Ghada Ismail

In Saudi Arabia, where digital adoption is accelerating at record speed and competition across retail, food, fintech, and lifestyle services is intensifying, loyalty is no longer about occasional discounts or plastic cards tucked into a wallet. It is becoming a strategic, data‑driven layer that sits at the heart of how brands engage, retain, and grow their customer base.

Today’s digital loyalty platforms are reshaping the relationship between brands and customers in the Kingdom. Built for mobile-first consumers and powered by real-time data, these platforms move beyond transactional rewards to create ongoing, personalized engagement. From coalition loyalty wallets and restaurant‑focused aggregators to fintech‑embedded cashback systems, Saudi startups are redefining what loyalty looks like in a digitally native economy.

Loyalty in a Cashless, Mobile‑First Economy

Saudi Arabia’s push toward a cashless society under Vision 2030 has created fertile ground for loyalty innovation. As digital payments, e-commerce, and app-based services become part of everyday life, consumers expect seamless experiences across touchpoints, including how they earn and redeem rewards. Loyalty has shifted from being a marketing afterthought to a core product feature, closely tied to payments, data analytics, and customer experience design.

Market research indicates that the Saudi loyalty programs sector is expanding rapidly, driven by increased smartphone penetration, widespread adoption of digital wallets, and rising demand for personalized offers. Brands are recognizing that acquiring new customers is expensive, while retaining existing ones through meaningful engagement delivers far greater long-term value. In this environment, digital loyalty platforms act as connective tissue, linking brands and customers through continuous, value-based interactions.

From Fragmented Programs to Unified Loyalty Ecosystems

One of the long-standing pain points for consumers has been fragmentation. Customers often find themselves juggling multiple loyalty apps, cards, and point systems, many of which offer limited value or cumbersome redemption processes. Saudi startup WalaOne emerged to tackle this problem by introducing a coalition‑based digital loyalty wallet that aggregates rewards from multiple merchants into a single platform.

Rather than forcing users to manage separate programs, WalaOne allows customers to earn and store points from a wide network of participating brands in one place. These points can then be redeemed across different categories, including retail, dining, travel, and services. For consumers, the value lies in simplicity and flexibility. For merchants, the benefit is access to a broader ecosystem that encourages cross‑brand engagement and repeat spending.

What makes this model particularly relevant to Saudi Arabia is its scalability. Small and medium-sized businesses, which often lack the resources to build proprietary loyalty systems, can plug into an existing network and immediately offer competitive rewards. Strategic partnerships with payment infrastructure providers have further strengthened this approach, enabling loyalty features to be embedded directly into checkout and payment flows rather than treated as standalone programs.

Reinventing Restaurant Loyalty Through Aggregation

The food and beverage sector is one of the most competitive in the Saudi market, especially in urban centers such as Riyadh and Jeddah. Despite this, a relatively small percentage of restaurants operate structured loyalty programs, often due to cost, technical complexity, or lack of data insights. This gap has opened the door for startups like Mithu, which is focused on building a unified loyalty platform tailored specifically for restaurants and cafes.

Mithu’s proposition is built around aggregation and engagement. Instead of individual restaurants running isolated programs, customers use a single app to collect rewards across multiple dining venues. The platform incorporates gamification elements and personalized offers, encouraging users to return more frequently and explore new brands within the network.

For restaurant operators, Mithu offers more than just a loyalty tool. It provides access to customer behavior data, enabling businesses to understand visit frequency, spending patterns, and preferences. This insight allows restaurants to design smarter promotions and reward structures that go beyond blanket discounts. In a sector where margins are tight and competition is fierce, data-driven loyalty can become a powerful lever for sustainable growth.

Aviation Loyalty Goes Digital: AlFursan as a National Ecosystem

Beyond retail and fintech, Saudi Arabia’s aviation sector offers one of the most mature examples of how loyalty programs can evolve into full-fledged digital ecosystems. Saudia’s AlFursan loyalty program stands out as a benchmark in the local market, illustrating how loyalty can extend far beyond frequent-flyer miles.

Originally designed to reward air travel, AlFursan has expanded into a multi-partner, lifestyle-driven platform that allows members to earn and redeem miles across a wide network of partners, including hotels, car rental companies, retail brands, banks, and telecom operators. This shift has effectively positioned AlFursan as a coalition loyalty program that connects travel with everyday spending.

Crucially, AlFursan’s digital-first approach reflects changing consumer expectations. Members manage their accounts, track miles, and redeem rewards through digital channels, while partnerships with banks and payment providers enable miles to be earned through card spending rather than flights alone. This integration transforms loyalty from an occasional travel perk into a continuous engagement tool that remains relevant even when customers are not flying.

From a strategic perspective, AlFursan demonstrates how loyalty programs can serve as national-scale engagement platforms. By anchoring the ecosystem around a trusted national carrier, the program reinforces brand affinity while driving value across multiple sectors. For Saudi consumers, this means loyalty that aligns with lifestyle and mobility. For partner brands, it offers access to a highly engaged customer base with strong spending power. For customers, rewards feel effortless, earned automatically as part of daily spending. For merchants, fintech-linked loyalty programs drive higher transaction volumes and repeat visits without requiring separate systems.

This convergence of payments and loyalty is particularly powerful in a market like Saudi Arabia, where regulators and policymakers are actively encouraging digital financial adoption. As fintech platforms collect richer transaction data, they can personalize offers with greater precision, matching rewards to individual spending habits and preferences.

Data, Personalization, and the Experience Economy

At the core of modern loyalty platforms lies data. Saudi consumers are increasingly receptive to personalized experiences, provided they deliver clear value and respect privacy expectations. Digital loyalty platforms analyze transaction histories, visit frequency, and engagement patterns to tailor rewards that feel relevant rather than generic.

This shift reflects a broader move toward the experience economy. Instead of simply offering points or discounts, brands are using loyalty platforms to unlock exclusive access, priority services, and curated experiences. Whether it is early access to product launches, special dining events, or premium customer support, loyalty is becoming a way to deepen emotional connections rather than just incentivize purchases.

Cross‑sector partnerships are also gaining momentum. Coalition programs that link retail, travel, entertainment, and financial services allow loyalty points to travel with customers across different aspects of their lifestyle. This interconnected approach increases the perceived value of rewards and encourages customers to remain within a broader brand ecosystem.

Challenges Facing Digital Loyalty Platforms

Despite strong momentum, digital loyalty platforms in Saudi Arabia face several challenges. Data privacy and cybersecurity remain top priorities, particularly as platforms integrate with payment systems and collect sensitive customer information. Building trust is essential, and platforms must demonstrate transparency in how data is used and protected.

Another challenge lies in differentiation. As more brands adopt digital loyalty tools, customers may experience fatigue if programs fail to offer genuine value. Platforms must continuously innovate, using insights and technology to keep engagement fresh and meaningful. For merchants, aligning loyalty strategies with broader business objectives — rather than treating them as isolated marketing campaigns — is critical to long-term success.

