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VC React Podcast

VC React Podcast

By: Ahmad Takatkah (VCpreneur)
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 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! Host: Ahmad Takatkah, VCpreneur Sign up to VCpreneur Newsletter on https://www.vcpreneur.com/ Co-Host: Jamie Lane, FWDstart Sign up to FWDstart Newsletter on https://www.fwdstart.me/ #startups #vc #tech #ai #investments #founders #entrepreneurship #venturecapital #venturedebt #privatecredit #finance #business #ipo #acquisitions #revenuebasedfinancing #fintech #web3Ahmad Takatkah (VCpreneur) Economics Personal Finance
Episodes
  • VC React MENA E48: Robinhood Comes To MENA & Compete With Local Copies, Bulk Funding In Game Studios

    VC React MENA E48: Robinhood Comes To MENA & Compete With Local Copies, Bulk Funding In Game Studios
    Aug 25 2025
    VC React Podcast:Every week, we bring you insights and reactions from top VCs, LPs, & Angel Investors, reacting to the latest news on MENA startups, funds, and investment rounds. ---Hosts: Ahmad Takatkah, VCpreneur. Sign up to VCpreneur Newsletter on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.vcpreneur.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Jamie Lane, FWDstart. Sign up to FWDstart Newsletter on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://archives.fwdstart.me/ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠---Available on:Youtube:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@VCReactPodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Spotify:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/vc-react-podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Apple:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/vc-react-podcast/id1764834384⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠---Guests:1. Fahad Alfaez, Investment Manager @ Jahez- LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/fahad-alfaez-830281166/- VC Firm Website: https://jahezgroup.com/2. Hussein Attar, CEO @ Tech Invest Com - LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/husseinattar/- VC Firm Website: https://techinvestcom.com/---#startups #vc #tech #ai #investments #entrepreneurship #venturecapital #venturedebt #business #ipo #acquisitions #fintech #edtech #accelerator #web3 #crypto #blockchain #defi ---Sponsors: 💸This week’s episode is brought to you by:- OCTA – the AI-powered accounts receivable platform trusted by 100+ companies like Careem, Lean Technologies, and ZenHR to automate collections, resolve disputes, and unlock financing with zero hassle. Visit: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.weareocta.com/fwdstart ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠to get your first 6 months free.---News of the week brought to you by FWDstart.This Week On The VC React Podcast:🔁 Robinhood is expanding to Dubai. Big U.S. and European unicorns like Binance, Shopify, Stripe, Revolut, and now Robinhood are entering the GCC directly. Is this a sign that MENA is seen as an attractive emerging market? And does this mean local startups are forced to compete on a global level now?🧠 If the old MENA-VC playbook was: copy and hope to get acquired… what happens when the copied ones just … walk into your market? What does that mean for the local copies? How are founders and investors reacting to this?🎮 While the world is chasing AI, MENA is doubling down on gaming — with funding rounds coming in bulk: 17 game studios from Merak’s accelerator, and 5 more from Impact46 — what’s really happening here?💸 Can just one or two funds create a whole industry? Is Merak’s full-stack capital model … the future of building regional categories from scratch?📚 With all this funding, should local game developers lead with local stories and globalize later, or go global-first and localize later?💬 Finally, how can VC firms better communicate their brand and investment thesis to attract founders and LPs. ---(أحمد طقاطقه)---
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    46 mins
  • VC React Podcast (E47): Series B Gap? No More ARR, Expense Management or Banks! MENA LP Secondaries

    VC React Podcast (E47): Series B Gap? No More ARR, Expense Management or Banks! MENA LP Secondaries
    Aug 11 2025
    VC React Podcast:Every week, we bring you insights and reactions from top VCs, LPs, & Angel Investors, reacting to the latest news on MENA startups, VCs, and investment rounds. ---Hosts: Ahmad Takatkah, VCpreneur. Sign up to VCpreneur Newsletter on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.vcpreneur.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Jamie Lane, FWDstart. Sign up to FWDstart Newsletter on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://archives.fwdstart.me/ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠---Available on:Youtube:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@VCReactPodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Spotify:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/vc-react-podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Apple:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/vc-react-podcast/id1764834384⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠---Guests:1. Ali Almajthoob, Partner @ MEVP- LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alialmajthoob/- VC Firm Website: https://www.mevp.com/2. Aly El Shalakany, Venture Partner @ A-typical Ventures- LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aly-el-shalakany-a6aa0b31/- VC Firm Website: https://a-typicalventures.com/---#startups #vc #tech #ai #investments #entrepreneurship #venturecapital #venturedebt #business #ipo #acquisitions #fintech #edtech #accelerator #web3 #crypto #blockchain #defi ---Sponsors: 💸This week’s episode is brought to you by:- OCTA – the AI-powered accounts receivable platform trusted by 100+ companies like Careem, Lean Technologies, and ZenHR to automate collections, resolve disputes, and unlock financing with zero hassle. Visit: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.weareocta.com/fwdstart ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠to get your first 6 months free.---News of the week brought to you by FWDstart.In Today's Episode:- A $48M Series A for Alaan الآن?! Corporate expense management has officially become a red ocean in MENA, with Alaan, Qashio, Pluto, Nqoodlet, and others. Is this going to be a winner-takes-all game, or will there be vertical domination? And can those companies be challenged by Neo corporate banks with similar services like Brex, Mercury and Revolut Business? or will they evolve into banks themselves? - Salasa | سلاسة wants to be the AI-powered logistics backbone of e-commerce in MENA. But is AI really a game-changer in e-commerce fulfillment? How is AI helping here? And How is Salasa eating Aramex’s lunch? - Wuilt ditched the ARR model, went fully free in Egypt, and onboarded 20,000 merchants. Is this genius or desperate? Would this challenge Salla E-Commerce Platform and Zid | زد? Also are we entering a new era where the product is free again with no subscriptions but monetized through fintech instead of advertising?- And finally — آفاق المالية | Afaq Capital just bought an entire VC portfolio, in a landmark secondaries deal. Is this the beginning of a real liquidity market in MENA? Will secondaries outperform primaries? And where are the secondaries dedicated funds in MENA?---(أحمد طقاطقه)---
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    54 mins
  • VC React Podcast (E46): Meta’s $1B Offers, AI In FoodTech, Arabic AI Voice, & Open Banking In UAE

