Ghada Ismail

There’s one fundamental factor for any startup to be able to make a booming success and sustain it that can seriously be a real deal maker or breaker! building a powerful cohesive team.

 It’s only your team that can make your business bloom or die at its early stages as per the experiences of almost every business owner all over the globe, so you do want to choose your team members so wisely and carefully. 

Before we dive deep into the thing, it’s safe to say that choosing people who share the same views, values, and perspectives with different takes but adhering to one ultimate goal can really make one phenomenal team that is constantly engaged, motivated, and in a good harmony with each other. Now to assemble your dream team, we have a few tips for you that you want to reconsider for your search process:

• A good leader leads the way for his team to brilliance: this might sound cliché, but we are going to take the risk and say it! It starts with you and requires a lot from you, you have to earn the title of “a leader” and be responsible for the whole package that comes with it starting from having to make important decisions and be an honest mentor for all your team members. With an observant eye, you should identify with all your strengths and weaknesses points and work on them and try to acquire further skills such as good communication, problem-solving, flexibility, and self-awareness in order to be able to play the role of the ship captain.

• Determine key roles in your institution: depending on the market or the industry you are part of, decide what roles you need and start building your hierarchy from top to bottom with a balanced mix of juniors, seniors, and people with managerial skills. Always opt for reliable and engaged team players who can take on various tasks and manage different directions of the business. You should be wise in selecting and spending as much time looking for ideal candidates who can perfectly fit their positions as you need.

• Team diversity is required: the team that will translate your ideas into actions and quantifiable results should be diverse simply because creativity does not accept monotony. Your team should not be homogenous but rather interchangeable as people with different personalities coming from different backgrounds and cultures can cover different areas of work needs creating the elements of balance and competitiveness that every team truly needs for a non-ending momentum.

• Hire the action takers, not the Daydreamers: search for those individuals who can be described as result-oriented people, or else you’ll find yourself inside a meeting room only juggling ideas with no satisfying outcome! you want to build a team that’s capable of accomplishing things and coming up with creative solutions to each and every hurdle you come across. 

•  Craft a clear vision and get your team to believe in it: your story always matters as not all candidates are looking for just monetary benefits. Only extraordinary candidate will consider what you stand for before making up their minds to be a part of your adventure. When you adopt transparency and make your grand plan clear to all your team members, this will subconsciously make it theirs too and consequently will transform their performance and keep them motivated and ready to go the extra mile for what they truly believe is their collective ultimate goal. 

Now that you’re equipped with the essential kit, it’s important to bear in mind that maintaining a harmonious work environment, and managing workloads to avoid burnout is crucial for sustaining the high spirit and productivity in your team. 

Crafting a winning proposal is key to securing projects on Sharikat Mubasher. This guide equips you with the strategies to write compelling proposals that grab client attention and showcase your expertise. 

1. Proposal Structure: 

   - Introduction: Start with a strong introduction that captures the client's interest. Briefly state who you are, what you do, and the purpose of your proposal. 

   - Understanding Client Needs: Demonstrate that you understand the client's needs and the project requirements. Refer to their project description and highlight key points. 

   - Solution Overview: Provide an overview of your proposed solution. Explain how your services will address the client's needs and achieve their goals. 

   - Detailed Plan: Break down your approach into clear, actionable steps. Include timelines, milestones, and deliverables. 

   - Qualifications: Highlight your relevant experience, skills, and successes. Include case studies or examples of similar projects you have completed. 

   - Budget & Pricing: Provide a transparent and detailed budget. Break down costs and explain the value of your services. 

   - Conclusion & Call to Action: Summarize the main points and include a strong call to action. Encourage the client to reach out for further discussion or to proceed with the proposal. 

2. Highlighting Your Skills: 

   - Use specific examples to showcase your skills. Instead of simply listing your skills, demonstrate them through real-world examples. 

   - Quantify your results. Use metrics and data to highlight the impact of your work. For example, mention how you increased a client's ROI by a certain percentage. 

   - Tailor your proposal to the client's needs. Customize each proposal to address the specific requirements and goals of the client. 

3. Call to Action: 

   - Craft a compelling call to action that prompts the client to take the next step. Be clear and direct about what you want the client to do. 

   - Include contact information and suggest a follow-up meeting or call to discuss the proposal in more detail.

Kholoud Hussein 

The financial technology (fintech) sector has undergone significant transformation over the last decade, revolutionizing the way people manage money, conduct transactions, and invest. Fintech is an umbrella term encompassing various technologies and innovations designed to enhance and automate the delivery of financial services. Below, we explore the different types of fintech and their impact on the financial landscape.

1. Digital Payments

One of the most recognizable sectors of fintech, digital payments facilitate electronic transactions between consumers and businesses. This includes mobile payment apps (like PayPal, Venmo, and Apple Pay), contactless payments, and various online payment gateways. Digital payment technologies have made transactions faster, more secure, and more convenient, helping to reduce the reliance on cash.

2. Blockchain and Cryptocurrencies

Blockchain technology underpins cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin and Ethereum. This decentralized ledger technology enhances security and transparency, making it ideal for tracking transactions and ownership across various industries. Beyond cryptocurrencies, blockchain applications include smart contracts, supply chain management, and identity verification, indicating a growing interest in its potential beyond traditional finance.

3. Robo-Advisors

Robo-advisors are automated investment platforms that provide financial planning services with minimal human intervention. They use algorithms to assess an investor's risk tolerance and financial goals, then create and manage a diversified portfolio. Popular examples include Betterment and Wealthfront. Robo-advisors democratize investment management, making it accessible to individuals who may not have significant capital or knowledge.

4. Insurtech

Insurtech refers to technology that streamlines and enhances the insurance industry. This includes digital platforms for purchasing and managing insurance policies, as well as data analytics tools used to assess risk and streamline claims processing. Companies like Lemonade and Policygenius are examples of how insurtech is simplifying the insurance experience for consumers.

5. Lending Platforms

Fintech lending platforms facilitate personal, business, and peer-to-peer lending by connecting borrowers directly with lenders, often bypassing traditional banks. These platforms, such as LendingClub and Prosper, utilize technology to analyze creditworthiness quickly, allowing for faster approval processes and flexible terms. This has opened up credit access to those often underserved by traditional financial institutions.

6. Regtech

Regulatory technology (regtech) focuses on helping businesses comply with regulations efficiently and effectively. Regtech solutions use automation and data analytics to ensure compliance with financial regulations, minimize risks, and manage regulatory reporting. This sector is becoming increasingly important as businesses navigate the complex web of financial regulations and compliance requirements.