Regulatory compliance also plays a role. As loyalty platforms intersect with fintech, data governance, and consumer protection frameworks, startups must navigate a complex regulatory landscape while scaling their solutions.

Loyalty as Strategic Infrastructure

What is increasingly clear is that loyalty in Saudi Arabia is evolving into strategic infrastructure rather than a tactical add-on. Digital loyalty platforms sit at the intersection of commerce, payments, and customer experience, shaping how brands interact with consumers over time. For startups, this presents a significant opportunity to build scalable, platform-driven businesses that serve both sides of the market.

As competition intensifies across sectors, brands that invest in thoughtful, data-driven loyalty strategies will be better positioned to retain customers and increase lifetime value. Platforms that succeed will be those that simplify experiences, respect consumer trust, and continuously adapt to changing expectations.

Conclusion

Digital loyalty platforms are redefining the rules of engagement in Saudi Arabia’s rapidly digitizing economy. Through unified wallets, sector-specific aggregators, and fintech‑embedded rewards, startups are transforming loyalty from a passive benefit into an active relationship-building tool.

For consumers, the future of loyalty promises simplicity, relevance, and real value. For brands, it offers deeper insight, stronger retention, and a more sustainable path to growth. As Saudi Arabia continues its journey toward a fully digital economy, loyalty platforms will play a central role in connecting brands and customers, not through points alone but through experiences that keep them coming back.

Ghada Ismail

Pricing is one of the most underestimated decisions in a startup’s journey. Founders often focus on product, growth, and fundraising, while pricing becomes a rushed decision or a copy of what competitors are charging. Philip Kotler, the father of modern marketing, challenges this thinking by positioning pricing as a strategic lever that shapes perception, profitability, and long-term survival.

For startups with limited runways, poor pricing rarely fails dramatically. Instead, it slowly erodes momentum through weak margins, confused positioning, and undervalued products.

How Kotler Defines Strategic Pricing

Kotler describes pricing as the only part of the marketing mix that generates revenue, while everything else creates cost. Strategic pricing aligns price with customer value, business objectives, competitive context, and brand positioning, not just internal costs.

For startups, pricing should reflect future direction, not just current expenses. Pricing purely to “gain users” without a profitability path is not a strategy; it is a delayed risk.

Value-Based Pricing Over Cost Thinking

A core Kotler principle is value-based pricing. Startups should price based on the value they deliver, not what it costs to build the product.

Early-stage founders often underprice out of fear or comparison. But customers don’t buy features; they buy outcomes. A SaaS product that saves teams hours each week is selling efficiency and peace of mind, not code. This is why many successful startups raise prices once they clearly understand their real value.

Pricing as Positioning

Price is one of the strongest brand signals. It shapes expectations before customers ever experience the product.

For startups, misaligned pricing damages credibility. A fintech claiming enterprise-grade security while charging bargain prices creates doubt, while premium pricing without a strong experience erodes trust. Strategic pricing ensures consistency between promise, experience, and perception.

Competing Without Racing to the Bottom

Kotler strongly warns against price wars, especially in crowded markets. Undercutting competitors may drive short-term adoption but often leads to unsustainable margins.

Instead, startups should differentiate through pricing structure rather than price itself. Tiered plans, freemium access, and usage-based models allow startups to serve diverse customers while preserving value. Competing on price alone is rarely strategic and rarely sustainable.

The Psychology of Pricing

Customers evaluate price emotionally as much as rationally, comparing it to expectations and perceived fairness.

Sudden price increases without clear justification damage trust. Strategic pricing relies on transparency, timing, and clear value communication. This is especially critical for subscription-based startups, where long-term trust drives retention.

Pricing as a Learning System

Kotler views pricing as dynamic, not fixed. Startups should test and refine pricing as they learn more about demand and willingness to pay.

However, constant or reactive changes create confusion. Strategic pricing balances experimentation with consistency, treating pricing as a structured learning process rather than guesswork.

Mistakes Kotler Warns Startups About

Kotler cautions against pricing purely for growth, ignoring customer value perception, reacting emotionally to competitors, and separating pricing from overall strategy.

One of the most dangerous assumptions is that lower prices automatically drive adoption. In many cases, weak pricing reflects weak positioning, not weak demand.

Applying Kotler’s Thinking

Kotler’s framework pushes startups to start with customer value, define clear pricing objectives, understand competitive boundaries, and evolve pricing as the business matures.

Strategic pricing is not about finding a perfect number. It is about building a pricing system that supports growth, credibility, and long-term sustainability.

Wrapping Things Up…

Philip Kotler’s approach turns pricing from a survival tactic into a competitive advantage. For startups, getting pricing right early protects margins, strengthens positioning, and enables healthier growth. In markets where products are easy to copy, pricing strategy often becomes the true differentiator.

Ghada Ismail

In a competitive digital landscape, grabbing attention and keeping users engaged is tougher than ever. Traditional marketing tactics alone often fall short in capturing long-term interest. This is where gamification—the practice of applying game mechanics to non-game experiences—comes in. By making interactions fun, interactive, and rewarding, gamification transforms ordinary campaigns into experiences that motivate, engage, and create loyalty.

What is Gamification?

Gamification involves integrating elements like points, badges, levels, challenges, leaderboards, and rewards into marketing, apps, or digital platforms. It leverages human psychology by tapping into natural drivers such as achievement, progress, recognition, and competition. When users feel motivated by these triggers, they are more likely to take the actions you want as a business owner, including signing up, sharing content, purchasing, or returning regularly. In short, gamification is about making engagement both enjoyable and purposeful.

1. Understand Your Audience

Not all users respond to the same incentives. Some are motivated by competition and social recognition, while others seek personal achievement, mastery, or tangible rewards. Startups need to research and segment their audience to understand these motivations. By aligning gamification mechanics with user preferences, you create experiences that feel meaningful rather than gimmicky, increasing the likelihood of consistent engagement.

2. Set Clear Objectives

Gamification should be integrated into a broader marketing strategy, not treated as a standalone tactic. Every gamified element should tie back to specific business goals. For example, if your aim is to grow your email list, the gamification should reward sign-ups or referrals. If your goal is repeat purchases, points, or progress tracking tied to buying behavior can encourage loyalty. Clearly defined objectives also allow you to measure success, adjust strategies, and ensure your gamification delivers tangible results.

3. Incorporate Game Mechanics Thoughtfully

Choosing the right mechanics is essential. Gamification tools like points, badges, levels, challenges, leaderboards, and progress bars can all enhance engagement, but only if they are implemented thoughtfully. Points and rewards incentivize specific actions, while badges and levels recognize achievement and create a sense of progress. Leaderboards foster healthy competition, challenges encourage ongoing interaction, and progress bars visually track advancement, keeping users motivated and invested over time.

