
Omar’s leadership during this period was marked by agility and empathy. He implemented new safety protocols, introduced digital training for drivers, and adapted operations to the changing market conditions.
Recognition and Impact
Trella’s success has made Omar Hagrass one of the most recognized young entrepreneurs in the Middle East. The company has raised over $40 million in funding from leading global and regional investors, including Maersk Growth, Raed Ventures, and STV (Saudi Technology Ventures).
Trella’s impact extends beyond business metrics. It has:
- Empowered thousands of truck drivers, giving them access to fair pay and financial inclusion.
- Reduced inefficiencies in logistics, cutting costs for businesses and reducing CO₂ emissions.
- Digitized traditional sectors, inspiring a new wave of logistics startups in Africa and Asia.
Omar has been featured in various regional business publications, including Forbes Middle East, Entrepreneur ME, and Arabian Business, which have praised his contribution to innovation and economic modernization.
Personal Philosophy and Entrepreneurial Mindset
Omar Hagrass often emphasizes the importance of resilience, adaptability, and teamwork in entrepreneurship. He believes that building a startup is less about a single breakthrough idea and more about consistent problem-solving and execution excellence.
He also advocates for homegrown innovation, arguing that entrepreneurs in emerging markets are uniquely positioned to understand and solve local problems — from logistics bottlenecks to financial inclusion gaps.
Omar’s leadership philosophy revolves around three key principles:
- Empowerment: Give teams ownership and responsibility.
- Data-driven decisions: Let numbers, not intuition, guide strategy.
- Customer-centricity: Always build products that solve real pain points.
The Future of Trella and Beyond
Looking ahead, Omar envisions Trella as a global player in freight technology, with expansion plans across Africa, South Asia, and potentially Latin America. The company aims to continue improving driver livelihoods, supply chain visibility, and sustainability.
Trella’s model has already proven scalable and adaptable — and under Omar’s direction, it may soon become one of the region’s first logistics unicorns.
Conclusion
Omar Hagrass represents the new face of entrepreneurship in the Middle East — dynamic, tech-savvy, and purpose-driven. Through Trella, he has not only built a successful business but also addressed a real economic need, empowering thousands of workers and modernizing a critical industry.
His journey from a mechanical engineer at P&G to the CEO of a leading logistics startup embodies the transformation of the Middle East itself — from traditional markets to digital ecosystems powered by innovation.
With his vision, leadership, and relentless pursuit of efficiency, Omar Hagrass is shaping the future of logistics in the region — one truck, one shipment, and one data point at a time.
Published: 28th November 2025
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