7. Neobanks

Neobanks are digital-only banks that operate without physical branches, offering seamless banking experiences through mobile apps. They provide traditional banking services such as checking and savings accounts, often with lower fees and enhanced user experiences compared to traditional banks. Examples include Chime, N26, and Revolut, which cater to tech-savvy individuals looking for convenient banking solutions.

8. Investment Platforms

Investment fintech platforms democratize access to financial markets, enabling individuals to invest in stocks, ETFs, bonds, and alternative assets via user-friendly applications. New entrants like Robinhood and eToro have disrupted traditional trading by offering commission-free trading and social trading features, appealing to a younger, more engaged audience.

9. Personal Finance Management Tools

Personal finance management (PFM) tools help individuals track spending, create budgets, and manage their financial goals. Apps like Mint and YNAB (You Need A Budget) empower users to gain insights into their spending habits, set financial objectives, and improve their overall financial literacy.

To conclude, the fintech industry is diverse and rapidly evolving, revolutionizing how consumers and businesses interact with financial services. As technology continues to advance, each segment of fintech is likely to innovate further, enhancing accessibility, efficiency, and security in the financial ecosystem. Whether through digital payments, investment platforms, or robust regulatory solutions, fintech is reshaping our financial futures and influencing how we manage our money today.

Noha Gad

The agricultural technology (agritech) market in Saudi Arabia is experiencing significant growth as the Kingdom invests heavily in modernizing the agricultural sector through cutting-edge technologies, in alignment with Vision 2030 goals of diversifying the national economy and ensuring food security. 

The agritech startup ecosystem in Saudi Arabia is rapidly evolving, backed by government support, private investments, and innovative entrepreneurs. Additionally, the focus on sustainable and efficient agricultural practices aligns with global trends, positioning the Kingdom as a potential leader in agritech developments in the Middle East and beyond.

In this regard, Sharikat Mubasher had an interview with John Keppler, Executive Chairman of Iyris, one of the leading agritech startups in Saudi Arabia specializing in advancing commercial farming for low to mid-tech farmers in hot climates globally.

First, can you share more details about Iyris' solutions to advance commercial farming in warmer climates? 

Iyris is a pioneering Saudi-founded Agritech company. We specialize in solutions which enable sustainable commercial farming in hot climates. 

Our founders designed solutions to make it easier for farmers to grow fresh crops in difficult environments. Derya Baran, Mark Tester, and Ryan Lefers each had an academic and commercial focus on mitigating the impact of climate change to help feed the world’s growing population sustainably.

In our lead product, SecondSky, we created a range of greenhouse coverings that minimize the stress and impact of near-infrared heat radiation on plants while allowing the spectrum of light that plants need for photosynthesis. This is revolutionary in the agriculture industry. It delivers more resilient, productive, and profitable crops in regions where climate change and excessive heat make it difficult to grow fresh produce sustainably.

SecondSky’s polycarbonate, polyethylene, nets, and soon-to-be-launched shade screens are deployed to customers growing fresh produce in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Morocco, Spain, Portugal, Mexico, and North Africa. 

While the nanomaterials we invented to make these benefits possible are proprietary and complex, our business model is designed to deliver this innovation as simple as possible by making it a drop-in solution to existing manufacturing and distribution channels.  That way, our customers can buy their roofs, nets, and screens using SecondSky as a one-for-one replacement for traditional plastic greenhouse roofing. 

Utilized by growers on five continents and in 11 countries, SecondSky alone delivers a reduction in energy use by over 40% and water consumption of 30% at customer installations and we have seen crop yield increases and growing season extensions by as much as 35%.

Additionally, Iyris has developed plant genetics via a novel hybridization process that has the potential to breed resiliency to salinity, head, and drought processes across a broad range of crops, ensuring stress-resistant, dependable food production. The technology is already demonstrating exciting results with some of the world’s largest tomato growers in large-scale open-field trials.

How could Iyris’ climate-smart solutions enhance agricultural sustainability in Saudi Arabia?

Iyris’ climate-smart solutions play a pivotal role in enhancing agricultural sustainability in Saudi Arabia and beyond. Invented at KAUST in Saudi Arabia, our technologies have been trialed and tested to withstand the Saudi Arabian climate. The academic and scientific resources at KAUST and funding and incubation provided by the university and its seed and venture funding capabilities have been a critical part of our journey in developing products in Saudi, by Saudi, and for Saudi, and then exporting to the world. 

It works well in the region because it was developed for the challenges of the region, which given the implications of climate change are having a negative impact globally.   

Iyris’ SecondSky technology blocks heat radiation effectively, making it ideal for addressing the challenges of the extreme Arabian Gulf conditions and helping to increase food security in a country where 85% of its food is imported. In targeting low to mid-tech farmers, who represent more than 70% of growers worldwide, we provide an immediately deployable solution that impacts growers from the moment it is installed. 

In the Saudi Arabian context, that means that farms that were unproductive can be brought back into the supply chain very quickly. For each kilo of produce that is grown locally, that is a kilo less that needs to be imported, or transported across the Kingdom. Every farmer who can grow both in a financially and ecologically sustainable way protects the future of their local communities and has the potential to reduce urban drift. 

We have already executed pilot projects within the Kingdom where these benefits are starting to be seen and it’s a program that we think can be widely expanded.

Pure Harvest Smart Farms concluded a deal to acquire Iyris’ facility in the Kingdom. In your opinion, how could this step help Iyris to broaden its presence in Saudi Arabia?

The sale of our facility in Saudi Arabia to Pure Harvest Smart Farms reflected our strategic transition into a pure-play technology company. Known for its commitment to sustainable and climate-smart farming, Pure Harvest was an ideal partner to take on this facility.

The integration of our SecondSky heat-blocking technology at the facility aligns with Pure Harvest's dedication to sustainable agriculture and solidifies our technology as a valuable asset in Saudi Arabia's agricultural landscape. 

This sale solidifies existing partnerships (e.g. Alajaweed Farm), presents opportunities for collaboration, and fosters the growth of innovative agricultural solutions in the region. The move has advanced sustainable agriculture and addressed climate-related challenges in Saudi Arabia, strengthening our presence in the Kingdom.

What about your recent $16 million Series A funding round? 

In May 2024, we raised a $16 million Series A round. We are proud of this vote of confidence from the investment community, which comprised existing and new investors.

The fundraising was led by Ecosystem Integrity Fund (“EIF”), a San Francisco-based climate and sustainability fund supporting high-growth companies that drive a positive environmental impact, with further support from Global Ventures, Kanoo Ventures, Dubai Future District Fund (DFDF) and Bonaventure Capital. 