4. Make It Social and Shareable

Humans are inherently social creatures, and gamification thrives on social interaction. When users can share achievements, invite friends, or compete with peers, engagement naturally increases. Social features also amplify the reach of your campaigns, turning users into organic promoters of your brand. Encouraging friendly competition or cooperative challenges can transform a passive marketing experience into an interactive, community-driven journey.

5. Tie Rewards to Real Value

Rewards are only effective when they feel worthwhile. They don’t always need to be financial; recognition, early access, exclusive content, or digital perks can be equally compelling. The key is that rewards align with user interests and reinforce desired behaviors. When users perceive genuine value in the rewards, they are more likely to participate and remain engaged.

6. Test, Measure, and Iterate

Gamification is not one-size-fits-all. Continuous monitoring, testing, and refinement are essential to maintain effectiveness. Startups should track engagement metrics, experiment with different mechanics, and respond to user feedback. Iteration ensures that gamified experiences evolve alongside user behavior and market trends, keeping your marketing strategy relevant and impactful.

Wrapping Things Up…

Gamification can transform traditional marketing into interactive, engaging experiences that drive meaningful actions and foster loyalty. For startups, it offers a cost-effective way to increase user engagement, encourage repeat interactions, and differentiate your brand. By focusing on audience motivations, setting clear goals, thoughtfully implementing game mechanics, creating social interactions, providing meaningful rewards, and iterating based on feedback, startups can use gamification to deliver campaigns that are both fun and results-driven.

Ghada Ismail

For years, Arabic speakers learned how to work around technology rather than with it. We typed in Arabic on apps clearly designed for English. We tolerated clumsy translations, broken layouts, and features that only half-worked once the language was switched. Somewhere along the way, adapting became normal.

That normalization is now being challenged.

Across Saudi Arabia and the wider Arab world, a growing number of startups are doing something deceptively simple but strategically powerful: they are building with Arabic in mind from the very beginning. Not as a translation layer.  But as a core product decision.

These companies are part of a quiet but meaningful shift toward what can be described as Arabic-first startups: ventures that treat language as identity, interface, and competitive advantage all at once.

A Digitally Active Region With a Lingual Gap

The timing of this shift is not accidental. Digital adoption across the Arab world has reached scale. More than 348 million people in the region are now internet users, representing roughly 70 percent of the population. Social media usage is equally significant, with over 228 million active users engaging daily across platforms.

Yet despite this scale, Arabic remains underrepresented online. While it is one of the most widely spoken languages globally, Arabic accounts for only a small fraction of digital content on the web. The result is a persistent mismatch: millions of Arabic-speaking users navigating a digital world that often does not speak to them fluently.

This gap has long been treated as a content problem. Increasingly, startups are recognizing it as a ‘product problem’.

What “Arabic-First” Actually Means

Arabic-first does not mean simply offering an Arabic language toggle. Many global platforms do that. What they rarely do is rethink how products behave once Arabic is selected.

True Arabic-first startups design around the realities of the language itself. That includes right-to-left navigation, typography that respects readability, and interfaces that accommodate longer word structures and contextual phrasing. More importantly, it means building logic, workflows, and AI systems that understand Arabic as a living language that is rich in dialects, nuance, and cultural reference.

In other words, Arabic-first is not about accessibility alone. It is about relevance.

AI That Actually Understands Arabic

Few areas expose the weaknesses of surface-level localization as clearly as artificial intelligence. Arabic’s linguistic complexity—its morphology, syntax, and dialect diversity—has historically made it difficult for AI systems trained primarily on English data to perform well.

This is where local startups are finding their edge.

Riyadh-based Wittify.ai is one example. The company builds conversational AI agents designed around Arabic from the ground up. Its platform supports text and voice interactions across more than 25 Arabic dialects, enabling businesses to deploy AI for customer service, onboarding, and internal workflows without forcing users into English or broken translations.

Another Saudi startup, Maqsam, has taken a similar approach in voice automation. Its AI phone bots handle customer service calls entirely in Arabic, accurately transcribing speech, identifying intent, and responding naturally. In sectors like e-commerce, logistics, and financial services—where call centers remain critical—this kind of automation offers scalability without sacrificing familiarity.

These companies are not competing with global AI platforms on size or funding. They are competing on understanding.

When Arabic Becomes the Brand

Language choice is not limited to product functionality. It increasingly shows up in branding decisions, an area where Arabic was once sidelined in favor of English names perceived as more “global.”

That mindset is beginning to shift.

A notable example is DEEP.SA, a Saudi AI startup that deliberately incorporates the Arabic word عمق (meaning “depth”) into its logo and identity. The choice is both symbolic and strategic. It reflects the company’s focus on deep technology while anchoring its brand firmly in local language and meaning.

In a market where foreign or English brand names have long dominated, using Arabic as a primary identity signal stands out. It communicates intent: this product is built here, for this market, with local users in mind.

DEEP.SA’s approach aligns with a broader realization among founders that Arabic branding can build trust faster than imported terminology, especially in enterprise, government, and consumer platforms where credibility and clarity matter.

The same logic appears in other regional startups. Abjjad, an Arabic social reading platform, draws its name from the first letters of the Arabic alphabet. Yamli, whose name means “he dictates,” was built specifically to help Arabic speakers search using phonetic input. Tamatem, a mobile game publisher, chose an Arabic name while building a business that localizes global content for Arab audiences.

In each case, the name does more than label the product. It signals who the product is for.

Arabic AI Models Enter the Spotlight

If Arabic-first startups represent the application layer, then Arabic-first AI models are the infrastructure making all of this possible.

For years, Arabic developers were forced to build on top of language models trained overwhelmingly on English data. Arabic support existed, but often unevenly strong in Modern Standard Arabic, weaker in dialects, and prone to context errors that made enterprise use risky.

That gap is now starting to close.

One of the most prominent examples is Allam, Saudi Arabia’s Arabic large language model developed under the umbrella of the Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority (SDAIA). Designed specifically to understand Arabic linguistic structures, cultural references, and regional usage, Allam marks a strategic shift from adapting global AI models to building foundational technology locally.

Unlike multilingual models where Arabic is one language among many, Allam prioritizes Arabic as a primary language. This allows for more accurate comprehension, better contextual responses, and improved handling of formal Arabic as well as regional variations. For startups building products in customer service, legal tech, education, content moderation, or government services, that difference is not marginal; it is rather structural.

The presence of Arabic-native models changes the economics of building Arabic-first products. Startups no longer need to invest disproportionate resources correcting AI errors caused by weak language understanding. Instead, they can focus on product design, user experience, and sector-specific innovation.

Beyond Allam, the broader regional push toward Arabic AI reflects a growing recognition that language sovereignty matters in the age of generative technology. When AI systems shape how people search, learn, transact, and communicate, the languages they truly understand determine who benefits most from digital transformation.

For Arabic-first startups, models like Allam are more than technical milestones. They are enablers, quietly reinforcing the idea that building in Arabic is no longer a compromise, but a competitive advantage.

Why This Shift Is Happening Now

This shift toward Arabic-first products is not random. Several changes are happening at the same time.

