Noha Gad

Saudi Arabia faces one of the most severe water scarcity challenges globally due to its extremely arid climate, limited freshwater resources, and a rapidly growing population that is projected to surpass 47 million by 2025, according to figures by the World Health Organization (WHO). According to recent figures by the General Authority for Statistics (GASTAT), the water sector in the Kingdom witnessed significant shifts in 2023, with a 31% rise in desalinated seawater production, now comprising 50% of the Kingdom’s distributed water supply.

With groundwater resources depleting and the per capita household water consumption declining from 112.8 liters per day in 2022 to 102.1 liters in 2023, the Kingdom’s investments in desalination and reuse technologies underscore its commitment to long-term water security. 

These conditions have positioned water security and sustainable agriculture as critical priorities aligned with Saudi Vision 2030's sustainability goals. Thus, nanotechnology startups emerged as pivotal players in addressing water and agricultural challenges in Saudi Arabia. They leverage advanced nanomaterials and nanoscale innovations to transform water treatment, wastewater recycling, desalination efficiency, and precision agriculture techniques. 

By offering promising solutions to optimize water use, improve crop yields, and reduce environmental impact, these startups help Saudi Arabia move toward a water-secure and food-secure future amid harsh natural conditions and growing demand. 

Overall, the nanotechnology market in Saudi Arabia is projected to hit $1.1 billion by 2033, showing a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 27.30% between 2025 and 2033, according to recent analytics by the IMARC Group.

Nanotechnology in water management

Nanotechnology companies and startups in Saudi Arabia develop cutting-edge nano-enabled filtration and purification technologies that significantly enhance efficiency and sustainability. Such technologies employ nanomaterials and nanostructured membranes designed at the molecular level to capture contaminants more effectively than conventional systems.

The nano-enabled systems minimize energy consumption, up to 80% less compared to traditional treatment plants, and drastically reduce operational footprints by 90%. They also eliminate odors and chemical residues, making treated water safe for reuse in agriculture, industry, and municipal applications. 

For instance, the Ras Al-Khair Power and Desalination Plant stands as the world’s largest hybrid desalination facility, producing both electricity and desalinated water. By integrating nanotechnology in its desalination process, the plant became a model for sustainable water management. Advances in graphene oxide-based nanomembranes are expected to increase the plant's efficiency, reducing energy consumption while improving the purity of the desalinated water.

Additionally, the Saudi Water Authority recently registered a patent for increasing magnesium levels in drinking water using nanotechnology, a pioneering step that strengthens innovation leadership and promotes sustainability. This achievement is expected to enhance the circular economy, promote resource sustainability, and reduce costs. 

Germany’s GI Aqua Tech is one of the leading providers of innovative wastewater treatment solutions in Saudi Arabia. It operates on an innovative pay-per-cubic-meter business model through its subsidiary GI Water as a Service (GI WaaS), enabling accessible and cost-efficient on-site treatment solutions without the need for costly infrastructure. This model supports the circular economy and sustainability goals under Saudi Vision 2030 by maximizing water resource efficiency and combating desertification. Getting its patented G-Nano technology certified by the Saudi authorities, GI Aqua Tech became a pioneer in sustainable wastewater management. This technology reduces energy consumption by 80%, cuts operational footprint by 90%, and eliminates odors, making it highly efficient and eco-friendly.

Another key player is Separation Membranes Innovation (SMI), a Saudi startup specializing in developing and manufacturing high-quality water treatment membranes locally. It utilizes the latest advancements in materials nano-science for superior membrane performance. 

Founded by Saudi researchers and entrepreneurs with deep knowledge of water treatment technologies, SMI provides innovative, high-quality, locally manufactured water treatment membranes and pioneering solutions to address water scarcity challenges across the Middle East and beyond, while establishing Saudi Arabia as a hub for water treatment innovation.

By incorporating real-time monitoring and automation, these companies enable scalable plug-and-play solutions that can be tailored to different sectors, from oil and gas to urban wastewater.

Desert Farming

Recent reports by GASTAT revealed that agriculture remained the largest consumer of water, using 12,298 million cubic meters. However, non-renewable groundwater consumption by the agricultural sector dropped by 7% to 9,356 million cubic meters, compared to 10,044 million cubic meters in 2022. 

Saudi nanotechnology companies and startups utilize precision agriculture tools and smart solutions to optimize resource use and improve crop productivity. These companies embedded nano sensors in the soil and plants, enabling real-time monitoring of soil nutrients, moisture levels, and plant health with unprecedented accuracy. The sensors act as an intelligent nervous system for farms, allowing precise, data-driven irrigation and fertilization that reduces water waste and enhances crop yields in the arid Saudi environment. Other innovations, such as nano-enabled fertilizers and pesticides, were designed to release nutrients slowly and target crops more effectively, minimizing chemical runoff and environmental impact. 

For desert farming, some startups integrate nanotechnology with IoT and renewable energy, supporting controlled environments like solar-powered greenhouses that cultivate salt-tolerant, water-efficient crops compatible with Saudi Arabia’s challenging soil and climate. Key players in this field include iyris, Saudi Desert Control, Arable, Saudi Arabian Hydroponic Company (Zarei), and GreenMast. Research institutions like King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) also contribute to achieving sustainable agriculture and food security by developing nanotech solutions and improving plant growth and resilience adapted to desert conditions.

The role of nanotechnology startups in promoting sustainability and economic growth

By focusing on nano-enabled water treatment and agriculture technologies, these startups help reduce water consumption and pollution, directly supporting Saudi Vision 2030’s environmental and sustainability goals. 

In water treatment, nano-enabled technologies substantially reduce chemical usage, energy consumption, and waste generation. For instance, nano metal oxides act as powerful catalysts and adsorbents that degrade pollutants efficiently in wastewater, enabling cleaner water recycling with minimal environmental impact. Meanwhile, advanced nano-membranes extend membrane lifespans and performance in seawater desalination plants, curbing energy-intensive operations and lowering carbon emissions.

In agriculture, nano-enabled technologies increase overall agricultural productivity, support food security, and reduce import dependence, which benefits the economy.

Economic impacts arise from building a high-tech ecosystem where startups, research institutions, and government initiatives join hands to develop and commercialize nanotech solutions, ultimately accelerating job creation, enhancing local expertise, and boosting exports of advanced materials and sustainable technologies.

Nanotechnology in Saudi agriculture and water sectors faces several challenges despite its promising potential. Technologically, the development and deployment of nanosensors, nano-fertilizers, and nano-enabled water treatment solutions require deep interdisciplinary collaboration across synthetic biology, materials science, agronomy, and data engineering. On the side, fragmented regulations governing nanomaterial use and safety slow down the approval and scale-up of innovative solutions.

Finally, the future for nanotechnology startups in Saudi Arabia’s water and agriculture sectors is promising, although challenges remain. With continuous developments and supportive ecosystem growth, nanotechnology is expected to play a transformative role in securing water resources, enhancing agricultural productivity, and fostering sustainable economic diversification in line with Vision 2030.

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.

Noha Gad

Startup funding models are becoming increasingly diverse, underscoring a shift towards sustainable, flexible, and non-traditional approaches. The landscape emphasizes a mix of traditional equity funding, alternative financing, and innovative investor relations, triggered by advancements in technology, data-driven decision-making, and a desire for founders to maintain control and focus on long-term growth. 

Startups usually rely on venture capital (VC), angel investors, and bank loans to accelerate their growth. However, the pressure to deliver quick returns and meet aggressive growth targets has also contributed to high failure rates and significant stress for many founders. This shift encouraged entrepreneurs to explore alternative paths that prioritize sustainability, control, and long-term success.

What are anti-VC startups?

One of these emerging trends is the rise of anti-VC startups. These companies consciously choose to avoid traditional venture capital funding, focusing on building sustainable, profitable businesses without the typical pressures that come from external investors.

Anti-VC founders prioritize steady growth, profitability, and independence instead of seeking billion-dollar valuations and massive market disruptions. The anti-VC model offers founders autonomy and control over their startups, enabling them to retain full ownership and decision-making power, and to shape their company culture and strategy without external pressures. 

Through this model, startups focus more on achieving steady revenue, profitability, and long-term viability rather than pursuing rapid scale and investor-driven growth targets. This will eventually relieve founders from the constant fundraising cycle and high-stakes performance expectations. Founders can also stay aligned with their mission and vision without compromising due to investor demands for quick exits or pivots.

Further, the anti-VC model helps startups typically maintain healthier balance sheets and cash flows by focusing on revenue and avoiding excessive dilution.

Although the anti-VC model provides various benefits for founders, it comes with multiple disadvantages, notably:

• limited capital: Without VC funding, access to large amounts of growth capital is restricted, potentially slowing expansion and market penetration. Limited funding can also challenge hiring, marketing, R&D, and product development efforts.
• Networking gaps: VC companies usually provide valuable business advice, connections, and strategic support not readily available without their involvement.
• Market perceptions: Lack of VC backing may sometimes be perceived negatively by customers, partners, or later-stage investors.