The proceeds will help support increased sales coverage and delivery of Iyris’ strong international sales pipeline for our SecondSky greenhouse covers and nets. It will also fund the continued development of our innovative heat-blocking products and resilient plant genetics, which both have huge potential to improve yields further. 

We are grateful for the investors who have recognized that Iyris technology solutions deliver tangible benefits to the farming community and understand its wider potential. Our investors understand there is a clear and focused strategy for delivering scalable AgriClimate technologies into our addressable market. 

What are Iyris’ plans to expand beyond the Saudi market, notably in Egypt and East Africa? And how do you see the future of sustainable farming and agriculture in Africa?

We are actively expanding our footprint in North and East Africa, delivering adaptable and effective solutions to commercial farming. In March 2024, we signed a strategic MoU with Magrabi Agriculture, Egypt’s leading fresh produce provider, enabling Iyris’ cutting-edge technology to be deployed across Magrabi’s farming facilities and international operations.

This is one of several examples of successful partnerships and endorsement by key stakeholders in the region, as we continue to work closely to transform agriculture globally. 

In your opinion, how do Iyris’ solutions contribute to tackling climate change?

With the global population estimated to grow to 10 billion by 2050, food security and farming in a sustainable manner (both environmentally and fiscally) is a worldwide challenge. By providing sustainable and efficient solutions that reduce water and energy consumption in farming practices by up to 90%, we contribute significantly to the collective effort to tackle climate change and promote a sustainable future.

We are proud to be helping feed the world in a climate-friendly manner.

 Are you exhausted from endless cold calling and dealing with unreliable clients? Do you find yourself wasting valuable time and resources chasing leads that never convert? If so, Sharikat Mubasher offers a refreshing alternative for B2B service providers. Our platform is designed to connect you with a pre-vetted network of businesses actively seeking your expertise, eliminating the traditional B2B hustle and bringing efficiency to your operations. 

The Traditional B2B Struggle 

In the traditional B2B landscape, service providers often face numerous challenges. The process of finding and securing clients is time-consuming and frequently frustrating. Cold calling, email campaigns, and networking events can lead to dead ends, with potential clients who are either not interested or unreliable. This not only drains your energy but also diverts your focus from what you do best—providing high-quality services. 

Introducing Sharikat Mubasher 

Sharikat Mubasher revolutionizes the way B2B service providers operate. As an online platform that combines a comprehensive B2B directory and marketplace with media services, we offer a one-stop solution for all your business needs. Here’s how we can help you streamline your B2B journey:

1. Pre-qualified Clients 

One of the biggest advantages of using Sharikat Mubasher is access to pre-qualified clients. Our platform connects you with a network of businesses that are actively seeking the services you offer. These are not random leads; they are companies that have been vetted and are ready to engage with service providers like you. This means you can focus on high-value projects that perfectly match your skills and experience, leading to better client relationships and higher satisfaction rates. 

2. Streamlined Workflow 

Efficiency is key to success in the B2B world, and Sharikat Mubasher provides tools to ensure a streamlined workflow. From submitting proposals to managing projects, our platform simplifies every step of the process. Here are some features that will transform the way you work: 

Easy Proposal Submission: Create and submit proposals effortlessly. Our platform allows you to customize proposals to suit each client’s needs, increasing your chances of winning projects. 

Efficient Project Management: Keep track of all your projects in one place. Manage deadlines, communicate with clients, and monitor progress in real time. 

Real-time Project Insights: Gain valuable insights into your projects with our analytics tools. Understand where your time and resources are going and make informed decisions to improve efficiency. 

3. Enhanced Visibility 

In the crowded B2B market, visibility is crucial. Sharikat Mubasher offers marketing and advertising opportunities to enhance your visibility among potential clients. With our media services, you can: 

 - Gain Public Exposure: Get featured in industry reports and sponsored content. Share your success stories and expertise with a wider audience, building your reputation and credibility. 

 - Access Valuable Insights: Stay ahead of industry trends with our in-depth reports and insights. Understand market dynamics and position your services to meet emerging needs. 

4. Building Trust and Credibility 

Credibility is a significant factor in the B2B industry. Sharikat Mubasher helps you establish and maintain trust with potential clients. By being part of our platform, you signal to clients that you are a reputable service provider. Our vetting process ensures that only reliable businesses are listed, which in turn boosts your credibility. Additionally, positive reviews and ratings from satisfied clients can further enhance your reputation. 

Ready to Transform Your B2B Experience? 

Sharikat Mubasher is more than just a marketplace; it’s an ecosystem designed to support B2B service providers at every step. By joining our platform, you gain access to a network of pre-qualified clients, tools to streamline your workflow, and opportunities to enhance your visibility and credibility. 

Don’t waste another moment chasing unreliable leads. Transform your B2B experience with Sharikat Mubasher and focus on what you do best—delivering exceptional services. 

Sign up for a free Sharikat Mubasher account today and take the first step towards a more efficient and rewarding B2B journey. Visit our website to learn more and start connecting with clients who value your expertise. 

Embrace the future of B2B with Sharikat Mubasher and revolutionize the way you do business. Join our community of successful service providers and unlock new opportunities for growth and success. 

Sign up for a free Sharikat Mubasher account today! 

Ghada Ismail 

Saudi Arabia, the once closed conservative society, has witnessed a dramatic shift that changed the landscape of female entrepreneurship in the Kingdom forever. This change aligns with a broader vision, Vision 2030, a socioeconomic set of reforms introduced in January 2016 by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman which has been the key driver of this drastic transformation in the first place.

Vision 2030 came with a focus on empowering Saudi women, encouraging their contribution to the economy and participation in social development and female entrepreneurship has been increasingly recognized in the kingdom since then.

With Saudi women now significantly taking part in society and the workforce, businesses are presented with rising opportunities targeting Saudi women in their hiring process as they are becoming an integral part of the country’s economic development, as well as its consumer market.

Vision 2030 introduced Saudi women to new levels of leadership and economic empowerment. In Saudi Arabia, female entrepreneurs took the lead and now seized a significant tranche of the entrepreneurial scene, establishing and managing more small and medium enterprises (SMEs). The number of female entrepreneurs has surged by more than 35% over the last decade, capped at almost two-fifths of entrepreneurs in the country in 2017.