User expectations have evolved. As people become more digitally savvy, they are less willing to tolerate poorly translated interfaces or awkward Arabic experiences. They expect products to work naturally in their own language.

Technology has also caught up. Recent progress in AI and language models makes it possible to build systems designed for Arabic from the start, instead of adapting tools originally made for English.

Policy direction plays a role too. In Saudi Arabia especially, national digital initiatives are encouraging innovation that reflects local culture and language, not just global standards.

There is also a clear business reason. As markets become more crowded, standing out becomes harder. Using language thoughtfully can create a real competitive advantage, one that is difficult for others to copy.

The Challenges Are Still Real

Arabic-first is not an easy path. Building high-quality Arabic language technology requires specialized talent, extensive datasets, and continuous iteration. Dialect diversity adds another layer of complexity that few global platforms are willing to invest in deeply.

There is also a lingering perception among some founders and investors that prioritizing Arabic limits global scalability. Yet many Arabic-first startups argue the opposite: products that solve local problems well are better positioned to expand thoughtfully than those that imitate global models without context.

Language as a Product Decision

What Arabic-first startups ultimately demonstrate is that language is not a cosmetic choice. It shapes how products are used, trusted, and adopted.

For decades, Arabic users adapted themselves to technology. Today, technology is beginning to adapt to Arabic. That shift may seem subtle, but its implications are significant.

As the Arab tech ecosystem matures, the startups that stand out may not be those that look the most global, but those that understand their users most deeply. And for hundreds of millions of people, that understanding begins with language.

Not as an afterthought..but as a starting point.

Ghada Ismail

For many startups, revenue growth is treated as a numbers game: more leads, more sales calls, more discounts. But as markets tighten and investors become more selective, this approach is proving fragile. Revenue engineering offers a structured alternative, one that treats revenue as a system to be designed, tested, and optimized, not just chased.

Instead of asking “How do we sell more?”, revenue engineering asks: “How does our product, pricing, and customer journey work together to generate sustainable, predictable revenue?” In other words, it’s not just about closing deals, but rather about designing a revenue machine that grows with your business.

What Is Revenue Engineering?

Revenue engineering is the deliberate design of a startup’s revenue model. It connects pricing, product design, customer behavior, and distribution channels into a coherent system aimed at predictable, scalable, and sustainable income.

Unlike traditional sales-led approaches that focus on pushing transactions, revenue engineering looks at the full picture: how pricing structures influence adoption, how product packaging drives upgrades, and how retention strategies affect lifetime value. For startups, applying this mindset early can prevent common pitfalls that are expensive or impossible to fix later.

Why Startups Should Care Early

Early-stage startups often make revenue mistakes that seem minor but have long-term consequences. Misaligned pricing, confusing product tiers, or poorly defined customer segments can lead to low margins, high churn, and dependence on discounts to close deals. Investors are increasingly looking beyond top-line growth, as they want proof that your revenue model is solid and scalable.

Revenue engineering addresses these challenges by creating a system that naturally drives predictable results.

Core Pillars of Revenue Engineering

1. Pricing Architecture
   Startups need to choose pricing models that reflect both market realities and product value. Subscriptions, usage-based pricing, freemium, or enterprise contracts each work differently and must evolve as the business grows. Testing pricing early is crucial to avoid missed revenue opportunities.
2. Product Packaging
   Deciding which features are free, paid, or premium isn’t just a marketing decision; it directly affects revenue. Proper packaging guides customer behavior, incentivizes upgrades, and ensures that your most valuable features generate the right return.
3. Customer Segmentation
   Not all customers are the same, and revenue engineering ensures that offers align with willingness to pay. Segmenting customers by behavior, value, or needs allows startups to tailor pricing, upsells, and communication effectively.
4. Sales & Distribution Logic
   Startups must choose how to reach customers efficiently. Self-serve, inside sales, enterprise teams, or channel partners each have pros and cons. Revenue engineering ensures the distribution strategy supports scalable revenue rather than just immediate wins.
5. Retention & Expansion Mechanics
   Sustainable growth doesn’t rely only on new customers. Revenue engineering plans for upsells, cross-sells, and renewals from the start, ensuring long-term value from each client.

Common Mistakes Startups Make

Many early-stage startups fail at revenue engineering without even realizing it. Common errors include:

• Copying competitors’ pricing without understanding unit economics
• Over-discounting to close early deals
• Building features that don’t unlock higher-paying tiers
• Treating churn as a customer problem, instead of a signal of flawed revenue design

Recognizing these pitfalls early can save a startup from costly missteps.

Revenue Engineering vs. Sales-Driven Growth

Revenue engineering does not eliminate the need for sales; it actually strengthens it. Even the best sales teams struggle when the underlying revenue model is unclear or poorly designed. By building the revenue system first, startups give sales teams clear pricing, defined margins, and repeatable processes. The goal is to create a revenue machine that supports sales efforts, rather than depending entirely on aggressive sales activity to drive growth.

To Wrap Things Up..

Revenue engineering is less about spreadsheets and more about intentional design. For startups, it’s the difference between reacting to revenue pressure and creating a business that earns sustainably. By aligning pricing, product, customer behavior, and distribution from the start, founders can build a revenue system that grows with the company.

In an era where growth-at-all-costs is no longer sustainable, startups that engineer their revenue carefully—rather than simply chasing sales—are the ones that will survive, scale, and thrive.

Ghada Ismail

In the early stages of a startup, sales are rarely handled by a dedicated team. Instead, founders are often the first—and sometimes only—salespeople. This approach, known as founder-led sales, plays a critical role in shaping how a startup understands its market, refines its product, and builds early traction.

Founder-led sales refers to a model where the founder is directly responsible for selling the product or service. This typically includes pitching to customers, running demos, negotiating commercial terms, and closing the company’s first deals. While it may appear informal, founder-led sales is a deliberate and necessary phase for most early-stage startups.

Why founder-led sales is common in early-stage startups

Startups operate under conditions of uncertainty. Products are still evolving, customer segments are not fully defined, and pricing models are often being tested. In this environment, hiring a sales team too early can lead to misalignment and wasted resources.

Founder-led sales allow startups to:

• Leverage the founder’s deep understanding of the problem and solution
• Build trust with early customers who want to engage with decision-makers
• Adjust messaging and positioning quickly based on live feedback
• Validate assumptions before scaling commercial efforts

Early customers are not only buying a product. They are buying into a vision, and founders are best positioned to communicate that vision clearly.

How founder-led sales support product-market fit

One of the most important outcomes of founder-led sales is learning. Direct conversations with customers help founders understand what truly matters to buyers and where the product delivers the most value.

Through founder-led sales, startups can:

• Identify recurring pain points and unmet needs
• Understand why deals are won or lost
• Test pricing, packaging, and positioning
• Use customer feedback to shape the product roadmap

This process accelerates the journey toward product-market fit and reduces the risk of building solutions that lack real demand.