    VC React Podcast (E46): Meta’s $1B Offers, AI In FoodTech, Arabic AI Voice, & Open Banking In UAE
    Aug 3 2025
    VC React Podcast:Every week, we bring you insights and reactions from top VCs, LPs, & Angel Investors, reacting to the latest news on MENA startups, VCs, and investment rounds. ---Hosts: Ahmad Takatkah, VCpreneur. Sign up to VCpreneur Newsletter on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.vcpreneur.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Jamie Lane, FWDstart. Sign up to FWDstart Newsletter on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://archives.fwdstart.me/ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠---Available on:Youtube:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@VCReactPodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Spotify:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/vc-react-podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Apple:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/vc-react-podcast/id1764834384⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠---Guests:1. Mian Manoff, Founding Partner @ CLNM Capital- LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mianfan/- VC Firm Website: https://www.clnm.capital/2. Philipe Moura, Founder & CEO @ Vinci Ventures and Chairman of FDC Angels- LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/philipemoura/- VC Firm Website: https://www.linkedin.com/company/fdcangels/3. Santiago Rojas, managing partner @ Meridian 75 by Cube Ventures and MKF group- LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/santiagorojasmontoya/- VC Firm Website: https://www.cube.ventures/---#startups #vc #tech #ai #investments #entrepreneurship #venturecapital #venturedebt #business #ipo #acquisitions #fintech #edtech #accelerator #web3 #crypto #blockchain #defi ---Sponsors: 💸This week’s episode is brought to you by:- MilkStraw AI — The AI that finds hidden savings in your AWS bills, sometimes up to 75%, freeing up capital for growth, hiring, or building faster. See how much you could save in 60 seconds and how much further your runway can go at MilkStraw.aiWebsite: https://www.milkstraw.ai/ - OCTA – the AI-powered accounts receivable platform trusted by 100+ companies like Careem, Lean Technologies, and ZenHR to automate collections, resolve disputes, and unlock financing with zero hassle. Visit: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.weareocta.com/fwdstart ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠to get your first 6 months free.---News of the week brought to you by FWDstart.In Today's Episode:- Meta Now Tries Poaching From Mira Murati's AI Startup As Zuckerberg’s Hiring Blitz Continues.Summary: According to a Wired report, Zuckerberg and his team have approached more than a dozen people at the barely six-month-old company founded by the former CTO of OpenAI. Quoting unnamed sources, the publication reported that one of those offers was more than $1 billion over a multi-year span. - Calo closes $39M Series B extension, pushing total raise to $64M for global expansion and AI-powered personalisationSummary: Riyadh-headquartered meal subscription startup, Calo, has raised $39 million (SAR 146.27 million) in a Series B extension led by AlJazira Capital, bringing its total Series B funding to $64 million (SAR 240 million). Founded in late 2019 by Ahmed Al Rawiand Moayed Almoayed.- Sawt raises $1M to build Arabic AI voice agents for call center automationSummary: Sawt, a Saudi-based startup building AI-native voice call systems, has raised $1 million (SAR 3.75 million) in a pre-seed round led by STV and T2. The company is developing Arabic-language voice agents for use in customer support, bookings, and sales, targeting an underserved niche in the GCC’s AI infrastructure stack. Founded earlier this year by Abdulmalik Al-Saeed, Khalid Al-Jaraiwi, and Bassem Al-Harbi. - Lean Technologies gains regulatory approval under UAE’s Open Finance FrameworkSummary: Lean Technologies, a financial infrastructure provider serving MENA, has received In-Principle Approval (IPA) from the Central Bank of the UAE under the country’s newly launched Open Finance Framework. Founded in 2019 by Hisham Al-Falih, Ashu Gupta, and Aditya Sarkar.---(أحمد طقاطقه)---
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    1 hr and 3 mins
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