Tips to build a startup without chasing VC investment

Here are key tips you have to follow to establish an anti-VC startup:

• Build your company based on the life and work balance you desire, rather than chasing aggressive growth for investor returns.
• Focus first on creating an audience, community, or market awareness. Share industry challenges, learning journeys, and solutions before expecting sales.
• Prioritize profitability over sheer growth, ensuring that each decision, hire, or product feature contributes to profitability rather than just scaling user numbers. 
• Automate operations to handle repetitive tasks like payment processing or customer onboarding, while keeping strategic decisions in your hands.
• Maintain operational control to protect the company’s mission and culture from dilution by outside investors.
• Engage hands-on in business growth with a focus on operational excellence and value creation, rather than relying on passive investment or high-risk bets.

The startup ecosystem is expected to witness significant transformation, thanks to the shift in funding models and broader market dynamics, notably the rise of hybrid and alternative funding models that combine founder-friendly values with flexible capital sources like revenue-based financing, syndicates, and equity crowdfunding.

The future suggests that founder-centric, alternative funding approaches will become more viable and respected, empowering entrepreneurs to create resilient businesses that can thrive long-term without losing sight of their core mission.

To sum up, choosing to build an anti-VC startup means embracing a different vision of success, which is grounded in sustainable growth, founder control, and profitability over hype. So, if you are a founder who prioritizes autonomy, balance, and enduring value creation, the anti-VC model is your perfect choice. It challenges conventional startup wisdom and opens new possibilities beyond chasing unicorns, proving that you can achieve meaningful success on your own terms.

Noha Gad

The freelance market in Saudi Arabia has witnessed rapid growth and transformation in recent years, becoming a dynamic and integral part of the national economy. This evolving sector offers flexible opportunities that empower individuals and foster innovation across various industries, aligning with the Vision 2030 agenda.

Digital platforms have played a key role in facilitating seamless connections between freelancers and businesses. Among these platforms, Hurr (formerly Passioneurs) has established itself as a leader in the freelance market, thanks to its secure, user-friendly platform that supports both entrepreneurs and freelancers. 

Sharikat Mubasher spoke with Muna Balhamar, CEO and Founder of Hurr, to learn more about the platform’s role in transforming the freelance industry in Saudi Arabia and the wider region, as well as its next steps to expand its presence locally and regionally, notably following the launch of its new identity.

First, how does Hurr’s business model support entrepreneurs in Saudi Arabia and the wider GCC region?

Hurr was built around one simple belief: entrepreneurship should be accessible, flexible, and sustainable. Our business model supports entrepreneurs and companies by giving them an easy way to find verified freelancers across more than 100 fields, without the burden of traditional hiring.

We help companies cut their employment-related costs by up to 60% by giving them instant access to qualified freelancers instead of hiring full-time roles they do not actually need. This allows entrepreneurs to stay lean, move faster, and grow without heavy overhead.

At the same time, we give freelancers a structured, trusted platform where they can build a real income, access opportunities across the GCC, and scale their skills into long-term careers.

In short, Hurr creates a win-win ecosystem: lowering costs for businesses while expanding opportunities for freelancers—both essential to the growth of entrepreneurship in the region.

How do you utilize technology to help users reduce operational costs?

Technology is at the core of how we help our users focus on their craft rather than overhead. We provide a robust digital marketplace where freelancers and entrepreneurs can create profiles, showcase their services, receive assignments, and get paid, all within one streamlined system. This reduces the need for them to build and maintain complex systems themselves.

We automate key processes: from client-matching and job allocation to payment processing and service review. That means less time spent on admin, less cost on infrastructure, and fewer mistakes.

We also offer analytics and insights to enable entrepreneurs to understand their utilization, pricing, service delivery, and client feedback, helping them optimize their operations and reduce waste.

We invest in scalable cloud infrastructure, modular design, and shared services, which pass cost savings directly to our users so they do not carry the burden of building expensive tech themselves.

And now, we are taking this a step further with our new AI-powered tools. These include features like AI-generated job descriptions to help clients describe their requirements more clearly, smarter AI matching to connect them with the best candidates instantly, and automated filtering to reduce time spent on reviewing profiles. All of this helps businesses hire faster and more accurately, while significantly cutting operational costs.

In essence, we provide the “platform as a service” layer to help entrepreneurs focus on delivering excellence, not on building technology from scratch.

You recently unveiled a new identity. How will this milestone reinforce your presence in the Saudi market and the broader region?

Unveiling our new identity was more than a visual refresh—it was a strategic step toward strengthening our presence in Saudi Arabia, the GCC, and the wider Arab region.

The new brand reflects who we are today: a mature, confident, region-focused platform that understands local culture, language, and the evolving needs of both freelancers and businesses. It reinforces our commitment to being a truly Arab brand built for Arab talent.

It also boosts our credibility. A strong, modern identity helps us stand out in a competitive market and positions Hurr as a trusted partner for organizations across Saudi Arabia and the region. It creates clearer visibility, a deeper connection with users, and a unified message that supports expansion into GCC markets and the broader Arab world.

Most importantly, the new identity aligns our team, our freelancers, and our partners under one vision, helping us scale faster and build a platform that genuinely represents the future of freelancing in our region.

As a woman founder, what are the key challenges female entrepreneurs face in Saudi Arabia, and how do you see the Kingdom’s efforts to empower them?

To be honest, I do not see the challenges the way they are often portrayed. In Saudi Arabia today, women founders actually have incredible opportunities. The ecosystem is opening doors for us, not closing them. We are building companies, attracting partnerships, and leading teams in our own feminine, unique way, and the market is responding positively to that.

What stands out to me is how strongly the Kingdom is supporting and empowering women. From representation to visibility to access, we are seeing genuine encouragement for women to step into leadership and entrepreneurship. The environment now rewards competence, creativity, and commitment, and women in Saudi Arabia are showing all of that and more.

So instead of focusing on obstacles, I see momentum. I see women leading with clarity, compassion, and strength. And I see Saudi Arabia actively creating a space where female entrepreneurs can thrive, scale, and contribute meaningfully to the economy across the GCC and Arab region.

In your opinion, how does the private sector contribute to enhancing the entrepreneurship ecosystem in Saudi Arabia in general, and the freelancing sector in particular?

The private sector in Saudi Arabia today is playing a huge role in pushing the entrepreneurship scene forward. Companies are becoming more open to new models of work, including freelancing, and that shift alone has unlocked a lot of opportunities for talent and for platforms like Hurr.

What I am seeing is that the private sector is no longer waiting for traditional hiring cycles. They want agility, speed, and specialized skills, and freelancers provide exactly that. When big organizations start integrating freelancers into their workforce, it sends a clear message: freelancing is not just a side gig; it is a real, professional career path.

At the same time, companies are collaborating with platforms, creating structured projects, supporting young talent, and giving people a chance to prove themselves. This combination, flexibility and opportunity, is what strengthens the ecosystem. And honestly, it is one of the reasons why the freelancing sector is growing so fast, not only in Saudi Arabia, but across the GCC and the wider Arab region.

Finally, what are Hurr’s plans to strengthen its position in Saudi Arabia and the GCC?

Our focus is very clear: to grow deeper in Saudi Arabia and expand confidently across the GCC. We are doing this by building a truly local, Arab-first experience that reflects the needs of our market.

A few of our next steps include:

● Enhancing the platform with more AI tools that make hiring faster, smarter, and more accurate, from auto job descriptions to intelligent matching and filtering.

● Expanding our freelancer community with more specialization and higher-quality talent that matches the demands of the region.

● Forming strategic partnerships with companies that want reliable, flexible, and cost-efficient hiring solutions.

● Strengthening our presence across the GCC, making it easier for companies to hire across borders and for freelancers to work regionally.

● Building an ecosystem, not just a platform, one that connects talent, companies, and opportunities across the Arab world.

And ultimately, our goal is to position Hurr as the leading platform for freelance solutions in Saudi Arabia, the GCC, and the wider Arab region — the place companies trust and freelancers prefer.

Ghada Ismail

Every founder needs confidence. It’s what gets a startup off the ground, convinces early employees to take a chance, and persuades investors that an unproven idea is worth funding. But confidence has a darker side, a hidden cost many founders don’t realize they’re paying until it’s too late. Call it the ego tax: the silent drain on a startup’s potential when overconfidence begins to replace discipline, humility, and reality.

In Saudi Arabia’s fast-growing startup ecosystem — where ambition is high, capital is flowing, and competition is fierce — ego is becoming one of the most underestimated threats to early-stage companies. It rarely appears in pitch decks or failure reports, but its fingerprints are everywhere.