Where founder-led sales works best

Founder-led sales is especially effective in B2B startups, particularly those serving mid-market or enterprise customers. In these segments, purchasing decisions often involve multiple stakeholders and longer sales cycles, making credibility and trust essential.

It is most effective in:

• B2B and enterprise-focused startups
• Products that are new, technical, or complex
• Markets where relationships and long-term commitment matter

In such cases, founder involvement signals accountability and long-term intent.

When founders should transition away from sales

Founder-led sales is not a permanent model. As the startup matures, founders should begin translating their experience into repeatable processes that can be passed on to a dedicated sales team.

A transition becomes viable when:

• The ideal customer profile is clearly defined
• Sales messaging is consistent and repeatable
• Demand follows predictable patterns
• The founder can train others based on proven insights

Wrapping Things Up…

Founder-led sales is not a distraction from building a startup; it is a foundational phase that informs strategy, product development, and future growth. For early-stage startups, particularly in emerging ecosystems, founder-led sales provide the clarity and confidence needed to scale effectively. By staying close to customers early on, founders can build stronger businesses and better sales engines for the long term.

 Shaimaa Ibrahim

The quick delivery services and e-commerce sector in the GCC and the Middle East are undergoing a profound transformation, driven by the development of logistics technologies and changing consumer preferences. In this dynamic landscape, Rabbit emerged as one of the leading models that reshaped the standards of quick delivery services. As it broadens operations across Egypt and Saudi Arabia and adopts a flexible, tech-based operating model, Rabbit plans to strengthen its presence and expand market share in this competitive industry.

In this context, Sharikat Mubasher held an exclusive interview with Shaza Yahia, Regional Marketing Director at Rabbit, on the sidelines of the fourth edition of the HERizon 2025 Summit, organized by Carerha, a leading platform focusing on empowering women across the region to compete in the job market.

The interview discussed the company’s journey since its foundation and its mechanisms to address the real challenges within the delivery sector, in addition to highlighting the competitive edges that boost Rabbit’s expansion across the fastest-growing and evolving markets in the region.

It also underscored the pivotal role of technology and artificial intelligence (AI) in enhancing operational efficiency, and showcased the company’s achievements and the key challenges it faced to expand regionally, in addition to providing insights on the future of e-commerce in the region amid the rapid transformations that the sector witnesses.

What is the core concept behind Rabbit? And how does it fill the gap in the quick delivery sector in Egypt and the GCC?  

The idea behind Rabbit emerged five years ago when the founders identified common challenges facing consumers in Egypt and the broader region, notably home delivery delays, inaccurate orders, and missing items upon receipt. Hence, the vision was born to establish a platform based on a model that offers a swift and accurate shopping experience, with a firm promise to deliver within only 20 minutes. The focus was to offer a reliable service that customers could trust and integrate seamlessly into their daily lives.

There were several key players in the Egyptian and Saudi markets when Rabbit was launched; however, the company chose to enter the market with a distinct approach centered on reliability, speed, and building long-term relationships with customers. Rabbit delivered clear added value and crafted personalized experiences that accurately meet each customer’s needs. This ultimately fostered strong user loyalty and enabled Rabbit to attract a growing segment of the market.

With this approach, Rabbit seeks to fill a genuine gap in the quick delivery sector in Egypt and the GCC, offering an operational model capable of keeping pace with the rapidly evolving lifestyle of consumers and enhancing the reliability of e-commerce services across the region.

What are the factors and features that give Rabbit a competitive edge over other companies in the Egyptian and Saudi markets?

Since its launch, Rabbit has focused on two core principles at the heart of its operations: convenience and simplicity. Our clear goal is to provide customers with a seamless experience, ensuring orders are delivered quickly and accurately, and offering all essential products at affordable prices, along with daily promotions that add genuine value to users.

Diversity is an integral part of Rabbit’s strategy to foster customer loyalty. As the number of online applications grows, the market experiences intense competition both among e-commerce platforms themselves and between these platforms and traditional stores, which continue to attract a significant segment of consumers, particularly in Saudi Arabia.

What sets Rabbit apart is that it adopts the ‘House of Brands’ model, being a home for brands, while focusing on supporting local products and providing them with a broad platform to reach more customers. Many of these brands have achieved growth through Rabbit that exceeds what they have achieved through global competitors, thanks to joint campaigns and additional marketing within the platform.

Rabbit’s competitive edge relies on multiple factors: quick services, product diversity, affordable prices, and strong support for local brands. Together, these factors enable Rabbit to compete effectively in this dynamic and rapidly evolving market.

How does Rabbit utilize technology and AI to enhance customer experience and improve operational efficiency?

Rabbit relies entirely on an advanced, in-house technology infrastructure, a rare approach in the e-commerce market where ready-made systems or partnerships with external technology providers are more common. At its early stages, the company relied on some partners but quickly developed its own infrastructure, enabling it to create a fully integrated application built on custom-designed systems tailored to meet its operational needs.

This technology infrastructure enables customers to place orders in under two minutes, maintaining a delivery promise of approximately 18 minutes. Internal system development also facilitated rapid responses to customer feedback, significantly improving their experience.

AI became an integral part of Rabbit’s operations. We employ AI in managing operations, data analysis, marketing personalization, and reducing operational costs. The company also integrates AI in content creation and marketing materials design to enhance team efficiency and accelerate marketing campaign development. 

What are the key figures and milestones that Rabbit has recently achieved?

Rabbit achieved remarkable growth in a short period, with over two million customers benefiting from its services, despite its marketing budget being significantly lower than that of its competitors. This reflects how our services meet customers' needs and reaffirms the company’s capability to build long-term relationships with customers.

The platform also enabled several local companies to achieve four- and five-fold growth rates by expanding their customer bases and boosting sales through Rabbit. Some of these companies successfully transformed their products into regional brands and expanded beyond Egypt, thanks to their partnership with the platform.

Additionally, Rabbit provides brands with strategic opportunities to reach new customer segments and showcase their products on a broader scale, unlocking new growth opportunities that were not accessible before.

What were the major challenges that Rabbit faced during the expansion phase, and how did the company overcome these challenges? 

We faced several challenges across various expansion phases, most notably the variance in marketing budgets compared to competitors, which significantly exceeded our resources. We also noticed that customer needs change rapidly, and that each stage of time imposes different priorities and behaviors, which puts constant pressure on companies to keep up with these changes. 

We were able to overcome these challenges thanks to the team’s ability to develop and respond quickly to changes, along with our approach that focuses on continuous testing, whether to measure customer satisfaction or to test new features within the application.

We learned a fundamental lesson from this experience: addressing challenges begins with understanding their nature. Are they temporary and time-bound, or are they fundamental problems that require modifying the business model? Therefore, we are always keen to try new ideas quickly and make the required changes, driven by our belief that flexibility and quick decision-making are key factors to maintain the company’s ability to compete and achieve rapid growth.