Saudi Government empowering its daughters

In this regard, the Saudi Government saved no effort to take every possible measurement to encourage and prepare female leaders to break the barriers and storm the world of businesses. The Kingdom has introduced new legislation to facilitate the establishment of business startups and financing for women-owned businesses with an only aim: Eliminate the once had been boundaries and establish a more supportive environment for women entrepreneurs.

In the same context, Banks and financial institutions have relaxed collateral requirements and introduced creditworthiness evaluation schemes that are more inclusive of women entrepreneurs for further financial support.

Moreover, the Kingdom saw governmental entities and public organizations investing in entrepreneurship and skills development programs for women providing education, training, mentoring, and networking opportunities, equipping female entrepreneurs with the necessary knowledge and skills to succeed in business, in addition to establishing entrepreneurship hubs and launching initiatives to promote entrepreneurship among young women.

On its official website, the Saudi Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development included a list of initiatives that obviously reflect the great attention from the government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia on women’s file to ensure an increase in women’s participation in the labor market.

The list displayed a variety of measurements mainly taken to ease up a woman’s journey to contribute to her local economy. Taking its part in Vision 2030, the Saudi Ministry of Finance issued a report namely “Women Empowerment Initiative within the Saudi Annual Budget” which tackles almost every decree, procedure, and policy taken by each ministry, and official entity within all sectors since the launch of the Vision 2030, in terms of budgeting and financing.

As a result of this huge momentum taking place in the Saudi kingdom, reports and stats dedicated to monitoring the female entrepreneurial scene became pretty much overwhelming! The Saudi General Authority for Statistics (GASTAT) published a report namely “Saudi Women’s Report 2022” mainly aimed to display statistics on the female entrepreneurship situation showcasing the leading indicators involving women’s participation in the Saudi Economy.

The report focuses on providing figures relating to Saudi women aged 15 and above in different fields, such as education, health, sports, and technology, as well as other statistics, relying on official sources. The sources extract data from surveys carried out by GASTAT and data from the administrative register available to other official bodies.

The report showed that the unemployment rate among Saudi women declined, especially in the fourth quarter of 2022, to 15.4% compared to 2021, 2020, and 2019.

Coming in parallel with the significant decline in women's unemployment, the expansion of their economic participation, and the surged growth of their employment in various areas, the ratio of employed women to the population rose to 30.4% from the fourth quarter of 2021, where the rate was previously 27.6%. Women's participation in the labor market was capped at 36%, up slightly from 35.6% in the fourth quarter of 2021.

On the other hand, the number of freelance certificates obtained by females in 2021 reached 961,189 compared to 105,518 registered in 2020 and 7,997 registered in 2019, which is the lowest.

The report also showed that the stock market had witnessed a significant soar in female investment rates recently, as the number of Saudi women investors in the stock market in 2021 reached 1,516,995, a higher number than that recorded in the previous two years of 2019 and 2020.

Women empowering women

What the Saudi Kingdom witnessed afterward was really phenomenal! Women broke the glass ceiling and started empowering themselves and each other. With the rapid rise of business incubators and accelerators due to the natural demand and need for them in the market, emerged an accelerator that defines itself as: “Saudi Arabia's First Tech-Inclusion & Female Focused Accelerator, Offering Different Business Services For Your Startup to Blossom!”

Founded by a woman and dedicated to all ‘enterpreneurelles’, Blossom was launched in April 2018 fueled by Emon Shakor’s desire to help young Saudi female founders like herself to rise and shine. The accelerator has since said to mentor more than 300 startup companies from around 38 different cities in five countries, including the UAE, Bahrain, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and the USA.

Worth mentioning, Shakoor is a Saudi neuroscience researcher, a technology entrepreneur, and startup catalyst who earned herself a degree in cognitive sciences from the University of California, San Diego, and then worked at Parexel, a US clinical research and biopharmaceutical company, where she led hundreds of Pfizer clinical drug trials across North America. Shakoor has also become one of the Global Shapers Community in Jeddah Hub, a delegate of the 30 Under 30 group at the Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum in Davos, as well as a TEDx speaker on topics ranging from neuroscience and innovation to youth and women's empowerment, equity and inclusion.

Shaimaa Ibrahim 

Supply chains have recently been developed using new technologies like blockchain, artificial intelligence, and enterprise resource planning systems. In addition to improving economic efficiency, these technologies enable quicker reactions to shifts in supply and demand in international marketplaces.

Immensa is among the suppliers of cutting-edge technical solutions that, via offering practical and long-lasting solutions, help to alter the structure and practices of the Gulf region's spare parts supply chain. The company makes use of 3D printing and artificial intelligence.

By enabling companies to flexibly alter and manufacture spare parts for their equipment instead of depending on huge manufacturing operations from industrial corporations situated in South Asia, Immensa hopes to profit on the current gap in the spare parts supply chain in the energy sector.

In this regard, Sharikat Mubasher interviewed Fahmi Al Shawwa, CEO and Co-founder of Immensa, to discuss the company's services, its objectives for 2024, its future plans, and its anticipated investments in the Kingdom and the Gulf area.

How could your services contribute to bridging the gap in the spare parts supply chain in the energy sector in the Gulf region?

Immensa’s pioneering additive manufacturing and digital inventory solutions are revolutionizing the energy spare parts market which has remained unchanged for nearly half a century.

By transforming physical warehouses into virtual ones, we enable on-demand production of spare parts. This innovative model is excellent for the energy sector. Companies benefit from secure supply chains, shorter lead times, and reduced inventory costs. This allows them to minimize unnecessary annual losses (which total c. $30 billion annually) and ensure rapid, reliable, on-demand delivery of critical components.

Immensa’s advanced manufacturing techniques, coupled with its ai empowered platform, facilitates digitization and localization of production - directly addressing inefficiencies and challenges of traditional supply chains.

How are AI techniques used in spare parts manufacturing processes, and how does this contribute to reducing costs?

We utilize AI-powered assessment to digitize and manage spare parts inventories via our platform - Immensa360. 

The platform ensures data security, quality control, and efficient workflow lifecycle management of digital assets. By leveraging AI, we can rapidly assess and produce parts on demand, significantly reducing lead times and the cost of maintaining large physical inventories. 

Predictive analytics also allows us to forecast demand accurately - ensuring efficient streamlined production and spare parts supply. This minimizes wastage and optimizes cash flow for energy companies.

At Immensa, AI techniques are integral for adopting digital supply chains. Our AI-powered Inventory Assessment includes both technical and commercial evaluations. AI assesses whether parts are suitable for on-demand manufacturing based on materials, criticality, applications, lead time, production costs, and demand. This comprehensive assessment ensures only the most viable parts are produced, reducing unnecessary inventory and storage costs, optimizing production efficiency, and ultimately lowering overall costs.

