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Featured Posts

🔍 Deep-dives🔍 Deep-dives
Building a ChatGPT for the Arab World

Building a ChatGPT for the Arab World

Meet the companies and countries that are leading the way

Jamie Lane
Zoe O Dwyer
Jamie Lane, +1
🔍 Deep-dives🔍 Deep-dives
Solving MENA's food waste crisis

Solving MENA's food waste crisis

The region wastes an average of 250 kg of food per person, can these startups change things for the better?

Jamie Lane
Zoe O Dwyer
Jamie Lane, +1
🔍 Deep-dives🔍 Deep-dives
Tackling MENA's mental health

Tackling MENA's mental health

How startups in the region are battling stigma and promoting mental wellness

Jamie Lane
Zoe O Dwyer
Jamie Lane, +1

Past Editions

🗞️ Weekly round-up🗞️ Weekly round-up
Global investors descend on Riyadh

Global investors descend on Riyadh

Wa’ed Ventures earmarks $100 million to invest in AI startups, $300 million fund to back Saudi deeptech, Wasoko-MaxAB valued at $526 million post-merger, and a round-up of this week's MENA startup, VC, and tech news.

Jamie Lane
Zoe O Dwyer
Jamie Lane, +1
🔍 Deep-dives🔍 Deep-dives
FWDstart turns 1

FWDstart turns 1

The highs and lows of the past year, our triumphs and failures, and the lessons learned covering MENA's startup, VC and tech landscape over 82 editions.

Zoe O Dwyer
Jamie Lane
Zoe O Dwyer, +1
🗞️ Weekly round-up🗞️ Weekly round-up
The rise and rise of pay later across MENA

The rise and rise of pay later across MENA

Sawari Ventures announces a new $200 million fund to back Egyptian startups, Dubai proptech Prypco raises $10 million in Seed funding, Saudi’s Mala secures $7 million pre-seed for its procure-now-pay-later platform, and a round-up of this week's MENA startup, VC, and tech news.

Jamie Lane
Zoe O Dwyer
Jamie Lane, +1
🗞️ Weekly round-up🗞️ Weekly round-up
Saudi's new $90 million early stage fund

Saudi's new $90 million early stage fund

Ride-hailing unicorn Bolt enters UAE market, MENAP fintech Abhi secures $15 million debt financing, Egypt's DisrupTech exploring a new $70 million fund, and a round-up of this week's MENA startup, VC, and tech news.

Jamie Lane
Zoe O Dwyer
Jamie Lane, +1
🔍 Deep-dives🔍 Deep-dives
MENA events season begins

MENA events season begins

The tech world descends on Dubai for Expand North Star, GITEX and SuperReturn ME, and an update on our deep-dive on cloud kitchens.

Jamie Lane
Zoe O Dwyer
Jamie Lane, +1
MENA Q3 funding up 400% on last year

MENA Q3 funding up 400% on last year

Saudi rent now, pay later platform closes $14.65 million round, UAE exempts crypto from VAT, and a round-up of this week's MENA startup, VC, and tech news.

Jamie Lane
Zoe O Dwyer
Jamie Lane, +1
🗞️ Weekly round-up🗞️ Weekly round-up
MENA podcasting goes global

MENA podcasting goes global

Founder of Souqalmal named CEO of Revolut UAE, proptech Huspy to expand to Riyadh and a round-up of this week's MENA startup, VC, and tech news.

Jamie Lane
Zoe O Dwyer
Jamie Lane, +1
🔍 Deep-dives🔍 Deep-dives
MENA's streaming battle

MENA's streaming battle

How local platforms like Shahid and StarzPlay are fending off Netflix and other global giants in the battle for eyes on screens

Jamie Lane
Zoe O Dwyer
Jamie Lane, +1
🗞️ Weekly round-up🗞️ Weekly round-up
MENA's new $100M growth debt fund

MENA's new $100M growth debt fund

Palestine’s Ibtikar Fund closes its second fund, MBZ and Biden debate AI, self-driving Ubers to hit Abu Dhabi, and a round-up of this week's MENA startup, VC, and tech news.

Jamie Lane
Zoe O Dwyer
Jamie Lane, +1
🗞️ Weekly round-up🗞️ Weekly round-up
Fintech disruption on the horizon

Fintech disruption on the horizon

Revolut targets UAE and Saudi expansion, Botim launches the region’s first ‘Send Now, Pay Later’, and a round-up of this week's MENA startup, VC, and tech news.

Jamie Lane
Zoe O Dwyer
Jamie Lane, +1
🔍 Deep-dives🔍 Deep-dives
The story of Talabat

The story of Talabat

Ahead of its IPO, we look back at Talabat's remarkable rise from its start in Kuwait in 2004.

Jamie Lane
Zoe O Dwyer
Jamie Lane, +1
🗞️ Weekly round-up🗞️ Weekly round-up
Saudi's big AI push

Saudi's big AI push

FlapKap and Paymob raise big rounds, US closer to green-lighting Nvidia chips for Saudi, and a round-up of this week's MENA startup, VC, and tech news.

Jamie Lane
Zoe O Dwyer
Jamie Lane, +1
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