It's always interesting to look at the business models of startups in Europe and the West to see how they would apply in the Middle East, and what could be learned from them. Find out what you can learn from AppGratis, Tigerlily, and more in this week's posts.

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• 15 April - Bader Business Plan Competition in Egypt
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• 18 April - TIEC 'Start IT' Business Plan Competition
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Articles you Might have Missed 

12 Stats Every Employer in the Middle East Should Know

Do you know what your employees expect from you int he workplace? Bayt.com compiled these 12 stats after polling professionals from across the region. Find out what the key takeaways were. 

Why You're Scared of Public Speaking & How to Overcome It

You've got a great pitch ready, you're sure of your product, but there's just one little detail that is bothering you:  you're absolutely terrified of speaking in public. Here's why you're scared, and how to get rid of this fear for good.

What Makes a Good Mobile User Experience? A Look at Personal Finance App Wally

A lot relies on good user experience. So what does it take to make a really "beautiful", intuitive app? Find out in this post as Wamda contributor George ElKhabbaz reviews Wally, a new personal finance app.

A Tour of Wixel Studios in Lebanon: Launching Survival Race

Ever visited a gaming startup? When we heard that Wixel Studios were about to release their new game, we went for a tour of their studios to learn more. Here's what we saw.

3 Ways That a Tunisian IT Outsourcing Company Survived the Revolution

As outsourcing has become quite popular in North Africa, a large pool of software companies that exclusively serve Europe have seen the day, especially in Tunisia. But how do you weather tough political climate, survive a revolution, and try to leverage the positive outcomes of the Arab Uprising? Find out what Acceleate CEO Walid Boudabbous managed to keep his company ahead.

Apple has Pulled AppGratis from the App Store, but Could Its Model be Replicated in the Arab World?

To some, app discovery platforms and applications are lifesavers. For about 10 million users worldwide, AppGratis was a fantastic way to test other apps for free. But soon after announcing $13.5m in a series A round, AppGratis saw their app pulled from the Apple App store. Find out more about their model, and why it could work for the Arab world in this post.

Can You Marry Profit with Social Impact? Answers from ArabNet Beirut

3BL co-founder and Wamda contributor Leena Al Olaimy recently attended ArabNet Beirut, and spoke on the Social Entrepreneurship panel where panelists were asked how they worked on achieving the 'triple bottom line', effectively marrying profit with social/environmental impact. How are Souktel, Samasource and others effecting such a huge impact on their communities? Find out in this post.

Converting Fans to Customers: How to Create a Successful Social Media Marketing Strategy

Tigerlily is a social media marketing and analytics company based in France, with over 80 brands in their clients base. Co-founder and CEO Matthieu Chéreau was in Beirut recently, here's what he had to say about optimizing social marketing actions and campaigns.

Dubizzle Seeks to Change Culture of Ownership in Egypt

A recent study by YouGov on Internet users across Egypt estimates that there is a potential for 2.2 billion unused items to be sold directly online, therefore increasing liquidity and boosting the economy. How is Dubizzle working on changing the ownership mentality in the Egyptian society in order to make that happen? Find out in this post.

How to Learn Arabic on Your Phone: 10 Mobile Apps that Will Help

How to learn arabic on your phone" width="200" height="109" /></a>If you've just moved to the region to join this great company or to finally launch your startup, learning the basics - if not more - of the Arab language is definitely a must if you're looking to build solid, long-lasting connections. Here are some apps to help you out.