Weekly Wrap-Up: October 03-07
Announcing Mix N' Mentor Jeddah on December 5!
This December, we'll be bringing Mix N' Mentor to Jeddah for the very first time - so get ready to discuss challenges, find solutions, and network with some of the regions' most experienced entrepreneurs and mentors.
Upcoming Events
- 11 Nov - ICT4ALL 2013 - Tunisia
- 11 Nov - AMIDEAST Arab Women's Entrepreneurship Project in Lebanon and Morocco
- 12 Nov - e-Innovate Day in Dubai
- 05 Nov - Middle East Start-up Forum in Dubai
Be sure to check wamda.com/events, or follow @WamdaME on Twitter to stay up to date on the region's top upcoming events!
Articles you Might have Missed
How one Jordanian entrepreneur failed, then built a better company: the story of YalaValet
In 2012, Hani Saleh quit his job to launch a startup he thought would have regional appeal- but a year later, his project was shut down. Not one to give up, Hani went on to build a web and mobile car request management system. Here's the story of YalaValet, and its predecessor GateXpress.
Wamda Chairman Fadi Ghandour receives award at World Entrepreneurship Forum
This week, we were especially proud to report on Wamda Chairman Fadi Ghandour being honored with the Business Entrepreneur for the World Award for 2013, at this year's World Entrepreneurship Forum in Singapore. Check out his keynote address.
Egypt's most famous female carpenter is breaking the mold to build a global brand
Maha Shoukry is not your typical entrepreneur; having lived in Pakistan, Geneva, Rome, Singapore, the Philippines, Spain, and now Egypt,Shoukra acknowledges that her travels have fine-tuned her taste, but not tamed her passion for carpentry. Read about her journey towards becoming a female pioneer in Egypt.
Gaming in the Arab world: an overview of game types, models, and revenues
The gaming market in the Middle East is a billion dollar market- so why aren't regional developers making more? To understand what gaming companies are building, we crunched the numbers on their business models, game types, and revenue streams.
Whatsapp goes down worldwide; can it stay on top in mobile messaging?
Last Sunday, we reported Whatsapp being down for about an hour. Now with a number of solid competitors trailing not far behind, here's what Whatsapp needs to think of for it to stay ahead.
A recent study by Silicon Valley-based VC Cowboy Ventures found that only around 0.07% of companies founded today hit the billion mark. Here's a look at these 'unicorns', and what it takes to build one.
MarkaVIP launches new platform, mobile apps, hints at new verticals to come
Leading regional flash sales site MarkaVIP has recently announced its new branding, the launch of mobile applications, and a completely new recommendation algorithm. But these are not the only changes to take note of; here's what new about the startup's internal culture, the verticals it's looking to add, and a possible full sale segment.
5 trends driving VC investment in the Arab world [Report]
Is VC investment on the rise in the Middle East and North Africa? According to the latest MENA PEA report, the number of VC transactions is on the rise since 2011. These 7 graphs will help you understand the current investment trends in the Arab region.
Online sports community Duplays launches new software platform, enters non-expat markets
Since its launch, Duplays has evolved from online portal to software platform, now venturing into 5 different locations via a franchise model. What will the team have to focus on in order to overcome the hurdles of franchising, and how is it expanding its focus to include non-expat markets? Find out in this post.