What motivated Rabbit to expand into the Saudi market, and what investment opportunities did the company find in the Kingdom?

Since its foundation, Rabbit has had a clear expansion plan, which focused on launching operations in Cairo before moving to Riyadh. We obtained the necessary licenses to expand into Saudi Arabia during the first year of our launch in Egypt; however, we preferred to postpone this step till early 2025 to deeply understand the Saudi market and ensure a strong and balanced entry.

The Saudi market is a highly competitive one, thanks to the emergence of new companies and large investments in growth, as well as intense competition between online applications and traditional stores. This eventually increased consumer awareness of digital services and paved the way for applications that deliver exceptional experiences and added value. 

Despite this intense competition, the Saudi market remains abundant with opportunities for any application offering a high-quality experience and building a genuine connection with the local community.

Rabbit currently focuses its efforts on Riyadh, aiming to provide an experience that the Saudi customer feels is tailored specifically for them, not just a copy of a foreign service.

Does Rabbit plan to expand into new markets beyond Egypt and Saudi Arabia?

Yes, we have clear expansion plans, but we always ensure a thorough study of the target markets before taking any step by analyzing demand size, competition levels, and gaps we can fill to guarantee a successful and sustainable entry.

In the short term, our plans focus on expanding into new cities across Saudi Arabia, following the success we achieved in Riyadh. The Saudi market still holds significant growth opportunities, and expanding into other cities is a pivotal step before moving to new markets beyond Egypt and Saudi Arabia.

How do you see the future of the delivery services and e-commerce sectors in GCC and the Middle East?

The delivery and e-commerce sectors in the GCC and the Middle East are experiencing rapid growth, driven by changing consumer behavior and their increasing reliance on online shopping, both in Cairo and Riyadh. Riyadh, in particular, stands as a model for this transformation, given the high youth population who prefer digital solutions and applications that meet their needs quickly and easily. 

The more companies can offer an integrated experience combining speed, convenience, and a variety of options, the more they will be able to capture larger market shares. Government policies, especially in Saudi Arabia, also accelerate this growth by supporting the adoption of cutting-edge technology and investing in AI solutions to enhance the efficiency of logistics and supply chains.

In light of these developments, the sector is expected to continue expanding, triggered by the entry of new players and increased investment volume. This will ultimately boost market competitiveness and reshape the future of e-commerce in the region.

Translation: Noha Gad

Ghada Ismail

Few dilemmas shape an entrepreneur’s journey; one of them is deciding whether to build what they love or what the market demands. The truth is: Passion pushes founders to begin, while markets determine whether they survive. And survival is not guaranteed, as global analyses of startup failures consistently show “no market need” as the leading cause, while multi-year business survival data reveals that nearly 20% of companies close within their first year.

These numbers accentuate again this truth that passion is necessary, but insufficient. To build a durable business, founders must understand how passion influences decision-making, why markets punish unvalidated ideas, and where both forces can work together rather than against each other.

Why Passion Alone Isn’t Enough..But Still Matters

Passion is a cognitive and emotional resource. Research shows that passionate founders communicate more persuasively, attract stronger early teams, and demonstrate resilience during unpredictable phases of growth. It also fuels creativity, an asset in industries where differentiation is limited.

But passion has blind spots:

• It distorts risk perception, making founders underestimate threats or overestimate early traction.
• It can lead to confirmation bias, where only data that supports a founder’s beliefs is acknowledged.
• It encourages identity attachment for the idea becomes part of the founder’s self-image, making pivots emotionally painful.

Still, passion has a strategic role: it motivates founders to explore ideas others would ignore. Many breakthrough businesses began as passionate obsessions that were later shaped by market reality. 

Why Markets Matter More Than Most Founders Think

Markets do not respond to excitement. They respond to value and relevance.

A business survives only if it consistently creates value for a segment willing to pay for it. That is where evidence becomes vital. Market validation is not about killing creativity; it is about reducing uncertainty around three core risks:

1. Problem–Solution Fit:
   Does the problem exist at scale, and is the solution meaningfully better than alternatives?
2. Willingness to Pay:
   Do customers value the solution enough to convert it into revenue?
3. Repeatability:
   Can the solution be delivered consistently, profitably, and without constant reinvention?

Data helps founders understand not just if demand exists, but why, when, and in what form demand becomes monetizable. This fine line separates market-driven businesses from passion-led projects.

Where Founders Miscalculate

Early-stage founders often fall into predictable analytical traps:

• Mistaking enthusiasm from early adopters as proof of broad-market demand
• Building complex features before validating core value
• Relying on primal insights rather than behavioral data
• Misreading small sample sizes
• Assuming the market will “catch up” to their vision

These misjudgments aren’t failures of intelligence; they are failures of method. Founders are often told to “trust their gut” without being taught how to integrate intuition with empirical validation.

The Hybrid Model: Passion Informed by Evidence

The most successful founders treat passion as a hypothesis engine and market data as the filtering mechanism.

1. Start with Passion to Generate Hypotheses

Your passion tells you which problems feel worth solving. Let it direct your curiosity, not your product.

2. Stress-Test Your Idea Through Market Experiments

Use structured methods such as:

• Problem interviews
• Pre-order experiments
• Targeted micro-campaigns
• Pricing sensitivity tests

These reveal the magnitude of demand and the shape of the opportunity.

3. Apply Analytical Discipline

Evaluate experiments using metrics that matter:

• Retention curves
• Churn reasons
• Willingness-to-pay thresholds
• Customer acquisition costs versus lifetime value

These metrics force clarity; they reveal whether the business can scale or whether the idea must evolve.

4. Pivot Without Ego

When data conflicts with passion, revisit the problem rather than abandoning the mission. Founders seeking impact often discover that their “why” can be served through a different product with stronger commercial viability.

Wrapping Things Up…

The startup world often frames passion and market data as opposing forces. In reality, they form a dynamic partnership. Passion gives founders the courage to explore ideas without guaranteed outcomes. Data ensures they pursue those ideas with discipline, adaptability, and strategic realism.

The formula is simple but demanding:
Use passion to begin. Use evidence to continue. Use both to build something that lasts.

Ghada Ismail

Among the countless metrics startups track, few reveal as much about real customer sentiment as the Net Promoter Score (NPS). Unlike vanity metrics such as downloads, sign-ups, or even short-term revenue spikes, NPS goes deeper as it measures trust, satisfaction, and advocacy.

For early-stage founders, that distinction matters. You can buy installs or clicks, but you can’t buy genuine loyalty. NPS tells you whether customers are simply using your product or genuinely believing in it. It shows if your startup is building transactional relationships or further creating a community of promoters who will spread the word for free.

At its core, NPS helps answer a fundamental startup question: “Do people care enough about what we’re building to tell others about it?” The answer can shape everything from product decisions and customer experience to your long-term growth strategy.

How NPS Works

The Net Promoter Score is based on a simple question:

“On a scale of 0 to 10, how likely are you to recommend our product or service to a friend or colleague?”

