VC React Podcast:

Every week, we bring you insights and reactions from top VCs, reacting to the latest news on MENA startups, VCs, and investment rounds. Stay tuned for: expert analysis, independent opinions, and maybe some heated conversations! Hosts:

Ahmad Takatkah, VCpreneur. Sign up to VCpreneur Newsletter on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.vcpreneur.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Jamie Lane, FWDstart. Sign up to FWDstart Newsletter on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.fwdstart.me/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

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Available on: Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@VCReactPodcast Spotify: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/vc-react-podcast Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/vc-react-podcast/id1764834384 Amazon: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/bdc23d6a-4381-405d-bf59-53560c671c11/vc-react-podcast ---

Guests: 1. Ahmed Al-Thukair, GP @ Stealth mode Deeptech Saudi fund - LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ahmed-al-thukair-b759b599/ - VC Firm Website: https://www.gccangels.com/ 2. Ali Zewail, Venture Partner @ Endure Capital - LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alizewail/ - VC Firm Website: https://endurecap.com/ 3. Hadi Halabi, Co-Founder | CEO @ Stryde - LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hadihalabi/ - Company Website: https://gostryde.com/

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#startups #vc #tech #ai #investments #entrepreneurship #venturecapital #venturedebt #privatecredit #privateequity #finance #business #ipo #acquisitions #limitedpartners #revenuebasedfinancing #fintech #climatechange #edtech #accelerator #cvc #web3 #crypto #blockchain #DeFi ---

News of the week brought to you by FWDstart. In Today's Episode:

- 500 Global launches new early growth-stage MENA fund Summary: 500 Global has announced the launch of a new fund dedicated to investing in early-growth stage startups across the MENA region both from outside and inside the current 500 Global portfolio. 500 MENA, L.P., will be led by Amjad Ahmad, and supported on the investment committee by Courtney Powell. The fund will support startups beyond the seed stage, providing up to $10M per check for Series A and later-stage startups across the region. The Fund is backed by Jada Fund of Funds, a Public Investment Fund (PIF) company, and Saudi Venture Capital Investment Company (SVC), as well as supported by Sanabil Investments. - BioSapien extends its pre-Series A round to $7 million Summary: UAE-based healthtech BioSapien has extended its pre-Series A funding round to $7 million, joined by new investors like Golden Gate Ventures, marking the first deployment of its dedicated MENA Fund. Founded in 2018 by Khatija Ali, BioSapien offers a flagship product, MediChip™, which is a drug delivery, 3D-printed, slow-release delivery platform attachable to any tissue with minimal systemic side effects. - Silkhaus Expands to Saudi Arabia after New Investment Round Summary: UAE-based proptech Silkhaus has closed a seven-figure growth round, led by Nuwa Capital and Oraseya Capital, with participation from Impulse International, Yuj Ventures, Nordstar, and other family offices. Founded in 2021 by Aahan Bhojani, Silkhaus offers a marketplace for short-term rentals across the UAE. The new funding will fuel Silkhaus’s expansion in Saudi Arabia, where it is now open for bookings for guests from around the world. - DeepSeek gets Silicon Valley talking Summary: Since Chinese AI company DeepSeek released an open version of its reasoning model R1 at the beginning of this week, many in the tech industry have been making grand pronouncements about what the company achieved, and what it means for the state of AI. R1 seemingly matches or beats OpenAI’s o1 model on certain AI benchmarks. And the company claims one of its models only cost $5.6 million to train, compared to the hundreds of millions of dollars that leading American companies pay to train theirs. --- (أحمد طقاطقه) ---

VC React Podcast:

Every week, we bring you insights and reactions from top VCs, reacting to the latest news on MENA startups, VCs, and investment rounds. Stay tuned for: expert analysis, independent opinions, and maybe some heated conversations! Hosts:

Ahmad Takatkah, VCpreneur. Sign up to VCpreneur Newsletter on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.vcpreneur.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Jamie Lane, FWDstart. Sign up to FWDstart Newsletter on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.fwdstart.me/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

--- Available on:

• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@VCReactPodcast
• Spotify: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/vc-react-podcast
• Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/vc-react-podcast/id1764834384
• Amazon: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/bdc23d6a-4381-405d-bf59-53560c671c11/vc-react-podcast

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Guests:

1. Ian Arden, Co-founder and GP @ Mempool Ventures - LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ian-arden/ - VC Firm Website: https://www.mempool.ventures/ 2. Latifa BaNasr, Founding Principal @ Sharaka Financial - LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/latifabanasr/ - VC Firm Website: https://sharaka.sa/en/home/ 3. Philip Bahoshy, Founder & CEO @ MAGNiTT - LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/philipbahoshy/ - Company Website: https://magnitt.com/

--- #startups #vc #tech #ai #investments #entrepreneurship #venturecapital #venturedebt #privatecredit #privateequity #finance #business #ipo #acquisitions #limitedpartners #revenuebasedfinancing #fintech #climatechange #edtech #accelerator #cvc #web3 #crypto #blockchain #DeFi ---

News of the week brought to you by FWDstart. In Today's Episode:

- Talabat debut on the Dubai Financial Market (DFM), marking the largest global tech IPO of 2024. Raised AED 7.5 billion ($2.04 billion) in an oversubscribed offering. - Nice One, the Saudi beauty e-commerce platform went public on the Saudi Exchange (Tadawul). Surged 30% on its first trading day. - Calo raised $25 million in an oversubscribed Series B round led by Nuwa Capital, with participation from Khwarizmi Ventures, STV, and regional family offices. - CredibleX secured $55 million in Seed funding to expand its SME lending solutions. - Zension raised $30 million in Series A funding to expand its warranty and buyback services for electronics. - Aliph Fund I ($250M GCC growth fund by Aliph Capital) – Focused on mid-market Saudi and GCC companies with tech enablement strategies. Aliph also acquired a 25% stake in SANIPEX GROUP. - Jadwa Investment’s GCC Private Equity Fund I ($400M blind-pool fund) targeting high-potential private equity across Saudi Arabia and the GCC. - MEVP’s Middle East Venture Fund IV ($150M) anchored by the European Investment Bank, focusing on Seed to Series B startups across the GCC, Levant, and North Africa. - RAED Fund III (target size $150M) by RAED Ventures, targeting early-stage fintech and SaaS startups in MENA. - Global Ventures Fund III ($150M) – Early-stage focus on supply chain, energy, and agri-tech across MENA. - Iliad Partners launched its $50M Tech Ventures Fund I, targeting early-stage B2B fintech, logistics, and proptech startups with a cross-border focus. - Global Web3 early-stage venture asset manager Sigma Capital has launched the $100 million Sigma Capital Fund I dedicated to accelerating the next wave of Web3 innovation in the Middle East and globally. - 100Unicorns, India’s largest early-stage accelerator VC, opened its first international office in Abu Dhabi with a $200M fund. - Sanabil Accelerator by Orbit (backed by PIF-owned Sanabil Investments) launched a 4-month accelerator supporting early-stage Saudi, MENA, and global startups expanding into the region.. --- (أحمد طقاطقه) ---