Ego Makes Founders Overestimate Their Market

Founders don’t intentionally misread the market. But ego can cloud judgment. It convinces startups that customers will “naturally” adopt the product, that competitors “don’t really get it,” or that early traction is a sign of inevitable dominance.

In practice, this leads to painful consequences: poor market sizing, weak customer discovery, and product-market fit assumptions that crumble under real-world pressure.

Many young Saudi startups expand too fast into multiple cities, or rush into new product lines before proving demand, not because the market asked for it, but because the founders believed it should.

Ego Blocks Feedback — Especially the Feedback That Hurts

The best entrepreneurs are feedback machines. But ego filters feedback, letting in only what feels good.

When overconfidence kicks in, founders ignore:

• Customer complaints
• Team warnings
• Investor concerns
• Industry benchmarks

In boardrooms, investors often see the same story: brilliant founders who stop listening after the first round of praise. The ego tax grows quietly each time a founder dismisses a tough question or refuses to pivot.

Ego Creates Blind Spots in Building the Team

A founder with an unchecked ego tends to hire people who won’t challenge them. That leads to weak leadership teams, inflated titles, and a culture where problems stay hidden until they explode.

Some of the most unfortunate startup failures in the region come from teams where everyone “agreed” not because they genuinely believed in the plan, but because it felt safer than disagreeing.

Ego Leads to Overbuilding and Burning Cash

Overconfident founders often overbuild products, raise too much too early, or spend aggressively to signal momentum. Offices too fancy. Teams too large. Marketing campaigns too soon.

Saudi Arabia's startup scene is no exception. With investor enthusiasm on the rise, ego-driven spending becomes an easy trap, one that later shows up in runaway burn rates and painful down-rounds.

Ego Prevents Startups from Admitting Mistakes Early

The most expensive mistakes in startups aren’t the wrong decisions. They’re the wrong decisions stayed with for too long.

Ego convinces founders that:

• “One more sprint will fix it.”
• “The market just doesn’t understand yet.”
• “If we stop now, it means we were wrong.”

But the smartest founders cut their losses quickly. They pivot without shame. They admit when an idea isn’t working, and that humility often saves the company.

How Founders Can Avoid Paying the Ego Tax

You don’t eliminate ego. You manage it. Here’s how:

1. Surround yourself with people who challenge you.
If no one in the room disagrees with you, you don’t have a team; you have an audience.

2. Treat customer feedback as data, not criticism.
The harshest feedback usually holds the strongest truth.

3. Do disciplined market validation before investing big.
Belief is not a business model.

4. Institutionalize humility.
Data analysis, weekly metrics reviews, and open culture create a system that keeps ego in check.

5. Remember: you are not the customer.
Your intuition matters; however, it cannot replace real-world testing.

Wrapping Things Up…

In the end, ego rarely destroys a startup overnight. It erodes it quietly in the assumptions left unchallenged, the decisions made without data, and the warnings ignored until they become crises. A founder can recover from a bad hire, a failed launch, or even a funding setback. But recovering from a culture shaped by overconfidence is far harder.

The founders who win in Saudi Arabia’s fast-evolving ecosystem will be the ones who pair ambition with self-awareness. Confidence gets you started. Humility keeps you alive.

Noha Gad

Starting a business can be the most entertaining experience entrepreneurs ever undertake. The ability to be the master of their own destiny has a huge draw; however, they should be aware that the odds are stacked against them.

Recent statistics by Get Indemnity showed that nearly 60% of startups fail within five years, and 20% will close within just 12 months. There is a wide range of reasons why startups fail; however, cash flow is commonly identified as the largest cause of concern for the majority of SMEs. Other reasons include the lack of market fit, operational inefficiencies, legal complications, and cybersecurity threats.

In light of these challenges, failure insurance represents a valuable tool for startups to mitigate the financial and operational impacts of risk events. It encompasses various policies designed to transfer risk away from the startup to an insurer, offering crucial protection against costly setbacks.

Incorporating failure insurance into a startup’s risk management strategy is more than just a safety net; it is a vital component of building investor confidence and long-term resilience. This protection not only safeguards the startup’s resources but also helps maintain business continuity in times of crisis, enabling startups to focus on growth rather than the specter of catastrophic loss.

Why startups need failure insurance?

Failure insurance helps startups navigate the uncertainties inherent in early-stage ventures, empowering founders to pursue innovation with a buffer against unpredictable failures.

Events such as fires, theft, lawsuits, or cyberattacks can lead to severe financial losses that most startups cannot afford to cover out of pocket. Failure insurance transfers these risks to an insurer, providing a vital safety net that can help startups recover and continue operating despite setbacks. 

Failure insurance could also help startups maintain business continuity in the face of disruptions. Business interruption coverage, which is often part of failure insurance packages, supports startups by compensating for lost income during periods when normal operations are halted. 

Additionally, having failure insurance in place signals professionalism and prudence to stakeholders, making startups appear more credible and trustworthy. Insurance coverage, such as general liability, professional liability, and directors and officers (D&O) insurance, reaffirms that the startup is protected against a variety of legal and operational risks. 

Startups face several risks that threaten their survival and success, notably:

• Lack of product-market fit: Most startups fail when the product or service does not meet market needs or attract customers.
• Cash flow problems: Running out of cash or insufficient financing to cover operational costs is a major risk.
• Team-related issues: Poor team dynamics, lack of skills, conflicts, or inappropriate team composition.
• Lack of clear business model or plan: No structured revenue model or strategic planning.
• Operational inefficiencies: Management failures, poor decisions, and organizational issues.
• Cybersecurity and tech risks: Data breaches, outdated technology, or system failures.

Choosing the right insurance

Selecting the right failure insurance involves a strategic and dynamic approach tailored to each startup’s unique circumstances. Founders can build a comprehensive insurance strategy that protects their startups and supports sustainable growth by following these steps:

• Conducting a comprehensive risk assessment.
• Understanding legal and contractual requirements.
• Evaluating coverage types and policy details.
• Considering the startup stage and growth plans.
• Consulting experienced insurance advisors.
• Updating insurance regularly in alignment with business changes.

Finally, failure insurance is an essential component of a comprehensive risk management strategy for startups as it helps protect founders’ investments, preserve business continuity, and mitigate the potentially devastating impacts of unforeseen events. Securing appropriate failure insurance allows startups to operate with greater confidence and resilience in today’s competitive and uncertain market. Thus, founders should view failure insurance as an indispensable part of their business toolkit to safeguard their vision and hard work.

Ghada Ismail

In the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the startup narrative continues to gain momentum under Vision 2030’s banner of innovation and economic diversification. Yet beneath the high-profile headlines of unicorns and mega‑funding rounds lies a quieter, but equally vital story: that of entrepreneurs whose first venture did not succeed and how they regroup, recalibrate, and launch again. For many Saudi entrepreneurs, failure is not a dead‑end but a stepping stone. So what drives these second-time founders? Where do they go after their first setback? And what does their journey reveal about the evolution of the Saudi startup ecosystem?

The first failure: stepping stones, not detours

Failure remains a common part of the startup lifecycle. Research globally suggests the majority of new ventures struggle to survive. For Saudi founders, the hardships may be slightly tougher given local cultural expectations, but shifting attitudes and ecosystem maturity are changing the narrative.

Take the story of Abdullah Alsaadi, co-founder and CEO of Taker.io. He launched his first idea, a cryptocurrency app, and after building nearly 30,000 lines of code, realized he had built something cool, but there was simply no market for it. His second attempt, a Salesforce‑platform app, failed because the Middle East infrastructure and market readiness were not aligned. Only after several more attempts did the business model click.

Similarly, Hatem Kameli (founder of Resal) started his first online business early in his career, closing down more than one venture due to a lack of venture capital.  

Since launching his first company at just 19, Hatem Kameli has been a driving force in Saudi Arabia’s startup scene. Today, the digital entrepreneur is preparing for his boldest move yet as he takes his company, Resal, public.

When a young Hatem founded his first internet startup two decades ago, right after the dotcom crash, family and friends urged him to focus on university and pursue a stable government job instead. But he was determined to chart his own path.

Two decades and several ventures later, Hatem stands as one of Saudi Arabia’s most recognized entrepreneurs. As Co-Founder and CEO of Resal, the Middle East’s largest digital gifting platform, he continues to push boundaries.

“In all my companies, I have always tried to use new technologies in ways that make a real difference to the economy and have a positive impact on people’s lives,” he says. “Whatever I do, I want to add value to the community.”

The journey was far from smooth. Hatem shuttered two early online ventures because of the scarcity of venture capital at the time. After selling one of his more successful startups, he decided to gain corporate experience by working on digital strategy projects for major banks and airlines, while also completing an MBA.

That experience proved invaluable. By the time Saudi Arabia unveiled Vision 2030, Hatem was perfectly positioned to ride the wave of transformation reshaping the Kingdom’s economy.

