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Tapping into the potential of Palestinian youth
Mar 12, 2025

Tapping into the potential of Palestinian youth

TAPโ€™s transformation from manual job placement to AI-driven talent acceleration, how it's sustaining financial viability without compromising impact, and the realities of scaling a company in the face of relentless adversity.

Jamie Lane, +1
๐Ÿ—ž๏ธ Weekly round-up๐Ÿ—ž๏ธ Weekly round-up
MENA quick commerce is heating up
Mar 07, 2025

MENA quick commerce is heating up

Talabat acquires InstaShop, Ninja targets $1BN+ pre-IPO valuation, and Saudi BNPL Tamara receives SAMA license for consumer finance, plus this weekโ€™s MENA startup, VC, and tech news round-up.

Jamie Lane, +1
๐Ÿ“ฐ News๐Ÿ“ฐ News
BNPL Tamara receives SAMA license for consumer finance
Mar 06, 2025

BNPL Tamara receives SAMA license for consumer finance

This approval makes Tamara one of 65 licensed finance companies in Saudi Arabia, enabling it to serve a broader customer base and diversify its financial products.

Jamie Lane
๐Ÿ“ฐ News๐Ÿ“ฐ News
Saudi-Based Ninja Eyes $1B+ Valuation in New Funding Round
Mar 06, 2025

Saudi-Based Ninja Eyes $1B+ Valuation in New Funding Round

The quick commerce platform, which operates in Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar, and Kuwait, is aiming for an IPO by 2027.

Jamie Lane
๐Ÿ“ฐ News๐Ÿ“ฐ News
๐Ÿ›’ UAEโ€™s Talabat acquires instashop from Delivery Hero for $32 million
Mar 06, 2025

๐Ÿ›’ UAEโ€™s Talabat acquires instashop from Delivery Hero for $32 million

Effective February 25, 2025, InstaShop will be consolidated into talabatโ€™s financial accounts while continuing as an independent brand within talabatโ€™s grocery and retail vertical.

Jamie Lane
๐ŸŽ™๏ธ Interview๐ŸŽ™๏ธ Interview
+1+1
Building the iTunes for spare parts
Mar 05, 2025

Building the iTunes for spare parts

Why the next industrial revolution will be local, breaking โ€˜pilot purgatoryโ€™ in deeptech sales, and the biggest misconceptions about additive manufacturing.

Jamie Lane, +1
๐ŸŽง Podcast๐ŸŽง Podcast
VC React Podcast (Episode #27)
Mar 02, 2025

VC React Podcast (Episode #27)

Big funding rounds, a major acquisition, and cake.

Jamie Lane
๐Ÿ—ž๏ธ Weekly round-up๐Ÿ—ž๏ธ Weekly round-up
5 VCs to set up MENA hubs in Doha
Feb 28, 2025

5 VCs to set up MENA hubs in Doha

Dubai-based Flow48 secures $69M, Seez acquired for $46.2 million, Disrupt.com to invest $100m to fuel AI-first startups, plus this weekโ€™s MENA startup, VC, and tech news round-up.

Jamie Lane, +1
๐Ÿ“ฐ News๐Ÿ“ฐ News
UKโ€™s Pinewood.AI acquires Dubai-based autotech AI Seez for $46.2 million
Feb 27, 2025

UKโ€™s Pinewood.AI acquires Dubai-based autotech AI Seez for $46.2 million

Founded in 2016 by Tarik and Andrew Karabit, Seez initially launched as a โ€œShazam for cars,โ€ attracting almost three million users before shifting to an automotive marketplace model.

Jamie Lane
๐Ÿ” Deep-dives๐Ÿ” Deep-dives
+1+1
๐ŸŽฏ How Tabby bootstrapped customer acquisition
Feb 26, 2025

๐ŸŽฏ How Tabby bootstrapped customer acquisition

Analysing how MENA's most valuable fintech company embedded itself into hearts, minds, and checkouts.

Jamie Lane, +1
๐ŸŽง Podcast๐ŸŽง Podcast
VC React Podcast (Episode #26)
Feb 23, 2025

VC React Podcast (Episode #26)

A rare surge of startup acquisitions sweeps MENA, and with Qatar attracting major VCs like Human Capital, Utopia, and Builders VC, we debated whether Doha is emerging as a deeptech hub and how its startup ecosystem strategy stacks up against Saudi and the UAE.

Jamie Lane
๐Ÿ—ž๏ธ Weekly round-up๐Ÿ—ž๏ธ Weekly round-up
Qatar's $1BN fund draws global VCs
Feb 21, 2025

Qatar's $1BN fund draws global VCs

Saudi VC hits first close of $30 million debut early-stage fund, Dubizzle continues pre-IPO acquisitions, Nice One surpasses $2 billion market cap, plus this weekโ€™s MENA startup, VC, and tech news round-up.

Jamie Lane, +1
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