Wamda

Regional

Venture capital’s most underrated skill: knowing when NOT to invest

An article by Husameddin AlMadani, angel investor and aviator There is a moment before every flight that matters more than takeoff...

oped

Regional

In MENA, the day after the crisis begins today

As we in the GCC navigate yet another political and security crisis, founders, CEOs and investors need a blunt reminder: cash is the only...

oped

U.A.E

Private markets are entering their AI-native era, and FinBursa is here to lead it

For decades, private markets have operated through relationships, networks, and institutional trust. Yet behind the sophistication of...

FinBursa AI

Regional

The strategic role of GCC sovereign funds in rebuilding post-war economies

An article by Majd Zghyer, a Palestine-based economist. During the past two decades, the emergence of sovereign wealth funds (SWFs)...

oped

United States

Insider One moves deeper into enterprise retail with Bluecore acquisition

US-based agentic customer engagement platform, Insider One has acquired Bluecore to accelerate the shift toward autonomous, end-to-end...

Insider One Bluecore

Regional

Founders still building in MENA understand what others miss

An article by Darya Nikulina, Director of Operations & Marketing at Dubai-based travel tech company Visarun Whenever a crisis hits,...

oped

Regional

After March slump, MENA startup funding rebounds to $150 million in April 2026

Investment activity across the Middle East and North Africa showed early signs of recovery in April 2026, with total funding climbing to...

Investment investments

Regional

A new playbook for founders navigating uncertainty in MENA

Uncertainty has returned to the centre of the MENA startup ecosystem, and this time it is not cyclical. It is structural. After a strong...

oped

Palestine

Beyond survival, what Palestine’s resilience means for investors

An article by Majd Zghyer, a Palestine-based economist. When exploring investment opportunities, most investors tend to avoid...

palestine oped

Regional

MENA startup funding slips to $941 million in Q1 2026 amid heightened geopolitical risk

Startup funding in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) fell to $941 million in the first quarter of 2026, marking a 21.5%...

Investment investments

Regional

MENA startup funding falls to $48.3 million in March 2026

Investment activity across the Middle East and North Africa’s startup ecosystem slowed sharply in March 2026, with just 17 startups...

Investment investments

Regional

The Middle East’s butterfly effect on the global economy

For years, the Gulf has quietly become one of the most influential forces shaping the global economy. This influence extends not only to...

oped

Lebanon

As war unfolds, Sofra is turning solidarity into a system that sustains Lebanon

Two weeks into Israel’s escalating assault on Lebanon, more than one million people—nearly a quarter of the...

Sofra lebanon

U.A.E

Buy, license, or build? Why most firms struggle to enter the UAE

An article by Hasnae Taleb, the Managing Partner of Mintiply Capital The question is no longer whether global firms should enter...

oped

Regional

The real cost of undervaluing human capital in the GCC

An article by Natasha Hatherall, the founder and CEO of TishTash Group. Human resources are still too often treated as a support...

oped

Regional

AI capital is flooding the world, with the GCC emerging as the next hub

An article by Alexander Rugaev, the Founder of AR Ventures. Artificial intelligence has rapidly become the primary destination for...

AI GCC oped

Regional

Investment in MENA startups hits $327 million in February 2026

Investment activity across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) startup ecosystem slowed notably in February 2026, as the region...

investments Investment

Regional

The costly marketing assumption MENA founders make

An article by Charral Izhiman, the author of the book "The Marketing Movement" When founders say, “We’ll invest in...

oped Marketing

U.A.E

At Family Office Summit Dubai, governance and AI redefine wealth strategy

As global volatility reshapes capital markets and artificial intelligence redraws competitive advantage, family offices are quietly...

oped family offices

U.A.E

The true price of scaling AI in the UAE

An article by Matt Spriegel, the Founder and CEO of Atiom The United Arab Emirates has spent the past decade positioning itself as...

oped AI

Regional

What short-form videos really mean for founders, brands and media

An article by Reim El Houni, CEO of Ti22 Films The one thing that is absolutely guaranteed in the media industry is change. The...

oped

Regional

AI regulation is taking shape, and companies need to act early

An article by Jadd Elliot Dib, Founder and CEO, PangaeaX Over the past year, governments around the world have begun rolling out...

AI oped

Regional

MENA startups raise $563 million in January 2026

Investment activity across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) startup ecosystem picked up at the start of the year, with 42 MENA-based...

Investment investments

Regional

What winning MENA startups will do differently in 2026

An article by Waseem Afzal, Founder & CEO of FAST Ventures Six months into observing early-stage startups across...

oped

Thought Leadership

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