“Everything changed with Vision 2030,” he says. “We now have incubators and accelerators for startups, plentiful venture capital, and multiple financing programs. The ecosystem is incredible.”

“I’m grateful to work in a regional hub for technology, fintech, e-commerce, and digital entertainment.”

Hatem did not just benefit from this ecosystem. He helped build it. He contributed to one of Saudi Arabia’s first technology incubators, creating bridges between investors and startups. Alongside leading a digital marketing agency and launching a social media analytics platform, he pursued executive education at top international institutions and authored two books on social media marketing.

That same energy and passion for connecting people culminated in Resal, an award-winning platform that enables users and corporations to send and manage digital gift cards across hundreds of partner brands.

What emerges is a pattern: founders who don’t succeed the first time often gain resilience, domain familiarity, and networks, which prime them for a second act. From this, we realize that failure isn’t a detour; it becomes part of the journey.

What drives the comeback?

• Experience and resilience: Founders who have been through a rough first ride often have a thicker skin and better perspective. Alsaadi remarked that the six years of “failure after failure” taught him far more than success ever could. 
• Ecosystem backing: The Saudi startup ecosystem has grown substantially. Incubators, accelerators, government-backed funds, and regulatory reform now offer greater support than in earlier years of many founders’ first ventures.
• Refined idea selection: Having seen what does not work, second-time founders are often more deliberate about product–market fit, monetization, and business model viability.
• Network and credibility: Although prior failure carries a reputational risk, it also signals experience; founders who persevered have built networks, seen terrain, and can often draw on those assets for the next venture.

Paths taken after failure: Saudi second-time founder routes

In the Saudi context, second-time founders tend to follow one of a few broad routes:

a) Pivot and rebuild in the same or adjacent domain
Some entrepreneurs double down in their field, applying the lessons learned. Hatem Kameli’s pathway illustrates this: after early web‑ventures and business roles, he launched Resal in the digital gift‑cards sector when the timing and ecosystem were more favourable. This route allows the reuse of domain knowledge and contacts built during the first run.

b) Shift to a different sector or business model
Others take a hard pivot: they may leave a B2C model or consumer‑play and move into B2B, SaaS, enterprise, or niche segments where unit economics and market clarity improve. Alsaadi’s evolution is instructive: after his first few failed attempts, he focused on a SaaS platform (Taker.io) targeting restaurant ordering for a tighter set of customers, a clearer value‑proposition, and more achievable scale in Saudi. 

c) Serial entrepreneurship/portfolio approach
There is a growing mindset among Saudi founders: treat ventures as cycles. One venture may fail, but it becomes input into the next. Rather than view failure as ending the journey, they see it as calibration. In this sense, the second act is not “re-trying the same idea” but “applying accumulated experience to a better‑aligned idea”.

Lessons brought into the second act

From founder interviews and credible commentary, several recurring lessons appear:

• Test product–market fit early & deeply: Alsaadi admitted that his first app failed not because of technology, but because there was no market. 

• Own your destiny from day one: Second-time founders often emphasize controlling core components — hiring, metrics, cashflow — rather than relying purely on hype or external validation.

• Accept failure and iterate quickly: failure is not taboo, but rather a stage of the journey. 
• Adapt to the Saudi market context: Founders who succeed the second time have tailored their solution to local culture, regulatory environment, and consumer behavior rather than importing templates blindly.

Conclusion

The story of second-time founders in Saudi Arabia illustrates the evolution of the Kingdom’s startup ecosystem. Founders such as Abdullah Alsaadi and Hatem Kameli show that failure is not the end of the road; it can be the launchpad for a more aligned, disciplined, and timed second act. As the ecosystem matures, more Saudi entrepreneurs are using their first setback not as a stigma but as preparation.

Yet, success is not automatic. It demands realism, discipline, adaptation to the Saudi market, and courage to iterate. The key takeaway? For Saudi founders, the second attempt often matters more than the first. Failure is no longer taboo; it’s rather a credential. And in the Kingdom’s dynamic startup world, the founder who didn’t give up may be exactly the one who succeeds.

Ghada Ismail

Every startup starts with a spark.  That moment when a founder spots a problem and thinks, “I can fix this.” But once you dive in, you quickly realize the water’s already full of other swimmers, all chasing the same customers, the same investors, and often, the same idea.

Welcome to the Red Ocean, a sea of fierce competition where businesses fight for survival. The water turns “red” because everyone’s battling for the same slice of the market.

But just beyond that chaos lies another kind of ocean: calm, vast, and full of possibility. It’s called the Blue Ocean. This is where startups don’t just compete; they create. Instead of fighting for market share, they open entirely new markets that didn’t exist before.

For founders building in Saudi Arabia’s fast-moving ecosystem, understanding which ocean you’re swimming in — and when to change course — can be the difference between sinking and sailing.

The Red Ocean: Competing in Crowded Waters

A red ocean is an existing market that’s well-defined, familiar, and crowded. It’s where businesses fight to stand out by cutting prices, speeding up delivery, or launching new features every few months.

Think about how saturated the food delivery market has become across the region. Every app offered the same restaurants, the same deals, and the same “15-minute delivery” promises. Growth came fast, but it came at a cost of endless discounts and shrinking margins.

Still, red oceans aren’t all bad. They’re predictable. There’s already demand, data, and investor interest. If you’re more efficient or execute better than others, you can thrive. But you’ll need to stay alert because one small shift in the market can wipe out your edge overnight.

The Blue Ocean: Creating Calm Waters of Your Own

Now picture the opposite: a market so fresh it doesn’t even have competitors yet. That’s the blue ocean. Here, startups create new demand, redefine value, and make competition irrelevant.

Take Tamara, for example. When it launched, “buy now, pay later” wasn’t yet common in Saudi Arabia. Instead of joining the traditional payments crowd, Tamara introduced something new: a local twist on BNPL that emphasized flexibility, trust, and Sharia compliance. It didn’t fight for customers; it created new ones. That’s blue ocean strategy in action: finding unmet needs and meeting them in a way no one else has.

Why So Many Startups Start in the Red

Most founders don’t dive straight into blue waters. It’s much easier — and safer — to start in a red ocean. Investors like proven markets. Customers understand the product. The data already exists.

But there’s a catch: red oceans often turn into races to the bottom. When every company offers the same thing, differentiation disappears. You stop focusing on innovation and start focusing on survival.

Saudi Arabia’s booming startup scene is seeing this happen fast — especially in fintech, e-commerce, logistics, and SaaS. The number of players in each space keeps growing, and standing out is getting harder by the day.

That’s why smart founders don’t just compete harder; they compete differently.

How to Find Your Own Blue Ocean

You don’t have to invent an entirely new industry to swim in a blue ocean. Sometimes, all it takes is a fresh perspective.

Here’s how founders can start shifting from red to blue:

• Reimagine value. Don’t just add more features, rethink what truly matters to your customer.
• Look at non-customers. Who isn’t using your product yet? What’s stopping them? That’s often where opportunity lies.
• Simplify boldly. The best ideas solve one problem exceptionally well, not ten problems halfway.

Balancing Vision with Reality

Blue oceans sound exciting — and they are — but they’re also unpredictable. There’s little data, few customer benchmarks, and no guarantee investors will understand your idea right away.

That’s why many founders blend both strategies. They start in the red to prove demand and sail toward the blue once they’ve earned traction. This hybrid approach helps balance risk with opportunity, a smart strategy in a developing yet ambitious market like Saudi Arabia’s.

So, Which Ocean Is Yours?

If you love efficiency and fine-tuning an existing model, the red ocean might suit you. If you thrive on innovation and uncertainty, the blue ocean could be your calling. But the best founders know how to navigate between both, combining the best from the two worlds: learning from the red, then sailing into the blue when the tide is right.

Mohamed Ramzy

Amid the rapid growth of the Egyptian entrepreneurship sector, documented data and verified information emerged as the backbone of this sector, and one of the key drivers supporting both investors and entrepreneurs.

Entlaq is a pivotal player in reshaping Egypt’s entrepreneurship ecosystem, combining consulting, policy-making, and direct support programs for businesses. Its core strength lies in its government relations and ability to produce in-depth research reports, making it a vital bridge between entrepreneurs and policymakers.

In this interview, Sharikat Mubasher speaks with Managing Director Omar Rezk about Entlaq’s journey, programs, and future plans, in addition to his insights on the entrepreneurship sector in Egypt and the promising opportunities ahead for startups.

First, can you tell us more about Entlaq?

Founded in 2022, Entlaq is an entrepreneurial think tank providing specialized studies and consultancies, as well as market, economic, and strategic research for Egyptian and international entities, aiming to support and empower entrepreneurs. Its clientele includes local and global entities, venture capital funds, multinational companies, and startups operating in Egyptian and regional markets.

What inspired you to establish Entlaq?

We established Entlaq to fill the wide gap in accurate data and verified information that faces all stakeholders in the entrepreneurship ecosystem, including the government, active entities, policymakers, the private sector, investors, and startups.

