Saudi Arabia Ecommerce eyewear platform is betting on growing niche markets The global eyewear market was valued at $109 billion in 2016 and is projected to exceed $170 billion by 2022. In the Middle East, a... Rana Freifer • 17 January, 2018 uae ksa eyewa
Regional UAE startups attracted $400 million of VC funding in 2017 2017 witnessed 134 funding deals of 129 startups in 12 countries across the MENA, which brought in around $475 million worth of... Rana Freifer • 14 January, 2018 MENABytes Dubai MENA
Regional Teaching coding to young refugees will generate job opportunities to thousands There are almost 5.5 million registered Syrian refugees in Egypt, Iraq, Jordan and Lebanon, according to figures published by the United... Rana Freifer • 09 January, 2018 Coding teaching ngos
Global The paradigm shift cryptocurrencies brought us [Opinion] It is an uncontested fact that capitalism, from its most unbridled to its shiest versions, is the organizing force of our international... Fares Ghandour • 07 January, 2018 cryptocurrency
Regional What to expect in 2018? More exits, more family businesses, and more from KSA During Wamda’s finale Mix N’ Mentor of the year, we spoke to several participating mentors and experts to gauge their input and... Maya Rahal • 02 January, 2018 Saudi Arabia investments Expectations
Global Why innovation and technology should be a bottom-up approach at the service of communities [Opinion] This article is an extract of the UN-ESCWA report entitled 'Community-based innovation and technology for improved social... Alain Daou • 02 January, 2018 ESCWA Community social development
U.A.E Floral marketplace Floranow closes its first funding round Floranow, the region’s online B2B floral marketplace, successfully raised its first round of financing from Jabbar Internet Group,... Staff writer • 20 December, 2017 Floranow Wamda Capital Jabbar Internet Group
Saudi Arabia ArabNet Riyadh 2017: Vast opportunities arise after Vision 2030 ArabNet Riyadh 2017 wrapped up its sixth edition on December 13. Held under the patronage of the Ministry of Communications and Information... Rana Freifer • 18 December, 2017 Arabnet Riyadh Omar christidis Fadi Ghandour
Bahrain Seedstars reveals why Bahrain might be the next startup hub in the region “Ecosystem, it’s a bit of a cliche, an important one though.” This is how Simon Galpin, managing director at... Rami Deeb • 18 December, 2017 seedstars summit Seedstars Summit
Global The rise of the Arab MOOCs. Will education in the Arab world ever be the same? In the past 10 years alone, tech invaded classrooms and played a crucial role in disrupting the way knowledge is consumed worldwide.... Reine Farhat • 11 December, 2017 EdTech MOOC AI
Lebanon What does Beirut Digital District’s 15-year plan look like? [Wamda TV] Hosting a good number of VCs, accelerators, incubators and startups, Beirut Digital District (BDD), which was launched in 2012, has rapidly... Staff writer • 10 December, 2017 Beirut Digital District bdd
Regional WGES 2017: Why green entrepreneurship needs youth involvement This is the second of two articles about the future of global and regional green economies. In green activism circles, environmentalist... Vanessa Khalil • 07 December, 2017 Green entrepreneurs
U.A.E Marriott Hotels TestBED bootcamp: Startups are on their marks to start real-life testing The Marriott TestBED bootcamp which took place at Marriott Al Jaddaf, Dubai, came to end November 29. Throughout the three-day workshops,... Rana Freifer • 06 December, 2017 Marriott TestBED MEA bootcamp startups
Egypt RiseUp reveals ecosystem maturity and readiness for larger capital Last weekend’s RiseUp Summit in Cairo was ‘massive’. The old campus at The American University of Cairo hosted local and... Reine Farhat • 05 December, 2017 RiseUp 2017 RiseUp Summit Mentorship
Regional Why hotels need startups more than ever With upcoming mega events like Expo 2020, Dubai is set to double the number of its hotels. Hospitality Management Holdings, a... Reine Farhat • 30 November, 2017 Marriott TestBed Hotels
Lebanon Customization is king in today’s perfect world In today’s world, the term ‘perfection’ is being replaced by ‘customization’. If a product isn’t... Reine Farhat • 29 November, 2017 3D manufacturing GENERICS