How could the SAR 75 million investment secured in a “Series B” round contribute to boosting your business?

The SAR 75 million ($20 million) raised in our Series B round will significantly enhance our growth and expansion strategies.

The proceeds will help us scale our digital warehousing solutions, advance development of our AI-enabled platform Immensa360, and expand into new markets. It will also strengthen our efforts to secure high-profile partnerships and achieve essential certifications, such as our DNV Certification for additive manufacturing of metallic parts. 

These initiatives all contribute to us maintaining our leading innovation role in the energy sector and delivering cutting-edge solutions.

What about seed rounds in 2024?

As we completed a Series B round in November, we do not have any seed rounds planned in 2024. 

We have an excellent, blue-chip investor base – including esteemed names such as Global Ventures, Energy Capital Group, and Endeavor Catalyst Fund - which positions us well for future funding rounds.

What are the promising investment opportunities in the energy spare parts market in the Gulf region, especially in the Saudi market?

The Gulf region, particularly Saudi Arabia, presents substantial opportunities in the energy spare parts market, driven by an increasing focus on sustainability and efficiency. With the global market valued at >$91 billion and the Middle East comprising 35%, the potential is significant. 

Our digital warehousing and additive manufacturing solutions will capitalize on growing demand, offering innovative and efficient production methods. Partnerships with Saudi entities such as NIDLIP and KACST are also enhancing our local presence and capabilities. 

Localizing spare parts production not only meets the region's specific needs but boosts the local economy too, making the market attractive to investors.

What are the company’s future plans and expected investments in Saudi Arabia and the Gulf region?

Our regional expansion will continue – including further investment in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Kuwait, Oman, Bahrain, Qatar, and other international markets.

In Saudi Arabia, we have signed recent MOUs with NIDLIP and KACST, aligning with our strategy to establish state-of-the-art additive manufacturing centers. 

Our future plans include expanding our capabilities, opening additional facilities, advancing R&D, and striking strategic alliances to enhance our service offerings and market reach. We are committed to strengthening the local manufacturing sector, supporting the Kingdom's Vision 2030 objectives, and meeting the growing demand for efficient and cost-effective spare parts solutions. 

Does Immensa plan to enter new markets outside the region?

While our primary focus is expanding in MENA, Immensa is currently serving a number of international organizations and thus is actively exploring opportunities to expand its presence in new international markets.

Our scalable technology and expertise position us ideally to meet global energy sector demand. Strategic collaborations - such as our recent partnership with Pelagus 3D for the maritime and offshore industry - show our ambition to diversify and extend the reach of our digital manufacturing and inventory solutions to other sectors and regions. 

In your opinion, what are the challenges facing the Gulf energy spare parts market?

The market has several challenges. Legacy systems struggle to meet the sector's dynamic needs efficiently. An over-reliance on outdated supply chain models leaves some companies susceptible to disruptions; high inventory costs; an over-dependence on imports; and long lead times in parts procurement.

The market has been slow to adopt digital and additive manufacturing technologies, but we are now at an exciting tipping point as companies realize how they can optimize supply chains and reduce operational inefficiencies. 

But to do this requires innovative solutions, such as our digital warehousing and on-demand production capabilities. We can ensure rapid delivery of high-quality spare parts, boost localized manufacturing, and reduce reliance on external suppliers – thus enhancing the resilience and efficiency of the overall supply chain.

The eco-system to support a digital supply chain and additive manufacturing was non-existent until recently, and that has been one of the top challenges in the adoption by companies. Today, although still nascent, we are seeing the clusters and eco-systems quickly develop as demand for localization and on-demand manufacturing rapidly increases. 

How will the digitization of warehouses and flexible supply chains contribute to supporting Gulf companies?

Digitizing warehouses and implementing flexible supply chains has various upsides for Gulf companies: reduced lead times, lower inventory costs, and enhanced supply chain security. 

Immensa’s virtual warehousing model allows real-time inventory management – allowing hugely reduced storage costs and minimizing the risk of part obsolescence. On-demand production minimizes the need for large physical inventories, freeing up capital and making essential parts immediately available.

Overall operational efficiency increases, so companies can be more rapidly responsive. More localized production contributes to local economies too – aligning with national strategies for technology advancement and sustainability.

By revolutionizing spare parts supply chains, we empower Gulf companies to operate more efficiently and cost-effectively, driving competitiveness in the energy sector.

Kholoud Hussein 

Crafting a solid business plan is essential for any entrepreneur looking to start or grow their business. It serves as a roadmap that outlines your goals, strategies, and how you plan to achieve them. Here are the best 4 methods to prepare a business plan:

1. Research and Analysis: Before diving into writing your business plan, conduct thorough research on your industry, target market, competitors, and financial projections. Analyze the data you gather to make informed decisions about your business strategy.
2. Clear and Concise Executive Summary: Your executive summary is the first section of your business plan and should provide a clear overview of your business concept, market opportunity, competitive advantage, and financial projections. Keep it concise yet compelling to grab the reader's attention.
3. SMART Goals and Strategies: Define specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART) goals for your business. Outline the strategies you will implement to reach these goals, including marketing, sales, operations, and financial plans.
4. Regular Review and Revision: A business plan is a living document that should be reviewed and revised regularly to reflect changes in your business environment. Set aside time every quarter to assess your progress, update your financial forecasts, and adjust your strategies as needed.

For startups, a well-prepared business plan can be a game-changer. It not only helps attract investors and secure funding but also provides a roadmap for navigating the uncertain waters of entrepreneurship. Startups can leverage their business plan to communicate their vision, mission, and unique value proposition to potential partners, customers, and team members.

Additionally, a solid business plan allows startups to identify potential challenges, risks, and opportunities early on, enabling them to pivot quickly and make informed decisions as they work towards building a sustainable and successful business. By incorporating these elements into their business plan, startups can set themselves up for long-term growth and success in the competitive business landscape.

By following these methods, you can create a comprehensive and effective business plan that will guide your business toward success. Remember, a well-crafted business plan not only helps you secure funding but also serves as a valuable tool for decision-making and strategic planning.

Shaimaa Ibrahim 

The fast-paced development of the fintech industry and digital platforms induced a prodigious leap in digital payment methods and increased demand for digital payments. Driven by attracting billions of investments around the world, some fintech solutions shifted the focus to providing new payment methods by creating fast, simple, and affordable payment tools and providing new competitive solutions that facilitate financial transactions. 