Entlaq plays a pivotal role in empowering entrepreneurs through specialized information and data, especially given the promising opportunities, young talent, creative ideas, and the national capital capable of transforming the sector. 

Entlaq offers various programs to support entrepreneurs. Can you share more about these programs and their impact on Egypt’s entrepreneurship ecosystem?

We provide a wide range of programs for entrepreneurs and startup owners, each has its specific goal and is supported by relevant entities, whether from the government, the private sector, or developmental institutions. This includes:

• Capacity building and upskilling program: aims to equip entrepreneurs and businesses with advanced skills and knowledge to drive innovation, growth, and competitiveness in Egypt's startup ecosystem.
• Accelerators and incubators: tailored programs to support startups at different stages, offering mentorship, resources, and networking opportunities to accelerate growth and foster innovation.
• Corporate innovation and investment readiness programs: empower corporations to drive growth and sustainability by fostering innovation, integrating cutting-edge solutions, and collaborating with startups.
• Ready for Tomorrow program: aims to empower Egyptian youth and enhance their entrepreneurial skills. Nearly 840 entrepreneurs participated in the program through four structured stages, and 120 startups advanced to two pre-incubators, with 18 startups being shortlisted for the final stage.
• Food Security and Sustainable Agriculture Pre-Acceleration program: a 10-day hybrid initiative supporting up to 20 early-stage Agri-Tech startups, focusing on areas like geo-data, organic farming, and efficient irrigation

How many startups have benefited from these programs?

We implemented these programs in 12 governorates, benefitting around 4,000 individuals. They supported and empowered nearly 140 Egyptian startups, 45 of which have benefited from our incubators.

Entlaq also provides a training program, in partnership with the Ministry of Youth and Sports and TikTok, to empower 10,000 male and female entrepreneurs to expand their projects.

What are the key companies that benefited from Entlaq’s programs?

Through our business accelerator, we invested in Tayar, a leading provider of smart transportation and delivery services across Egyptian governorates. We also invested in the health tech company QUBX3D and Bolt Energy, a pioneering company specializing in renewable energy solutions.

Do you plan to inject new investments in other companies in the near future?

Entlaq is not an investment institution, but part of our business model is to manage investments or funding provided by financiers to be injected into startups through our accelerators. Our investments in these companies have been made according to this model.

How does Entalq fund its operations, through venture capital or self-funding? 

We do not rely on venture capital funding; rather, we focus on expanding our income resources by enhancing operations and services.

Speaking about the first annual entrepreneurship report recently released by Entlaq, what are the main points that were highlighted?

In general, the report highlighted the growth of the Egyptian entrepreneurship sector over the past years, underscoring the pivotal role of the government and investment funds in supporting the sector and advancing the VC industry.

It also showcased the massive opportunities in the Egyptian market, evident in its vast pool of talent and skills, with around 700,000 university graduates annually. Additionally, the report discussed the readiness of the Egyptian market in regard to the technological infrastructure and other capabilities that enable the country to compete regionally.

In your opinion, what are the major challenges that currently face the entrepreneurship sector in Egypt?

One of the major challenges that the sector faces is the ability to maintain macroeconomic stability, which is considered a catalyst for entrepreneurship and startups' growth. Between 2018 and 2021, macroeconomic indices enjoyed a state of stability that positively impacted the performance of the Egyptian startups, securing nearly $1.2 billion in investments. Thus, the entrepreneurship sector is anticipated to thrive and grow by preserving the economic stability that Egypt has seen since the second half of 2024.

What are the most promising sectors for startups in Egypt?

Similar to the regional and global markets, fintech and e-commerce are among the most attractive sectors for investments in Egypt. We also see promising opportunities in the agriculture technology sector, given that agriculture accounts for more than 20% of the gross domestic product (GDP), along with other emerging sectors such as education technology, digital health, and property technology.

How do you assess the Egyptian market compared to neighboring markets?

Egypt is one of the region's most active markets for VC investments, and perhaps the most sustainable. Almost 42% of the capital volume in VC funds in Egypt is secured through development funds backed by international entities, while the remaining portion is secured by the private sector, with a very limited percentage of government contributions. This is what distinguishes Egypt from other neighboring markets.

For instance, in Saudi Arabia, government organizations and entities represent the largest source of VC funds. However, this model is not as sustainable in the long term as it is in the Egyptian market.

In your opinion, what is the total investment volume that Egyptian startups are expected to attract this year?

Egyptian startups successfully secured over $300 million across various sectors during the first nine months of 2025. We expect them to maintain the levels of the past two years, which ranged between $400 and $500 million. 

Does Entlaq plan to expand into other markets, or does it focus mainly on the Egyptian market?

We focus on the Egyptian market in the first place, but we also plan to expand into neighboring markets. Entlaq currently studies expanding into promising African markets, thanks to their high competitiveness and the increasing demand for technology and pioneering companies that can change people’s lives positively.

Translation: Noha Gad

Ghada Ismail

In today’s startup economy, funding stories usually focus on big venture capital rounds and billion-dollar valuations. But behind the scenes, another financial layer is quietly reshaping the investment landscape, which is the secondary market. It’s becoming increasingly important as startups stay private longer and investors look for earlier liquidity.

So, What Exactly Is a Secondary Market?

In simple terms, the secondary market is where existing shares of a startup are bought and sold between investors, rather than issued by the company.

• In a primary market, a startup raises money by issuing new shares, and the cash goes directly to the company.
• In a secondary market, shareholders like founders, early employees, or angel investors sell their shares to other investors, and the cash goes to the seller, not the startup.

No new capital enters the business, but ownership changes hands.

Why Does It Exist?

Startups today often take 7–10 years to reach an IPO or acquisition. During that long wait, early investors and employees often hold paper wealth without access to real liquidity.

This is where the secondary market plays a role:

• Founders and early employees can sell a portion of their shares without waiting for an exit.
• Angel investors or early VCs can partially cash out and reallocate capital to new startups.
• New investors gain access to high-growth companies that aren’t raising fresh primary capital anymore.

In short, it creates liquidity in a traditionally illiquid asset class.

Who’s Involved?

Sellers may include:

• Founders seeking financial flexibility or diversification.
• Employees with vested stock options.
• Early-stage investors reducing risk or locking in profits.

Buyers are typically:

• Growth-stage venture funds.
• Sovereign wealth funds or family offices.
• Corporates or secondary-focused investment firms.

Why It’s Important to the Startup Ecosystem

1. Supports Founder and Employee Stability
Secondary sales allow founders to secure financial stability without exiting the company. This reduces pressure to sell early and helps them stay committed for the long term. Employees, especially in fast-growing startups, view liquidity opportunities as part of their compensation, making the company more attractive for talent.

2. Encourages Capital Recycling
When angel investors or early VCs exit part of their stake, they can reinvest in new startups. This creates a healthier, self-sustaining investment ecosystem.

3. No Share Dilution
Unlike primary fundraising, secondary transactions don’t dilute ownership. This makes it attractive for startups that want to reward shareholders without changing equity structures.

But It’s Not Without Challenges

Secondary market activity must be carefully managed. Common concerns include:

• Valuation Disputes: What is the real price per share in a private company with no public market?
• Cap Table Complications: Too many small or misaligned shareholders can create governance challenges.
• Right of First Refusal (ROFR): Most startups legally control who can buy shares, which can slow negotiations.
• Investor Misalignment: New investors buying heavily in secondary markets might pressure for an early exit or faster returns.

Examples and Global Relevance

Globally, companies like SpaceX, Stripe, and Databricks regularly run structured secondary programs, allowing employees and early investors to sell a portion of their shares.

In emerging ecosystems such as Saudi Arabia and the wider MENA region, secondary transactions are becoming more common, especially as startups reach growth-stage funding and sovereign wealth funds show increasing interest.

Why It Matters?

As private companies stay private longer and valuations soar, the traditional idea that investors must wait for an IPO to see returns is fading. Secondary markets are now a strategic tool:

• For founders: financial safety without losing control.
• For investors: faster liquidity and portfolio rebalancing.
• For ecosystems: better capital circulation and maturity.

Wrapping Things Up…

Secondary markets used to be a quiet corner of the investment world. Today, they’re a key part of how modern startup ecosystems function. They provide liquidity, reduce risk, reward early contributors, and help capital flow more efficiently, all while allowing startups to keep growing without going public too early.

Noha Gad

The dynamic process of establishing a new business venture involves a blend of creativity, risk-taking, and vision to create value and drive economic growth. Entrepreneurs often seek to disrupt existing markets by introducing brand-new solutions, and their efforts can lead to significant social and technological advancements. This mindset involves identifying opportunities, leading change, and managing risks to build sustainable enterprises that can scale and influence industries over time.

