Wamda

Egypt

Egypt's Winex innovates with health tech

The international health sector is evolving as innovators mix tech solutions with healthcare, but in Egypt the shift to even partially...

Winex MEMakers big data

Regional

Fast Facts II: 12+ new hubs for MENA startups (2015)

Throughout 2015, support for entrepreneurs in the Arab world continued to grow. As Wamda’s review of the year’s...

Wamda Research Lab accelerator CER

Regional

Some considerations on starting a company in MENA [Opinion]

The path to the MENA market is difficult but not impossible. (Image via constructionweekonline) Entrepreneurship is not for everyone,...

billing oped Opinion

Regional

Fast Facts I: $300M+ in MENA startup exits (2015)

As the 2016 Global Entrepreneurship Index noted, MENA countries collectively enjoy a startup ecosystem that is “almost...

exists investments funds

Regional

Top 10 exits of 2015

Exits here, and here, and here. (Image via Wamda) MENA finished the year with a bang when it came to exits, as after ten well-earned deals...

2015 Roundup Roundup

Palestine

This Palestinian startup is using touch technology to help kids affected by autism

Colors, lights, music - the specialized environments of Iris Solutions' sensory rooms helps rehabilitate people who live with stress...

Medical Aid for Palestinians Stress Disorders Post Traumatic Stress Disorder

Lebanon

BDD transitions from dream to startup hub

The green grass of innovation. (Images via BDD) 2015 was a busy year for the Beirut Digital District (BDD). There was...

Nymgo Diwanee Mouhamad Rabah

Regional

MENA's year of money: 10 notable rounds of 2015

A big year for MENA startups. (Image via Wamda) 2015 was a rich one in terms of startup investment rounds. We’ve witnessed two $100 m...

2015 Roundup Deals Roundup

U.A.E

Souq.com sells CashU

Regional ecommerce site Souq.com has sold its online payment arm CashU. In what is known as a ‘management buyout’ the company was pur...

investments Online payments Genero Capital

Global

Then and now: how accelerators have evolved

This article is a crosspot with Nuwait. As Kuwait is welcoming soon one of the top five accelerators in the world, TechStars, we...

crosspost oped data growth

Regional

8 MENA ecommerce predictions for 2016

This is an edited crosspost with LinkedIn. What a year it’s been for ecommerce in the Middle East. Launches of dozens of new startups; the ...

Uberization Mo Ali Yusuf Opinion

Regional

MENA's social media strongholds [Infographic]

Social media has a huge influence on business in the Middle East, be it as a marketing tool or a company platform through which...

google plus snapchat Payfort

Jordan

First Jordan Connect matches startups with big business

Big business meets the smallest: Jordan Connect brought together large corporations with startups. (Images via VentureScout) Discovering a...

Jordan Connect SWIPT The Tank

Kuwait

Technopreneurship Challenge winners work to reduce car accidents in Kuwait

The winners of the Kuwait Global Technopreneurship Challenge. (Image via Ana Tadic) The big questions were being asked at the Kuwait...

Legacy Kuwait Global Technopreneurship Challenge smart car

Jordan

Jordan entrepreneurs have high hopes for ZINC 2016

Keynote Speaker Steve Johnson signing his book "Where good ideas come from: the natural history of innovation". (Images via...

I3zif.com Zain incubator Coding Circle

Maghreb

How the Tunisian government revived its economy [Opinion]

Tunisia in 2025 is quite different from the Tunisia of the Arab spring (Image via Hongkiat) * This is a hypothetical look-back from the...

revival startups economy

Egypt

Egypt's first FiT payout goes to startup Cairo Solar

Hisham Tawfik's FiT cheque from North Cairo Electricity Distribution Company. (Image via Hatem Tawfik) After much skepticism about...

renewables FiT feed in tariff

Regional

What judges look for in pitches

Judging at the Seedstars Beirut event in November in UK Lebanon Tech Hub. (Image via Maysaa Ajjan) We already covered the exciting...

pitches judging Seedstars World

Regional

Yahoo! closes but Maktoob’s legacy continues

This article is a crosspost with The Black Iris. A few days ago, Yahoo!, which bought Jordanian internet startup Maktoob in 2009,...

takeover Maktoob Jordan

Saudi Arabia

Building Saudi Arabia’s entrepreneurial ecosystem, KAUST

A university with plans for the Saudi Arabian knowledge economy. (Image via Globalhighered.wordpress.com) Saudi Arabia has been an...

Beacon I Saudi Arabia KAUST

U.A.E

Baring all: Dubai entrepreneurs talk failure

Organic Press Juice cofounder Daniel Vahanian talks failure with Moti Roti founder Tahir Shah. (Image via Jacqueline Sofia) The...

Organic Press Juice Digital Labs GlamBox

Regional

Capitalizing on ecommerce: lessons from RiseUp

Ecommerce in MENA is a hot industry as it becomes ever easier to launch an online shop, and with speculation growing that it could be the...

Innovety rise up summit zoomal

Kuwait

Why celebrating failure is important for Kuwaiti startups [Video]

Video has Arabic subtitles. This article is a crosspost with Nuwait. In a country that’s considered one of the...

Parth Tewari Nuwait Kuwait National Fund

Global

What I know about networking: Igor Ovcharenko

Igor Ovcharenko organized his first startup networking event in 2012. (Image via Seedstars World) Before his first ever event with...

Matchmaking Seedstars World Igor Ovcharenko

Thought Leadership

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