Digital payments are kind of financial transactions that are done through digital modes, enabling individuals and companies to electronically transfer money easily and swiftly compared to traditional methods.

Companies and organizations of different sizes currently prefer to use e-payments thanks to their various advantages and features. Also, most companies started digitalizing their payments to keep pace with the fast-growing digital landscape.

Here are three main reasons you need to digitalize your company’s payments

1. Accelerate and facilitate financial transactions. E-payments facilitate financial transactions and mitigate transfer mistakes, compared to traditional payment methods. Additionally, they offer you swift and seamless financial transactions.
2. Boost sales and enhance customer experience. E-payments provide a wide range of payment options that enable customers to make transactions anytime anywhere, saving their time and effort. This will enhance your company’s revenues and ensure an easy online payment for your customers.
3. Reduce cost and guarantee secured transactions. E-payments play a pivotal role in facilitating financial transactions for companies, raising their efficiency, and reducing operational costs, thereby limiting the company’s need for hiring more employees to manage sales and payments. In most cases, e-payments charge zero or limited fees which accordingly saves your company’s money in the long term. Additionally, e-payments adopt high-security measures, such as encoding and encryption, to prevent fraud.

Digital payments are done via several tools, notably:

1. Bank cards. This includes credit and debit cards as well as e-payment cards that are issued by banks for online payments and purchases.
2.  Digital wallets. This tool securely stores virtual versions of debit and credit cards. Users can link their bank accounts to their wallets easily via mobile.
3. E-payment platforms are one of the key digital payment tools that play a crucial role in boosting e-commerce. They serve as digital banks that provide secure and easy online payments and transfers.
4. Electronic check (e-Checks). E-checks are checks that are written and processed electronically. This means transferring funds from the payer’s account to the payee’s account through an electronic network instead of a physical check.
5. Bank gateways. Financial transactions and transfers are made using facilities provided by banks through their online websites.

At last, digital payments revolutionized the way financial transactions are made, acting as a fundamental tool to facilitate commercial transactions in line with the increased demand for innovative tech solutions and the surge in digital payment activities.

Translation: Noha Gad

Mohamed Gamal

Negotiation skills are the cornerstone for building robust relations with prospects and concluding a lucrative deal in the business realm. Whether you are an entrepreneur or a seasoned businessman, mastering the art of negotiation provides satisfying outcomes for all parties.

Here are some tips to master negotiation skills and get win-win deals:

1. Prepare well. Before starting any negotiation, you must understand the prospect very well by exploring its products, services, and specific needs, identifying its competitors in the market, and determining its strengths and weaknesses.
2. Build trust and rapport. Build positive relations with the prospects by listening carefully to their needs and the challenges facing them, showing deep interest in finding effective solutions for all parties. Be clear about your requirements and expectations.
3. Focus on mutual interests. Pinpoint where your needs and your prospect’s needs converge then find solutions that suit your mutual needs. Make prospects feel they are involved in finding solutions.
4. Close the deal professionally. Once you reach a satisfying deal, provide a written offer detailing the terms of the agreement. Make sure to review the offer with the prospect before signing it and affirm your commitment to fulfilling your duties on time.

Best techniques to close a deal successfully

1. Unique offer close. Create a special offer exclusive to prospects to incentivize and convince them to accept the offer before it is way too late. Hence, prospects will make prompt decisions to close the deal.
2. Constructive and encouraging interaction. Encourage prospects to close the deal by listening carefully to their needs and problems to provide suitable solutions.
3. Understand prospects’ needs. Focus on fulfilling prospects’ needs effectively by providing tailored solutions. The more you ask propping questions, the more you get additional information and pinpoint problems.
4. Soft Closes. The soft close lets you show the benefit of your product to prospects, highlighting its unique features and how it can positively impact their business or personal life.
5. Get ready for a successful close. Prepare all resources that may convince prospects of your product, i.e., studies and customer recommendations, in addition to reviewing and analyzing used strategies and showcasing future improvements.

Closing win-win deals is a process that requires expertise and trust as well as using the right expressions, adding value, and building prospects’ confidence. Thus, is it pivotal to show your prospects that you are a professional who can conclude a win-win deal with them.

Translation: Noha Gad

Ghada Ismail

To ensure keeping a future-proof business, resilience and the ability to cope with a crazily fast-paced world are two key concepts you have to adopt or else you’ll be kicked out of the game of business before you even realize it. We take the fall of Nokia as a textbook example of this.

We can safely say that Nokia's big downfall, after enjoying unrivaled dominance for many decades, can be attributed to such combination of factors that hindered its ability to adapt, innovate, and stay competitive in the mobile phone market.

It’s time now for old-school methods to step back, and let’s welcome you to the AI Era!

Imagine the enormous amount of time, energy, and cash you will save if you have a magic wand that gets most of your work done for you.  Or better imagine a world hit by a COVID-19 pandemic followed by a two-year tight closedown, without tools like Zoom, Teams, or Google Meet..quite apocalyptic right?

Artificial intelligence, with its unparalleled capabilities, offers an incredibly efficient method to automate a great deal of tasks, hence, liberating employees from mundane responsibilities. With a wide array of tools AI has to provide, you can mix & match whatever serves best and caters to your particular needs. in our point of view, these are the 5 best AI Apps you can explore as a kick-start:

1. ChatGPT: it’s like a one-size-fits-all app that can help businesses of every field and background. ChatGPT is a chatbot and virtual assistant developed by OpenAI and launched on November 30, 2022. Based on large language models (LLMs), it enables users to refine and steer a conversation towards a desired length, format, style, level of detail, and language for content creators and can do more serious tasks for business owners like summarizing complex financial reports, providing insightful data analysis, and suggesting budgeting strategies.  ChatGPT is credited with starting the AI boom, which has led to ongoing rapid investment in and public attention to the field of artificial intelligence (AI) and we can call it the father of AI apps.
2. Clickup: suitable for all businesses, this app can set up an easy and smooth virtual workspace for enterprise teams and make project management a piece of cake! Project management is a complex chain of tasks, deadlines, and resources, however, you can count on Clickup as your tireless assistant who can analyze data, predict risks, and optimize workflows. That’s where AI comes in, revolutionizing how we plan, execute, make decisions, and deliver projects. you can use a free version of ClickUp or opt for one of its advanced plans (the unlimited plan, the business plan, and the enterprise plan) and choose whatever suits your needs and doesn’t break your bank account.
3. Grammarly: for all written content generators, in particular, we think that Grammarly will be your bestie for life.  Grammarly is a Ukraine-founded cloud-based typing assistant, that reviews spelling, grammar, punctuation, clarity, engagement, and delivery mistakes in English texts. it can be defined as a text enhancer that shall elevate and refine your written materials that can also detect plagiarism, and suggest replacements for the identified errors allowing users to customize their style, tone, and context-specific language. When you set up a Grammarly business account, all members of your team can get Premium suggestions and enterprise-level features to work faster, smarter, and directly in the apps and websites they access daily.
4. DALL-E: designed by OpenAI, the same developers of ChatGPT, this app is more dedicated to graphic designers and creative content creators, as it takes textual references as input and returns an image as output. It can be used in graphic design to create unique and customized visuals for marketing materials, websites, and artistic projects. Moreover, it can enrich content creation by generating relevant images for articles, presentations, and social media posts based on textual orders.
5. Pictory: AI can also effectively contribute to video content creation and text script writing. with the assistance of Pictory, you can get customized video templates to help create personalized videos as per your different preferences, integrate with the images and videos to be added to existing projects, and also add music and text or modify the video in real-time. This app is one of the free AI tools for businesses that uses natural language processing and computer vision to develop this kind of digital material as it offers built-in analytics tools providing insights into video performance, helping businesses refine their content strategy.