The growing interest in solo business ventures and startups is reshaping the entrepreneurial landscape as more individuals choose to launch businesses on their own, triggered by the desire for autonomy, flexibility, and direct control over their work and income. This surge reflects an ideal shift where people prefer manageable, passion-driven enterprises that they can operate independently rather than large, complex organizations. Hence, the solopreneur model emerged as an emphasis on self-reliance, direct responsibility, and often a lifestyle-oriented approach to business.

What is a solopreneur?

A solopreneur is an individual who owns, manages, and runs their business independently without the support of co-founders, partners, or full-time employees. They typically start their ventures with personal funds and maintain tight control over every aspect of operations, favoring stability and manageable growth.

Key characteristics of a solopreneur include versatility, as they perform multiple roles themselves; high accountability, as they are responsible for all decisions and outcomes; and resourcefulness, often working with limited resources and finding cost-effective solutions to sustain their business.

Unlike traditional business owners who build teams, solopreneurs typically operate on a smaller scale, focusing on manageable business models that align with their skills and lifestyle preferences.

Solopreneur vs. Entrepreneurs

Key differences between solopreneurs and entrepreneurs include their approach to business structure, growth goals, risk, and control.

*Business structure

Solopreneurs: act as both the founder and the employee who handles every aspect of the business. 

Entrepreneurs: focus on building and managing teams. They delegate responsibilities, hire specialists, and create systems that allow the business to operate independently.

*Growth goals

Solopreneurs: seek sustainable, manageable businesses that support their lifestyle and financial independence. They prioritize steady income and control over rapid growth

Entrepreneurs: aim for scale and long-term expansion, targeting market dominance, multiple revenue streams, and sometimes preparing for acquisitions or an eventual exit.

*Funding

Solopreneurs: They typically self-fund their ventures, bearing lower financial risk as their operations are smaller and less complex.

Entrepreneurs: They require substantial capital investment to cover payroll, infrastructure, and growth initiatives.

*Control

Solopreneurs: maintain complete control over every business decision

Entrepreneurs: share control with partners, investors, and employees by delegating authority to manage complex business functions.

*Business focus

Solopreneurs: focus on a single product or niche, maintaining simplicity and direct client relationships.

Entrepreneurs: handle multiple projects, markets, or product lines.

Pros and cons of being a solopreneur

Being a solopreneur comes with several notable advantages and disadvantages. Understanding these can help individuals decide if this path aligns with their personal goals, skills, and lifestyle preferences.

Pros:

• Full creative control over business vision, brand, and decision.
• Flexibility to set schedules and work from anywhere, supporting better work-life balance.
• Low overhead costs as the is no need to pay salaries or office rent.
• Ability to adapt rapidly to market changes and make quick decisions.
• Retain all profits.

Cons:

• High workload as they handle every aspect of the business. 
• Limited expertise outside core skills.
• Risk of isolation and loneliness due to lack of team interaction and collaboration.
• Bearing full financial and operational risks.

There are many factors that individuals must consider to decide which bath is right. This includes: personal goals and ambitions, risk tolerance, desire for control versus collaboration, and lifestyle preferences. Individuals who seek complete autonomy and manageable, lifestyle-friendly businesses may prefer solopreneurship, while those driven by growth, innovation, and building sizable enterprises with multiple stakeholders may find entrepreneurship more suitable. 

Finally, both solopreneurs and entrepreneurs play pivotal roles in the business ecosystem, and understanding their differences empowers you to forge a fulfilling and impactful journey in the world of business.

Mohamed Ramzy

Amid the rapid digital transformation sweeping across the food and beverage sector (F&B), technology companies play a vital role in supporting entrepreneurs and enhancing operational efficiency.

Among the most prominent of these companies is Foodics, a key player in the markets where it operates. The company maintains direct offices in five main markets—Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Egypt, Kuwait, and Jordan, while its advanced technological solutions reach over 30 countries worldwide.

Through its integrated restaurant and café management systems, Foodics has significantly contributed to improving efficiency, optimizing performance, and enabling restaurant owners to expand and grow their businesses.

In this interview, Bilal Zahran, Regional General Manager of Foodics for Egypt and the UAE, speaks with Sharikat Mubasher about the company’s expansion plans in Egypt and across the region, explaining how Foodics’ mission goes beyond providing digital solutions to focus on empowering entrepreneurs and small and medium enterprises (SMEs) to manage their operations more efficiently.

What are the main services and solutions you offer to entrepreneurs and startups in the restaurant sector?

The company provides numerous solutions and products that serve startups in the restaurant and café industry and facilitate their business operations.

We offer an integrated point-of-sale (POS) system specifically designed for restaurants, in addition to accounting applications and solutions tailored to their needs.

Recently, we launched the Foodics BI business intelligence tool, which represents a major leap in this field. It enables restaurant owners to analyze their data with greater insight, understand customer behavior, accurately track daily performance, and predict future trends. This translates into well-informed decisions that enhance operational efficiency and support long-term growth. Simply, this tool turns data into a true source of power for any business.

How do your solutions specifically empower small and medium enterprises?

We focus on simplifying operational processes for SME owners. Our solutions help them manage sales, inventory, and data effectively, reducing administrative burdens and opening doors for expansion.

We also provide customized training programs to ensure our tools are used in the simplest and most efficient way possible.

Today, more than 33,500 active restaurant branches worldwide use Foodics technologies as of the end of the first half of 2025, with the total value of transactions processed through the Foodics platform exceeding $6 billion.

What distinguishes Foodics’ solutions from others available in the market?

What sets us apart is that we do not merely provide technological tools; we deliver comprehensive and user-friendly solutions that address the diverse needs of restaurants and cafés, both large and small.

We focus especially on empowering small and medium enterprises with practical solutions that grant them a sustainable competitive advantage and help them manage their businesses with high efficiency.

You mentioned that technology is no longer an option but a necessity. How does Foodics translate this vision into tangible support for entrepreneurs?

We translate this vision by developing integrated solutions that cover all aspects of operational processes, while offering continuous support channels to help clients keep pace with rapid changes.

We do not merely offer a product, but we offer a strategic partnership that accompanies entrepreneurs on their journey of digital transformation and growth.

To what extent can artificial intelligence enhance the efficiency of entrepreneurs in this sector?

Artificial intelligence has become a fundamental component capable of improving the customer experience through smart recommendations, optimizing costs by managing resources more precisely, and forecasting consumption patterns to meet demand.

These capabilities empower entrepreneurs to make faster decisions and deliver more competitive and sustainable services.

What are Foodics’ expansion plans for the coming phase?

We are working to strengthen our presence in the Egyptian market strategically and thoughtfully, by launching advanced technological solutions that directly address the needs of the fast-growing restaurant and café sector.

Our efforts focus on offering more integrated products that help entrepreneurs manage sales, inventory, and customer experiences, while introducing business intelligence and advanced analytics tools.

For us, Egypt is not merely an important market; it is a central hub within our regional strategy.

How do you assess the Egyptian market’s response to Foodics’ solutions compared to other markets?

The response in Egypt has been exceptionally strong. We have witnessed great enthusiasm from entrepreneurs and restaurant owners to adopt our digital solutions.

The Egyptian market is characterized by digital readiness and high growth rates, along with a growing awareness of the importance of technology as a fundamental tool for continuity and expansion.

Compared with other markets, Egypt is more flexible and adaptive to new solutions, making it a promising and ideal market for expansion.

How do you view Egypt’s future position on the regional and global technology map?

Egypt possesses all the necessary ingredients to become a regional hub for technology and innovation, starting from its infrastructure, through its human capital, to its strategic geographic location.

If these assets are optimally utilized, the country can achieve a prominent global position in the near future.

When expanding regionally, what are the main challenges you face, and how do you overcome them?

The key challenges lie in the differences in digital infrastructure, regulations, and market needs, as what works effectively in one country may not be as suitable in another.

We overcome this by gaining deep local market insight, engaging directly with customers, and developing flexible, adaptable solutions.

We also build strategic partnerships with key stakeholders in each market, which helps us deliver practical, relevant solutions and enhances our ability to succeed and sustain growth.

How does Foodics balance meeting current market needs with shaping the future?

We follow a dual strategy: First, addressing daily market needs through practical and efficient solutions.
Second, continuously investing in innovation, artificial intelligence, and advanced analytics to ensure our clients’ readiness for the future and their ability to compete in a rapidly changing environment.

In conclusion, Foodics believes that innovation and partnerships are the foundation for building a more efficient and sustainable future for the food and beverage sector, an approach that reinforces Egypt’s role as a regional hub for technology and innovation.

Translated by: Ghada Ismail

Noha Gad

The retail sector in Saudi Arabia is undergoing robust growth, driven by a digitally savvy young population, increasing consumer confidence, and shifting spending habits. According to a report published by the IMARC Group, the size of the e-commerce market in Saudi Arabia is projected to grow to $708.7 billion in 2033, showing a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 12.8% from 2025 to 2033. Additionally, experts anticipate that 75% of retail spending will come from Saudi youth by 2035. They also expected the Saudi e-commerce sector to grow significantly, with one in four retail transactions happening online.