Responses are divided into three categories:

• Promoters (9–10): Loyal fans who love your product and actively recommend it.
• Passives (7–8): Satisfied customers, but not passionate enough to promote it.
• Detractors (0–6): Unhappy users who are more likely to churn or leave negative feedback.

Your NPS is the percentage of promoters minus the percentage of detractors. Scores range from –100 to +100. Anything above 0 means more love than hate, and +50 or higher is considered excellent.

Why NPS Matters for Startups

For startups, every customer interaction counts. You don’t have the luxury of a massive brand reputation, where your users are your reputation. That’s why NPS is so valuable: it gives you an early pulse on customer satisfaction and helps you understand whether your product is delivering real value.

Here’s why it matters:

• Validates Product-Market Fit: A consistently low NPS might mean your product isn’t resonating deeply enough, even if usage looks good on paper.
• Guides Improvement: Feedback from detractors points directly to what’s breaking or frustrating users.
• Builds Investor Confidence: A strong NPS signals a loyal customer base, something investors see as a sign of growth stability.
• Drives Organic Growth: Promoters become advocates. In early stages, word-of-mouth marketing can make or break a startup.

When to Start Measuring NPS

The best time to start is as early as possible, even with just a few dozen users. Early NPS surveys can uncover insights that analytics tools can’t.

Ask yourself:

• Are customers finding real value in what we offer?
• What’s stopping them from recommending us?
• Are we creating promoters or passive users?

By tracking NPS early, startups can spot issues before they scale and ensure they’re building loyalty alongside growth.

How to Use NPS Effectively

To get the most out of NPS, make it part of your product’s rhythm, not just an occasional survey.

Here’s how:

• Time it right: Send the NPS survey after meaningful interactions, completing onboarding, using a key feature, or receiving customer support.
• Ask a follow-up question: “What’s the main reason for your score?” The qualitative feedback is often more valuable than the number itself.
• Act quickly: Reach out to detractors, thank promoters, and turn feedback into action.
• Monitor trends: The direction of your NPS over time matters more than a single snapshot.

What’s a Good NPS for a Startup?

There’s no universal benchmark, but here’s a rough guide:

• Above 0: You’re moving in the right direction.
• Above 30: Customers are happy and loyal.
• Above 50: Your product inspires genuine advocacy.

Remember that context matters. A young startup in a competitive market may score lower initially, but a steadily improving NPS indicates strong product and customer experience growth.

Turning NPS into a Growth Engine

NPS isn’t just a feedback tool; it’s a growth signal. When you consistently measure how customers feel and act on their input, you build a brand that listens, adapts, and earns loyalty. Over time, those promoters become your most powerful marketing channel.

In a world where attention is expensive and trust is rare, NPS helps startups focus on what truly drives retention and referrals: happy customers who believe in your mission.

Because in the end, your most valuable growth strategy isn’t ads, funnels, or virality, it’s a product people love enough to talk about.

Ghada Ismail

For many startups, landing a corporate client feels like a milestone. That moment when you go from scrappy beginnings to playing in the big leagues. It’s a sign that your idea works, your team delivers, and your brand is ready to stand alongside the giants.

But selling to corporates isn’t easy. It’s not just about having the best product or a breakthrough solution. It’s about trust, timing, and understanding how big organizations make decisions; slowly, carefully, and through layers of approval.

So, how do you step into this whole new level?

1. Understand the Corporate Mindset

Startups move fast, break things, and learn on the go while corporates don’t. They move through committees, compliance checks, and procurement gates. It’s not resistance to innovation; it’s rather risk management.

If you understand that, you’ll pitch differently. Corporates aren’t just buying creativity; they’re buying reliability. They want to know that working with you won’t introduce risk but instead remove it.

Show them how your solution makes their life easier: maybe it improves efficiency, reduces cost, or helps meet a strategic goal. Speak to what they value most.

2. Build Credibility Before You Pitch

Corporates rarely gamble on unproven startups. Before you knock on their door, make sure your reputation walks in first.

Collect small wins like pilot projects, testimonials, measurable results. Publish case studies that show your solution actually works in the real world. Even a few solid success stories can shift you from “risky startup” to “reliable partner.”

3. Start Small..Think Pilot Projects

When it comes to big clients, it’s often smarter to start small. A well-scoped pilot project is your best entry point.

It lets the corporate test your solution without major commitment and gives you a chance to prove value quickly. More importantly, it helps you find internal champions; people inside the company who’ve seen your results firsthand and can advocate for expanding your partnership.

4. Speak Their Language

Tech founders love talking about innovation, features, and performance. Corporates care about outcomes; efficiency, compliance, and return on investment.

Reframe your pitch around results. Instead of saying, “We use AI to automate processes,” say, “We cut processing time by 40%.”

Numbers and business impact speak louder than buzzwords. Keep it simple, clear, and outcome-driven.

5. Leverage the Right Platforms

You don’t have to break into corporates alone. Many are actively looking for startups to collaborate with — through innovation programs, accelerators, and ecosystem partnerships.

Government initiatives and national programs are designed to connect startups with large organizations. They give you access to mentorship, exposure, and opportunities to co-develop solutions that align with corporate needs.

These platforms not only open doors but also lend credibility proving that your startup is part of an ecosystem corporates already trust.

6. Build Relationships, Not Just Deals

Corporate sales are rarely quick wins. They’re marathons, not sprints. Deals take months, sometimes longer. But the wait pays off when it’s built on genuine relationships.

Don’t disappear between meetings. Keep in touch. Share updates about your growth, your new features, your latest achievements. Stay visible without being pushy.

Over time, these touchpoints build familiarity, and familiarity builds trust. When the timing is right, you won’t be a stranger pitching a product; you’ll be a known, credible partner.

7. Play the Long Game

Selling to corporates takes patience. There will be delays, revisions, and more paperwork than you ever thought possible. But once you’re in, the rewards are worth it: steady revenue, stronger credibility, and access to larger markets.

Every corporate deal you close becomes a signal to others that you can deliver at scale. It’s not just a contract; it’s a stepping stone to the next opportunity.

Wrapping Things Up…

Breaking into the corporate world isn’t about being the loudest startup in the room; it’s about being the most dependable, adaptable, and value-driven.

If you can combine startup agility with corporate reliability, you won’t just sell to big companies; you’ll grow with them. And that’s how small innovators become big players.

Noha Gad

Influencers have commanded social media in recent years, setting trends and guiding their followers’ shopping habits with the content they post, ultimately supporting an industry worth over $35 billion as of 2025, as stated in a recent report by Influencer Marketing Hub.

The influencer marketing ecosystem stands at an inflection point, triggered by groundbreaking technological advancements, changing consumer behaviors, and increasing demands for accountability. This shift underscored the critical need for brands to diversify their strategies and highlighted the emergence of AI influencers to fulfill brands’ need for more control, scalability, and flexibility in digital marketing.  