Worth mentioning that it’s not recommended to use the powers of AI unsupervised. Human intervention is always needed to work on what the machine can drop. Being a machine, more or less, AI can help you with the decision-making area, with data, stats, parameters, and other variables, while it notoriously fails in capturing or responding to intangible human factors that go into real-life decision-making — the ethical, moral, and other human considerations that navigate the course of business and society in general.

Mohamed Gamal 

In a fast-paced changing world, it is inevitable for young people to constantly work on their interpersonal and professional skills in a way that they can cope and keep up with the rapidly evolving labor market. Notably, there is still a significant gap between the skills possessed by graduates and the market needs leading to most of them having barely decent job opportunities hindering them back from building up their aspiring professional careers. 

Omar El Barbary, Founder and CEO of OBM Education seemed to find an effective solution to this dilemma, coming up with a wide array of programs and services serving this quest in the Egyptian and the Saudi Markets.

In the following interview, El Barbary tells the story of his company, OBM Education, and what it has to offer to students of services and events, as well as the objectives he aims to realize within the coming time.

When was OBM Education founded?

I co-founded the company in Egypt with my partner Ezz El Din Farag, co-founder and operational executive director, back in 2020 as the first all-inclusive startup to support and mentor the process of preparing high school students for university onboarding in the Middle East and North Africa region.

What is the main idea that OBM Education is all about?

First of all, we observed the huge gap between what our students learn at schools and what the job market actually needs in a candidate. It’s safe to say that basic skills are not enough anymore for a job seeker to stand out given the huge demand and fierce competition in the labor market.

Can you take me through the programs/ services your company offers to create relevance between students and the labor market?

Of course, OBM Education has introduced the “Taleb” application, MENA’s first integrated tool mainly designed to provide mentorship to students in their journey to build up a fruitful career. Our platform also offers many programs including the “BUILD YOUR FUTURE SUMMIT” a tool particularly prepared to cater to high school students and alumnus in the MENA region to navigate them through choosing the perfect majors, and thus, apply to their desired universities.

Moreover, there is the “EDUCATION STAKEHOLDERS FORUM” which can be defined as the first B2B educational platform in Egypt. This tool creates a connection between the concerned entities such as The Government, investors, universities, schools, service providers...etc., to give a hand in solving the rising challenges by exploring brand new ideas and solutions for improving educational sectors of the MENA Region.

What do you aim for with expansion into Saudi Arabia?

We considered this expansion for the kind of similarity the Egyptian and the Saudi market bear together, for instance, sharing Arabic as a mother tongue. We are striving to extend our operations into Saudi Arabia during the coming period as well as assist in qualifying as many Saudi students as possible for the job market.

Moving to funding rounds, what have you managed to achieve so far?

We managed to close rounds of funds with “EdVentures” and Saudi Vms fund that we are willing to pump into our expansion endeavors, the “Taleb” app launching, and more programs ahead.

As a startup founder, what kind of challenges do you have to handle right now?

We share the most common challenges of many startups in the market, on top of which is the increased Tax amounts, in addition to the constant surge in financial expenditures and staff wages.

What does OBM Education aspire to accomplish in the near future?

We really wish for the “Taleb” App to reach a million students this year after already being downloaded by nearly 250,000 users previously. We are also planning to hold the biggest summit for pre-university students in Riyadh and advance more expansions in the Arab Region.

Translation: Ghada Ismail

Noha Gad

Starting and managing a business is a multifarious endeavor that requires a clear vision, hard work, and expertise in various areas. Handling the financial intricacies of a business can be overwhelming and complex, this is where the expertise of an accountant becomes indispensable.

The role of professional accountants goes beyond tax filing; they analyze your finances, create a forecast for the coming year to ensure your business is healthy and prosperous, and help you navigate financial challenges, ensure compliance, and foster growth.

Why do you need an accountant for your business?

Poor financial management can have severe and far-reaching effects on a business, making a direct negative impact on the sustainability and growth of your business. Owners of businesses, notably the small-sized ones, must hire a professional accountant to help them:

1. Improve cash flow. Effective cash management includes how a company manages its operations or business activities, financial investments, and financing activities to maintain positive cash flow. Inadequate financial management can lead to cash flow issues, making it difficult to cover day-to-day expenses, pay employees, and settle debts. A good accountant will help owners have credit control and cash management policies in place so that they have all the possible funds and information available.
2. Reduce workload. Hiring a professional accountant will empower owners to manage operations by recommending process improvements, helping them take over financial and tax obligations, and introducing them to tools that can save them time and money.
3. Get valuable business advice. Accountants own the right skills, expertise, and tools to serve as business advisers. Leveraging their wide expertise, professional accountants can provide an unbiased sounding board for your ideas, warn you of potential risks, and alert you to great opportunities. Their network can also add value to your decisions by helping you connect with key connections that can help you implement complicated strategies and solve complex problems.
4. Manage growth sustainability. The expertise of a good accountant will be valuable when you seek funding and create incentivizing pay packages for employees. Additionally, accountants can help you react quickly and effectively to surprising growth and turn it into an advantage.
5. Comply with regulations and keep pace with emerging technologies. A competitive accountant helps you visualize major issues the business faces due to economic uncertainties, trend changes, and new regulations. They help you use effective financial forecasts, smart solutions, growth management tools, and predictive performance reporting to tackle these challenges.
6. Measure business performance. Performance measurement plays a crucial role in the growth and success of your business. Setting objectives and measuring them against results can be key to determining if a business will succeed or fail. Accountants can develop performance evaluations to get your business to understand its actual performance against the objectives it set for itself, using these evaluations to achieve long-term growth and sustainability.