The adoption of retail technology (retail tech) stands at the heart of this revolution. Saudi retailers rapidly embrace artificial intelligence (AI) for personalized marketing and demand forecasting, Internet of Things (IoT) solutions for smart inventory management, biometric authentication, mobile wallets, and other seamless payment options.

The retail tech market in Saudi Arabia is expected to achieve revenue of $7.2 billion by 2033, with a CAGR of 32.8% from 2025 to 2033, according to recent figures by the Grand View Horizon.

Digital transformation in the Saudi retail sector

Saudi Arabia is one of the most connected markets in the region, which fuels widespread adoption of digital retail technologies, driven by government initiative under Vision 2030 and evolving consumer expectations. Emerging technologies play a crucial role in revolutionizing the retail industry in Saudi Arabia. Most of the retail tech companies in Saudi Arabia harness AI for predictive analytics, personalized marketing, automated customer service through chatbots, and demand forecasting, ultimately enhancing operational efficiency and creating tailored shopping experiences. Also, IoT technologies are becoming integral, with smart shelves, digital signage, and interactive displays improving real-time inventory management and product visibility. 

Software-as-a-service (SaaS) solutions could support digital sales growth by enabling small and medium enterprises (SMEs) to digitize their operations, manage logistics, and accept online payments. Additionally, the rollout of 5G networks significantly enabled seamless integration of online and offline retail experiences, supporting omnichannel strategies that blend physical and digital interactions for consumers.

Together, these developments are transforming the retail industry in Saudi Arabia into a digitally empowered, consumer-centric ecosystem. 

The rise of B2B marketplaces

Business-to-Business (B2B) marketplaces in Saudi Arabia are rapidly emerging as vital platforms that transform traditional wholesale and procurement ecosystems. This transformation was driven by several factors, notably the integration of credit-scoring and invoice financing modules, the adoption of compliance tools, and the high penetration of mobile wallets.

The Saudi market encompasses key B2B marketplaces, such as Sary, one of the largest online B2B marketplaces for wholesale purchases; Ordo, a pioneering B2B platform focusing on the FMCG market; Lawazem, a one-stop shop for businesses to procure products directly from a network of suppliers; Farmi, a B2B online platform that connects Saudi farmers and SMEs to source and sell local farm products; Retailo, the leading B2B digital distribution company; and BRKZ, the pioneering B2B marketplace for building materials.

The ongoing rise of B2B marketplaces plays a pivotal role in transforming wholesale trade in the Kingdom, fostering increased efficiency, access to broader supplier networks, and enabling a more modern, digitally connected retail supply chain ecosystem.

Successful B2B marketplaces share several features that drive procurement efficiency, enhance buyer-supplier interactions, and support business growth. This includes:

• Leveraging AI and cloud-based technologies to automate sourcing, ordering, invoicing, and fulfillment processes, thereby reducing manual errors and improving order accuracy.
• Integrating with ERP and inventory management systems to enable real-time product availability, dynamic pricing, and personalized catalogues tailored to meet buyers’ needs.
• Embedding credit scoring algorithms to assess buyer creditworthiness instantly.
• Adhering to Saudi data protection and commercial regulations to secure document vaults and digital contract management features.
• Adopting mobile wallets and biometric authentication to enhance payment security and convenience. 

The rise of B2B marketplaces is pivotal to reducing supply chain fragmentation and procurement complexities in the Kingdom, as they streamline fragmented traditional supply chain networks by centralizing their interactions and automating procurement processes.

By enhancing transparency through verified supplier networks, B2B marketplaces mitigate risks associated with dealing with unknown vendors, ensuring product quality and contractual adherence, in addition to boosting confidence among buyers and sellers.

Additionally, B2B platforms incorporate ESG standards by promoting suppliers who follow sustainable practices and prioritize eco-friendly products; meanwhile, digital tools enable assessment of carbon footprints and resource efficiencies within supply chains.

Despite all these benefits, the B2B retail sector in Saudi Arabia still faces fragmented supplier bases characterized by inconsistent service levels and regional disparities. Compliance with evolving regulatory standards, such as data privacy laws and commercial auditing requirements, adds complexity for both platforms and users.

Ongoing investments are essential to sustain growth and scalability. Investments are crucial to upgrading digital infrastructure, including cloud computing, AI, and cybersecurity, ultimately enhancing platform capabilities to support advanced analytics and omnichannel integration. This will improve operational efficiency, reduce downtime, and increase adaptability to future market disruptions.

The future of B2B marketplaces in Saudi Arabia is promising, propelled by accelerating e-commerce growth and supportive government initiatives. This transformation will be triggered by key trends: the continued expansion of B2B marketplaces that convert fragmented wholesale supply chains into streamlined, automated ecosystems; the increasing importance of embedded financial services; enhanced digital payment integration; supply chain and logistics innovations; and the integration of ESG standards and sustainable procurement practices.

Eventually, the Saudi retail sector is at the forefront of a transformative journey fueled by rapid digital adoption and innovative B2B marketplaces. Sophisticated retail tech solutions are reshaping the traditional retail landscape into a dynamic, digitally native ecosystem. By addressing long-standing challenges such as supply chain fragmentation, compliance, and payment inefficiencies, digital transformation and modern B2B platforms are enhancing transparency, trust, and operational agility. 

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.

Noha Gad

In today’s dynamic global economy, startups and innovative businesses play a pivotal role in driving growth, job creation, and technological advancement. This vibrant startup environment thrives on agility, disruption, and the continuous pursuit of novel solutions. Parallel to this evolution is the rise of the gig economy, a labor market characterized by short-term, freelance, and project-based work enabled by digital platforms. 

The gig economy complements the startup and business ecosystem by offering flexible income opportunities and fostering entrepreneurial activity. The concept of gig work roots stretching back centuries to early human societies, where task-based labor was the norm.

The digital revolution in the late 20^th century transformed gig work by enabling online platforms to connect freelancers with clients globally, facilitating a wide range of short-term, project-based, and freelance work across industries, including ride-sharing, food delivery, high-skilled remote consulting, digital marketing, IT development, and healthcare services.

How does the gig economy work?

This economy operates on a fundamentally different business model from traditional employment, centered around flexibility, technology platforms, and task-based work. Gig workers typically take on short-term assignments, freelance projects, or on-demand jobs often sourced and managed via digital platforms, which act as intermediaries, connecting businesses or individuals needing services with independent contractors worldwide.

One of the key features of the gig economy is that it leverages AI-powered algorithms to match gig workers with assignments based on skills, location, and availability, optimizing efficiency for both parties. Companies can access diverse, scalable talent pools across geographies, benefiting from on-demand expertise without long-term commitments.

Additionally, many businesses integrate gig workers alongside traditional full-time staff, using gig labor to manage peak workloads or specialized tasks. Overall, the gig economy functions as an agile, technology-enabled labor market providing flexible opportunities for workers and cost-effective, scalable solutions for businesses, significantly reshaping the future of work.

Pros and Cons

The gig economy offers diverse benefits for both workers and businesses in today’s growing labor market. For workers, it provides:

-Flexibility and autonomy. It allows workers to choose when, where, and how much they work, enabling a better work-life balance.

-Diverse income opportunities. It paves the way for multiple income streams across various industries, including emerging fields like IT, finance, healthcare, and digital marketing.

-Skill development. By working on varied projects, freelancers can gain experience and build specialized skills and entrepreneurial capabilities.

Additionally, the gig economy helps businesses to:

-Reduce costs by saving on traditional employment expenses such as benefits, office space, onboarding, and long-term commitments.

-Expand teams. Startups can quickly scale teams up or down to meet demand and seize new opportunities without the rigid overhead of full-time staff. 

-Access specialized talent: the gig platform offers access to a global, diverse pool of flexible, highly skilled professionals, allowing startups to fill specific skill gaps.

-Bolster innovation and productivity. Flexible schedules for gig workers would help startups foster creativity and maintain productivity across different time zones.

Although gig economy jobs offer flexibility and independence, they also come with challenges, such as the lack of employee benefits, navigating taxes, securing health insurance, dealing with income fluctuations, and the lack of a workplace community.

How does the gig economy support startups?

The gig economy plays a pivotal role in reshaping entrepreneurship and business operations worldwide. Researches show that individuals participating in the gig economy are about twice as likely to start their own businesses compared to non-gig workers. This trend is most prominent among first-time entrepreneurs, younger workers, and those seeking flexible opportunities.

For many workers, gig work provides a low-risk environment to gain industry experience, test business ideas, and build capital before founding a startup, enabling experimentation, learning on the job, and gradual business development without the pressures of traditional employment.