Human influencers are subject to unpredictabilities such as changing personal circumstances, reputational risks, or limited working hours. In contrast, AI influencers are always available, never age, and can instantly adapt their messaging to suit a brand’s image or campaign needs, facilitating seamless communication in different languages and allowing companies to ensure consistent representation.

What are AI influencers?

AI influencers, also known as virtual influencers, are computer-generated characters that promote products on social media. Often created with computer-generated imagery (CGI), motion capture, and generative artificial intelligence, and other forms of AI, these digital characters are designed to behave the way a human influencer would online, offering brands a unique way to connect with consumers.

With millions of followers engaging with their content and purchasing the products they promote, these innovative tools help brands to better connect with audiences in an increasingly saturated social media space.

AI influencers come in all shapes and sizes, ranging from cartoonish 3D characters to photorealistic images. They look and behave the way real people do online, but their appearance, personalities, and content have been carefully designed to appeal to a specific audience, particularly Gen Z and Gen Alpha.

The rise of AI influencers has already begun to reshape digital marketing on a global scale across various sectors, notably fashion and technology, demonstrating the value and versatility of virtual personalities in modern campaigns. AI influencers offer creative opportunities in futuristic settings and storytelling that human influencers cannot replicate; however, their adoption also presents new ethical questions about transparency, authenticity, and the impact on human content creators.

How AI influencers transform digital marketing

Brands utilize AI influencers for inclusive, creative storytelling and hybrid campaigns alongside human content creators, leveraging AI influencers’ capability to amplify core brand values such as innovation, inclusivity, and self-expression, while maintaining a distinct futuristic appeal.

Giveaways, contests, and experiential marketing formats are popular for boosting engagement and community interaction. In typical giveaways, AI influencers invite followers to participate for a chance to win exclusive products or experiences, driving viral reach and growing brand followings rapidly. In product reviews and unboxing campaigns, AI influencers seamlessly script unboxing experiences with highly visual, on-message presentations, providing consistency in tone and detail that human influencers may find difficult to match at scale. 

Characterized by ultra-personalization and scalability, AI influencers can dynamically address audiences in different languages, adapt campaign content based on sentiment analysis, and offer instant replies to DMs or comments, fostering a sense of one-on-one interaction. This adaptability and automation position AI influencers at the forefront of next-generation marketing, making them the perfect choice for large-scale awareness campaigns, niche-targeted promotions, and cross-platform storytelling efforts.

Human influencers and AI

Most of the marketing strategies nowadays combine virtual and human creators to maximize reach, authenticity, and engagement. Instead of replacing human influencers, AI-powered personas are being used to complement them, creating hybrid campaigns that leverage the strengths of both. 

This innovative tool analyzes vast datasets, including engagement rates, audience demographics, and content performance, to identify the most suitable human influencers for a brand, ensuring alignment with campaign goals and target audiences. It reduces the risk of mismatched collaborations and improves overall campaign effectiveness.

Additionally, AI-based platforms streamline communication by generating personalized messages to influencers based on their content style and audience profile. They also assist in brainstorming campaign ideas, optimizing posting schedules, and even drafting captions.

In hybrid campaigns, AI and human influencers collaborate on shared content, such as joint social media posts, live streams, or storytelling series, humanizing the AI influencer while amplifying the human creator’s reach through exposure to new, tech-savvy audiences.

Successful campaigns balance between AI efficiency and Human creativity, excelling AI at scalability, personalization, and performance prediction. Nevertheless, human judgment remains essential in evaluating brand fit, cultural relevance, and narrative authenticity. 

Future outlook

As generative AI advances, AI influencers are expected to be more dynamic, capable of live-streaming, responding to audience sentiment, and adapting messaging based on real-time engagement analytics. These advanced tools will offer creative control, eliminating concerns about scandals or scheduling conflicts, while enabling 24/7 interaction through AI chatbots and real-time content generation.

Also, hyper-personalization will define the next generation of influencer marketing, with AI tailoring content based on real-time signals such as browsing behavior, geolocation, and device type. 

Finally, the integration of AI into influencer marketing represents a significant change in how brands connect with audiences, leveraging AI-powered influencers to offer unmatched scalability and enhance effectiveness. Brands that embrace hybrid strategies, combining the authenticity of human creators with the precision and efficiency of AI, will be well-positioned to deliver personalized, engaging, and ethically sound campaigns.

Ghada Ismail

If you’ve ever clicked that “return item” button after buying something online, you’ve already taken part in reverse logistics, even if you didn’t know the term existed.
For startups in Saudi Arabia and across the MENA region, this behind-the-scenes process isn’t just a technical detail. It’s quietly shaping customer loyalty, cutting costs, and even opening up fresh revenue streams.

So, What Exactly Is Reverse Logistics?

Think of it as the product’s journey home.
It’s what happens when goods travel from the customer back to you, for a refund, a repair, recycling, or proper disposal. Forward logistics moves products toward customers; reverse logistics does the opposite.

And in Saudi Arabia’s booming e-commerce scene — forecast to exceed SAR 50 billion by 2025 — returns are on the rise. Globally, between 15%–30% of online purchases get sent back. Our region is no different. For a young business, ignoring reverse logistics is like running a store with no door for customers to walk back in.

Why Startups Should Care

1. Winning Repeat Customers
Shoppers here expect convenience. If returning a product is quick and painless, they’ll come back. In a market where it costs a lot to win a customer, it makes sense to keep them.

2. Avoiding Operational Chaos
Without a plan, returns can become a nightmare between rushed pickups, lost items, and confused inventory systems. The earlier you set up a clear process, the fewer headaches later.

3. Saving Money and Going Green
Not every return is a loss. Many items can be refurbished, resold, or recycled. With Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 pushing sustainability, turning returns into a green initiative can pay off in more ways than one.

4. Learning from Every Return
Returns tell you a story: maybe a size runs small, maybe the packaging is weak, maybe delivery was too slow. Each one is a clue for improving your product and your service.

Making Reverse Logistics Work for You

• Team up with third-party logistics (3PL) providers: like Aramex, SMSA, or regional fulfillment startups offering returns as part of their package.
• Use tech:  apps like Fetchr or Quiqup make it easy to track returns, print labels, and keep customers updated.
• Be transparent: a clear, friendly returns policy on your website builds trust instantly.

A Saudi Success Story

One local example is Cartlow, a Riyadh-based re-commerce platform. Cartlow specializes in returned, overstock, and refurbished products, turning what could be waste into a profitable business.
By building reverse logistics into their model from day one, they’ve managed to partner with major retailers, process high volumes of returns efficiently, and resell items at discounted rates. Not only does this reduce landfill waste, but it also taps into a growing market of value-conscious shoppers. 

Wrapping things up…

Reverse logistics isn’t just an operational chore; it’s rather a powerful growth strategy. For startups in Saudi Arabia and the MENA region, nailing it early means happier customers, lower costs, and a stronger brand.
Because in business, just like in life, sometimes the way back is just as important as the way forward.