Looking at our most popular articles this week, they all point to one fact: Startups require hard work, but hard work always pays off. Whether you're in it for financial success, or for the experience, you must have some sort of daily motivation that keeps you from giving up. So what keeps you driven and focused on the bigger picture?

Upcoming Events

• 31 August - Call for projects for the Commercialization Tour 2013
• 01 Sept - International Young Screen and Multimedia Entrepreneur Award in the UAE
• 01 Sept - CHANGING Markets Award Competition in Istanbul
• 05 Sept - Meet the Women Entrepreneurs in Beirut

Be sure to check wamda.com/events, or follow @WamdaME on Twitter to stay up to date about more of the regiona's top events! 

Articles you Might have Missed

How do the top technology companies make money? [Infographic]

Ever wondered how the world's major tech companies make money? This infographic by Seer Interactive reveals who is profitable and who isn't. 

9 ways to build a better employee: How two Moroccan startups are playing Frankenstein

What do you do when you can't find the perfect employee for your startup? You create a company culture that promotes loyalty, giving credit whenever it is due, and empowering team members. This is the story of two Moroccan startups.

3 critical ways to boost revenue by making your website SEO-friendly from the beginning

If you're about to launch your business or take it online, this post is definitely for you. LEBSEO founder and Wamda contributor Wissam Dandan explains how to make sure your website follows good SEO principles from day one.

How Namshi is doubling down on operations as it goes from startup to scaleup

This May, Namshi closed their latest round of funding with $13 million raised, totaling over $34 million in investment so far. Find out where they are targeting their resources as they transition from startup to scaleup.

Dubizzle founders step down as Naspers takes a majority stake: What's next

Launched in 2005, Dubizzle stands today as the biggest classified ads site in the UAE and its 7th most popular site. Find out what the company will focus on in order to expand, and why the founders chose to step aside.

How the Arab startup ecosystem grew in 2012 [Videographic]

Last year, the Arab startup ecosystem witnessed several launches, big acquisitions, and a few very interesting funding rounds. Watch this videographic for a great recap.

Crowdsourced tools for startups: a master list

Design director at IDEO and founder of OpenIDEO, Tom Hulme has compiled a master list of all crowdsourced tools a startup would need to scale. Feast your eyes on this list of goodies.

Here's how Google Palestine was hacked; local root server confirms repair

This week, we reported on Palestinian hackers defacing the Google.ps landing page. Here's all you need to know about the latest hack on Google.

Egyptian startup Instabug chosen as a finalist in The Next Web's USA Mobile Rally

This week, we were very happy to report that bug tracking app Instabug made it to the 15 finalists in The Next Web's Mobile Startup Rally, chosen from a list of over a hundred applicants. Find out how they made it into the competition and what they may be up against. 

How comedy is reshaping entertainment in Saudi Arabia

Saudi entertainers and comedians are disrupting the kingdom's entertainment ecosystem. Find out how stand-up comedy went from an underground "happening" to become an industry powered by dedicated production houses in KSA.