Finally, accountants’ expertise in financial management, tax compliance, and strategic planning provides a solid foundation for making informed decisions and fostering growth.

Entrusting your financial affairs to a professional accountant offers you the chance to focus on expanding your business while ensuring that your financial health remains robust and resilient.

Mohamed Gamal 

In the Era of Artificial Intelligence and modern technologies, it became a necessity for businesses of all scales to adopt methods and strategies of digital marketing, however, medium and small startups with relatively limited budgets are notably the most to benefit from modern techs in building and implementing an effective digital marketing strategy to ensure achieving the desired objectives with the least costs possible, and here are the steps:

1. Set your marketing goals: having a clear and well-determined goal is the first step, and we are almost halfway down. These goals should be realistic, achievable, and totally linked with a proper timeline. The best practice to find your goals is to conduct a thorough analysis of the current status of your startup in terms of sales, digital reach, and engagement and consider a target audience. you should always skim through your objectives and make sure you do the needed alterations when necessary.
2. Deep understanding of target audience: if you know the characteristics of the kind of audience you want to target, you consequently develop an impeccable ability to come up with the right marketing messages and select the most appropriate communication channels. You can achieve this while using methods of market analysis, and behavioral and demographic data analysis of the audience who reach for your business’ website. For this purpose, Google Analytics might be the perfect choice.
3. Social Media Platforms Integration: adapting social media outlets including Facebook, Instagram, X, and Linkedin, is considered one of the market’s widely used tools that is low in costs. You only need to prepare interesting and interactive content and let people buzz around.
4. SEO Apply: SEO stands for “search engine optimization.” In simple terms, SEO means the process of improving your website to increase its visibility in different search engines whenever people search for. You need to include the words and phrases that searchers enter into search engines to discover content. The better visibility your pages have in search results, the more likely you are to be found and clicked on.
5. Content Marketing: It is a marketing strategy used to attract, engage, and retain an audience by creating and sharing relevant articles, videos, podcasts, and other media materials. This approach establishes expertise, promotes brand awareness, and keeps your business top of mind.
6. Establishing Partnerships and Collaborations: Crafting compelling collaborations with Social Media influencers or even entering partnerships with other market players can level up your game and get you the hype you aspire to. for purposes of exchanging followers, these collaborations can include agreeing on mutual promotion and, setting up competitions with giveaways for both ends’ followers as a budget-friendly marketing tool.

Translation: Ghada Ismail

Shaimaa Ibrahim 

Securing necessary fund resources is pivotal for establishing a startup. This requires entrepreneurs to have a wide and deep knowledge of key factors to lure investors to invest in their startups.

Successful entrepreneurs must be able to define their projects' strengths and weaknesses and determine what differentiates them from others. All of this makes your startup more attractive to potential investors.

Obtaining the necessary funding is one of the key challenges facing entrepreneurs to start their projects or expand their businesses; they must comply with some stringent requirements to get loans from a bank or a financial institution. Hence, entrepreneurs search for investors to invest in their projects, and to do so, they must know how to attract investors to their startups.

Here are ten steps to attract investors to your startup:

1. Come up with innovative and unique ideas for your project. This does not mean innovating a brand-new product or service; however, you have to differentiate your offerings from other competitors. 
2. Provide necessary data that show your strengths to investors, i.e., gross profit margin, revenue growth, and plans to attract customers.  
3. Having a strong business plan helps investors believe in your development plans and their effectiveness. 
4. Market your product or service to investors actively and showcase its importance.
5. Use data and numbers to persuade investors about the potentiality of your product or service.
6. Prove that investing in your startup is a golden opportunity with high-growth potential.
7. Discuss with the investor the reason why you need funding and how you will use it.
8. Prove that your startup has a vigorous leadership team that includes smart leaders and strategists with strong financial acumen.
9. Draw up a robust and comprehensive marketing plan that introduces your product or service to targeted customers and explains how to get them.
10. Give deep insights about your startup’s growth as investors prefer investing in scalable and future-focused startups.

Translation: Noha Gad 

Shaimaa Ibrahim 

Entrepreneurs always set their sights on attracting more investors to support their emerging projects; thus, creating a precise, detailed, and extensive capitalization table (cap table) is a fundamental step for any startup.

A cap table is a document, like a spreadsheet or a table, that shows the equity capitalization of a company and details who has ownership in it. It is most commonly used for startups and early-stage businesses, providing investors with an intricate breakdown of a company’s shareholders’ equity. 

What is a cap table?

A cap table provides an analysis of a company's percentages of ownership, equity dilution, and value of equity in each round of investment by founders, investors, and other owners. It also keeps track of stock ownership as well as convertible securities, warrants and options, and stock compensation grants, providing a fully diluted picture of equity ownership.

Cap tables provide potential investors with all the information they need to make wise decisions about the emerging project.

Conducting a cap table for early-stage startups is usually easy and simple, but it gets more complicated whenever the company grows, expands its business, and participates in other investments.

Cap tables are pivotal for startups and investors as they:

• Identify startup investors.
• Help investors determine the invested amount. 
• Provide necessary information to make the right decisions related to managing the company efficiently, issuing more shares, and more.
• Track changes in the company’s evaluation and ownership.
•  Play a crucial role in raising funds, issuing new shares, and granting stock options to employees or consultants.
• Determine the rights and responsibilities of shareholders.
• Help in planning and implementing future funding rounds and facilitate mergers, acquisitions, and exits.
• Evaluate investment returns for each shareholder.
• Help startups and investors adhere to legal and tax regulations.
• Contribute to conducting financial audits seamlessly.

How to maintain a precise cap table?

As an entrepreneur, you must have a precise and updated cap table to track your ownership and evaluate your company. Updating the cap table gets harder especially when your startup grows and participates in more funding rounds. Here are some tips to maintain a precise and updated cap table: 

• Use a reliable software tool to automate calculations, make reports, and ensure adherence to legal and tax regulations.
• Update the cap table regularly whenever you redistribute your company’s shares either through a new funding round, stock split, or exercising stock options.
• Review your cap table regularly to make sure it shows the current state of your company and its shareholders.
• Check the data and assumptions that you use to create and update the cap table.
• Always communicate with and provide stakeholders with regular reports.

Translation: Noha Gad