In turn, the gig economy offers startups a scalable, cost-effective access to talent as they can flexibly engage freelance experts for specialized projects such as software development, creative design, and marketing campaigns without the overhead of full-time hires. This agility helps startups innovate rapidly, manage fluctuating workloads, and control expenses.

Thus, the gig economy offers a fertile ground for entrepreneurial talent and serves as a strategic resource for startups, creating a dynamic ecosystem fueling innovation and economic growth.

Future outlook

The gig economy is expected to witness a remarkable growth within the next five years, driven by technological advancement, regulatory changes, and shifting cultural attitudes toward work. This shift will require gig workers to continuously upskill, with personalized and AI-powered training platforms becoming essential for maintaining competitiveness.

Finally, the gig economy is a defining feature of the future of work, offering unprecedented flexibility, entrepreneurial potential, and access to global talent. understanding and strategically engaging with the gig economy will be essential for businesses, startups, and workers alike to thrive in this rapidly changing economic landscape.

Kholoud Hussein

As Saudi Arabia’s fintech sector accelerates, the region’s funding scene is changing fast. Founders are increasingly turning to growth debt—minimally dilutive capital that fuels expansion while preserving ownership. 

In this interview, Armineh Baghoomian, Managing Director, Head of EMEA, and Co-Head of Global Fintech at Partners for Growth (PFG), shares her perspective on how growth debt is transforming the GCC’s startup landscape, why Saudi Arabia is emerging as a key market, and how smarter financing models are empowering founders to scale with confidence.

In today’s uncertain macroeconomic and political climate, why are we seeing more GCC founders and investors – particularly in capital-intensive sectors like fintech – turning to growth debt as an alternative to equity? How do you think this trend will reshape the region’s funding landscape?

Founders and investors in the GCC are taking a more strategic view of capital structure. While venture equity continues to mature, there’s growing recognition that growth debt plays a complementary role – especially in capital-intensive sectors like fintech, where businesses need to scale quickly and efficiently.

There is growing recognition that a diversified funding ecosystem – where equity and debt complement each other – creates economic resilience and safeguards the future of innovation, aligning neatly with national diversification agendas. Growth debt plays a critical role in this mix.

Across the region, founders and investors increasingly appreciate that debt, when paired with disciplined governance and strong unit economics, can accelerate a company’s growth journey. Growth debt can be used to finance working capital, customer acquisition, or infrastructure build-out with minimum equity dilution – with benefits for all parties in the deal.

Over time, the rise of growth debt will reshape the regional funding landscape by broadening the capital toolkit available to founders. We’ll see more blended capital stacks, more nuanced conversations around risk allocation, and a more mature ecosystem overall. In many ways, the GCC is well positioned to leapfrog traditional financing trajectories, moving quickly toward a model where equity and growth debt sit side-by-side to fuel innovation and growth.

Saudi Arabia is quickly positioning itself as a leading fintech hub in the Middle East. From your perspective, what opportunities and challenges stand out for credit partners like PFG in supporting transformative companies in the Kingdom?

Saudi Arabia’s fintech evolution is among the most dynamic globally. With the ambitious Vision 2030 strategy creating the regulatory framework for digital transformation, the Kingdom is laying the groundwork for a truly world-class fintech ecosystem. For credit partners, this moment presents compelling opportunities.

In Saudi Arabia, we’re seeing a powerful convergence between a young, digitally native population, a government that is not only supportive but actively accelerating financial innovation, and a resultant flow of capital into sectors that are capital-intensive and highly scalable. This combination creates fertile ground for transformative fintech businesses – whether operating in payments, digital lending, or infrastructure – that can grow rapidly and have meaningful regional impact. For PFG, the ability to deploy growth capital into these businesses means we can help founders scale confidently without compromising long-term ownership or vision.

Fintech is inherently a heavily regulated industry, and in a market that is evolving as quickly as Saudi Arabia’s, these frameworks are still maturing. That means lenders must be thoughtful in underwriting risk, ensuring that business models are both sustainable and aligned with long-term policy goals. Additionally, because many Saudi fintechs are scaling for the first time in a market of this magnitude, there is a heightened need for governance, financial discipline, and strategic capital structuring.

For PFG, the opportunity lies in being more than just a capital provider. Rather, we are a long-term partner to visionary founders – helping them balance growth with sustainability and navigate the complexities of a rapidly changing market.

Growth debt often sparks debate about risk, especially when applied to ambitious startups seeking rapid scale. How does PFG approach balancing its support for founders’ growth ambitions with the need to maintain financial resilience and risk management across your portfolio?

We see growth debt as a strategic partner to equity. Our role is to structure capital in a way that empowers founders to pursue growth without jeopardizing the resilience of their businesses.

We look closely at companies’ fundamentals – strong unit economics, predictable revenue models, and clear visibility on cash flows. We believe in the founders we invest in and work alongside them to structure flexibility into facilities. This is particularly important in the GCC, where markets are evolving rapidly.

Fundamentally, we think about portfolio resilience in terms of partnership. At PFG, growth debt is not transactional; it is relational. By aligning with management teams who share our commitment to discipline and transparency, we’re able to provide capital that supports expansion while safeguarding the interests of both our portfolio companies and our investors.

In the GCC, this balanced approach is especially powerful: it allows founders to scale with confidence – building businesses that are durable as well as ambitious. As the region’s funding landscape continues to mature, founders will increasingly appreciate that growth debt, when structured responsibly, can be a catalyst for sustainable growth.

Given that you co-lead PFG’s global fintech and asset-backed credit strategy across multiple regions, how does the Middle East compare to Europe and Africa in terms of fintech maturity and appetite for non-dilutive financing?

What stands out most is how quickly the region, especially the GCC, is maturing. The combination of ambitious government agendas, a young, tech-savvy population, and evolving regulatory frameworks is accelerating fintech adoption at a pace we don’t see elsewhere.

At the same time, founders and investors in the region are increasingly sophisticated in their approach to capital. There is a healthy appetite for non-dilutive financing to work alongside equity in powering innovative, tech-driven companies.

Founders are eager to embrace global best practices, but they are also charting their own course – building businesses with high growth potential and strong institutional support, making it easier to scale. For PFG, this all means the GCC represents both a fast-growing and increasingly sophisticated market.

We're at an inflection point: the GCC is rapidly moving toward the maturity of Europe, but with the entrepreneurial energy and growth trajectory that, in many ways, resembles Africa’s leapfrogging story. That combination makes it one of the most exciting geographies for us to support with flexible, non-dilutive capital.

Without revealing sensitive details, could you share an example or two where PFG’s structured credit solutions enabled a company to scale effectively while preserving equity? What lessons from those experiences might resonate most with GCC founders?

Perhaps the most well-known example is Tabby, the Middle East’s leading provider of Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) solutions. We were confident from the outset that Tabby would become the regional powerhouse it is today. They had the vision, they had the ambition – but to achieve scale, Tabby needed the right kind of capital. That’s where PFG came in.

Specifically, Tabby needed a bespoke financing structure that would allow the company to scale its business in a complex market. By leveraging Tabby’s high-quality receivables, PFG enabled the company to accelerate its merchant network expansion and introduce new product offerings.

The impact was clear. Tabby experienced 900% quarter-over-quarter growth in FY2022 and raised over US$70 million in funding, boosting its valuation by a meaningful multiple and cementing its status as one of the GCC’s most valuable startups.

For GCC founders, the most relevant lesson from our deals in the region is the value of balance: scaling aggressively while preserving control. Similarly, it reinforces the importance of matching the right kind of capital to the right stage of growth, rather than defaulting to equity. In a region where many businesses are founder-led and highly conscious of dilution, this approach resonates strongly. It’s all about building sustainably, retaining control, and maximizing long-term value creation.

Looking ahead, as Saudi Arabia and the wider GCC pursue diversification under Vision 2030 and other regional strategies, how do you see the role of non-dilutive financing evolving? And what role do you expect PFG to play in shaping that future?

As GCC economies continue to diversify, entire sectors – from fintech and healthtech to logistics and proptech – are scaling at a pace we haven’t seen before. With that scale comes the need for more sophisticated capital solutions. Private debt will play an increasingly central role, not as a substitute for equity but as a strategic complement to it.

What’s unique about the GCC is that this is all happening in real time. Governments are laying down the infrastructure, investors are increasingly sophisticated, and founders are embracing global best practices. Growth debt, as a form of non-dilutive financing, enhances this trajectory by offering flexibility, disciplined growth, and helping to create businesses built for the long-term, not just the next funding round.

PFG’s role is twofold. First, to bring our global experience – having supported high-growth companies across other global regions for over 20 years – and adapt that expertise to the GCC’s unique dynamics. Second, to act as true partners to founders: structuring credit that supports ambition while instilling the financial resilience that will define the region’s most successful companies.

We will continue to support ambitious founders and help to shape a more mature, balanced funding ecosystem that underpins Vision 2030 and wider regional economic diversification goals.