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Tipping the scales in favour of restaurants

Tipping the scales in favour of restaurants

Why AI and embedded finance aren't always the answer, getting pricing strategies right in cost-sensitive markets, and why the biggest cost drivers are in the back-of-house.

Jamie Lane
Zoe O Dwyer
Jamie Lane, +1
🔍 Deep-dives🔍 Deep-dives
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A closer look at Saudi’s first e-commerce IPO

A closer look at Saudi’s first e-commerce IPO

Nice One commands a 29% market share of the online beauty e-commerce landscape, but competition from giants is not far behind

Jamie Lane
Zoe O Dwyer
Jamie Lane, +1
🎙️ Interview🎙️ Interview
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Building agentic AI for Arabic dialects

Building agentic AI for Arabic dialects

Why it's so difficult, the benefits of offering LLM flexibility, and how AI is changing the enterprise pricing model.

Jamie Lane
Zoe O Dwyer
Jamie Lane, +1
🎙️ Interview🎙️ Interview
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Growing vegetables in the Saudi desert

Growing vegetables in the Saudi desert

Saudi Arabia’s reliance on food imports for 90% of its fresh produce is a problem. This startup thinks it has the food security solution.

Jamie Lane
Zoe O Dwyer
Jamie Lane, +1
🎙️ Interview🎙️ Interview
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Scaling and exiting MENA's top cloud kitchen

Scaling and exiting MENA's top cloud kitchen

How an $80M Series B led to a strategic acquisition, the realities of navigating an exit, and starting fresh as a second-time founder.

Jamie Lane
Zoe O Dwyer
Jamie Lane, +1
🔍 Deep-dives🔍 Deep-dives
The Future of FWDstart

The Future of FWDstart

Building in public, introducing eight new premium deep-dive formats, and sharing our vision for future coverage and analysis

Jamie Lane
Zoe O Dwyer
Jamie Lane, +1
🔍 Deep-dives🔍 Deep-dives
MENA tech predictions for 2025

MENA tech predictions for 2025

Saudi IPOs, more growth-stage funding from international investors, and AI everywhere – plus insights from four regional VCs.

Jamie Lane
Zoe O Dwyer
Jamie Lane, +1
🔍 Deep-dives🔍 Deep-dives
Can Kitopi deliver on its $1 billion+ valuation?

Can Kitopi deliver on its $1 billion+ valuation?

As it approaches its sixth anniversary, the company sits in an awkward position — too large to be easily acquired, yet facing tepid public markets that are showing little appetite for new listings.

Jamie Lane
Jamie Lane
🔍 Deep-dives🔍 Deep-dives
The repeated reinvention of Kitopi

The repeated reinvention of Kitopi

Kitopi’s journey has been one of relentless iteration. From its origins as a managed cloud kitchen to its transformation into a fully integrated food ecosystem, the company has continually adapted to challenges, market shifts, and consumer demands.

Jamie Lane
Jamie Lane
🔍 Deep-dives🔍 Deep-dives
The GCC's reinvention of restaurants

The GCC's reinvention of restaurants

What makes the region such a fertile ground for food industry disruption, particularly in the realm of cloud kitchens?

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
🔍 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