Emerge is a founder-focused podcast exploring how startups scale in emerging markets.
Hosted by Nader Abdelrazik, it features in-depth conversations with founders, and startup leaders on entrepreneurship, business growth, scaling strategies, fundraising, and building resilient companies in high-growth markets.
Ismael Belkhayat - From BCG to Banking License: How Chari is Building Fintech for Morocco's Merchants
What does it take to build a licensed fintech in one of Africa's most cash-dependent markets? Ismael Belkhayat, Founder & CEO of Chari, didn't start there. He started with BCG slides, a ride hailing app and a property portal before co-founding Chari in 2020 - a B2B e-commerce and fintech platform built specifically for merchants in Morocco. The path wasn't straight. Chari launched as an e-commerce business, lost money on purpose using it as a Trojan horse to earn merchant trust, then pi...
3 Jun 2026
John Mady - The Vision Behind Qlub: Scaling a Restaurant Tech Startup Across Markets
What does it take to become the #1 payment method in every restaurant? Qlub's Co-founder reveals the unconventional strategy that made them one of the fastest-growing fintech startups in the region. From spending a year working out of Dubai Mall restaurants to keeping the entire team on the ground with clients, this is what customer proximity actually looks like in action.
20 May 2026
Belal El-Megharbel - Building MaxAB Against All Odds and Scaling One of Egypt’s Biggest Startups
Belal El-Megharbel, Co-founder and CEO of MaxAB, shares the unfiltered journey of building one of MENA's largest B2B e-commerce and fintech platforms—from spending nights at shisha cafes observing inefficiencies to navigating the brutal market shift after 2022. "What works in other parts of the world will not work here. You cannot force technology everywhere." - Belal El-Megharbel, CEO of MaxAB This is the reality of building world-class companies in emerging markets—the problems, the...
6 May 2026
Dani El-Zein - Supy's Founder on Pivoting, Fundraising & Building
What happens when your restaurant flops, your first software product misses the mark, and a competitor gets you banned from Google Ads? You pivot. You get creative. And apparently, you rank for 2,000+ keywords globally. Dani El-Zein, Co-founder of Supy, joins the CEO of MoneyHash, Nader on the Emerge Podcast for one of the most honest founder conversations we've had. From investment banking to running a restaurant that "never paid a dividend," to building one of the fastest-growing inventory ...
23 Apr 2026
Introducing Emerge: Founder Stories from Emerging Markets
Real conversations with founders building in emerging markets. The pivots, the fundraising truths and the ambitions.
Contact Emerge
Guest appearances
Books guests
Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.
Host of Emerge?
Claim your podcast to manage its listing and keep your show details accurate.
Pod Engine is an independent podcast discovery and analytics service and is not affiliated with or endorsed by this podcast. Artwork and show content belong to their owners. Full legal notice.
Explore this show Podcast research with Pod Engine
