Over the past decade, the MENA region has been silently building an ecosystem while the world wasn't watching. The mission of this show is to share those stories from those that are contributing to this change, the investors, founders, and operators. We'll be interviewing guests to talk openly about their journeys, starting with their childhood and going all the way through to the Why? How? What? of their entrepreneurial journeys. Showcasing these stories is vital for people to connect, learn and get inspired. Join our host Amir Farha, Founder of COTU Ventures, as he explores the human side to entrepreneurship in the Middle East from the narratives of people who have the courage to drive change, overcome barriers, and build lasting companies despite all the difficulties along the way.
Ola Doudin (BitOasis) - How her rebellious childhood caused her to get kicked out of school, why fringe online forums were her entry into the crypto world, and her journey to becoming the first regulated exchange in MENA
In this episode, we chat with Ola Doudin, Founder of BitOasis, the largest and most trusted cryptocurrency platform in the MENA region. Formed in 2015, BitOasis serves as the go-to platform for first-time cryptocurrency buyers and seasoned traders alike. They are a pioneer of the cryptocurrency movement in the region. How BitOasis came to be was unconventional, as Ola shares more about her childhood and journey to bring this opportunity for the region. Sharing her rebellious side as well as t...
31 Oct 2022
Ben Mouflard (Chatfood) - How his first business was selling golf balls at 7 years old, why he was working on idea #20 before reaching PMF, how he met his cofounder, and why they chose to bootstrap Chatfood
In this episode, we’ll have a chat with Benjamin Mouflard, Co-Founder and CEO of the Dubai startup ChatFood. In 2018, Ben and his co-founder Vinny launched ChatFood, a technology platform designed to help restaurants drive their online orders from a centralised system. ChatFood has since empowered 6,000 local businesses across 62 countries to grow in an increasingly digital world. Their platform has helped deliver over $5 million in orders, saved $10 million in commissions, and attracted 1.2 ...
31 Oct 2022
Talal Bayaa (Bayzat) - Growing up in Dubai when it had dial-up internet, why he rejected Amir’s initial investment offer, what it’s like to expand across MENA, and how Bayzat went from 3 employees to now over 150+
In this episode, Talal Bayaa talked about his journey as a health-tech entrepreneur and founder of Bayzat, A company that provides a free platform for employee benefits, human resources, payroll and more. From finding the right investor to support the business plan, identifying the right talent to hire and grow the company, to even learning how Talal improves on his mental well-being to avoid burnt out. Talal broke down his process to be in the right headspace, how he overcame his obstacles, ...
31 Oct 2022
Sonia Weymuller (VentureSouq) - How VentureSouq came to be, why she describes herself as an accidental outlier in everything, and what her own philosophy of impact investing is
In this episode, we're having a chat with Sonia Weymuller, Co-Founder and General Partner of VentureSouq (VSQ), a GCC-based Venture Capital firm. Launched in 2013, VSQ is active in the MENA region with a global portfolio of 200+ companies, as well as developing rich educational content around venture investing. Sonia is the most conscious investor in the MENA region. Arriving into the world of VC from an unconventional path, I wanted to share with you her life story and adventures that brough...
31 Oct 2022
Kamal Reggad (RemotePass) - Why his father starting a company at 48 left a lasting impact, how different the initial MVP looked to RemotePass now, and why Kamal still runs onboarding for clients to this day
In this episode, we talk with Kamal Reggad, the CEO of RemotePass, a specialised remote work platform making it easy to hire, offer benefits, onboard, manage & pay your global team all at once. Kamal gives us an overview of his entrepreneurial journey: from taking a risk by diving into Morocco's e-commerce ecosystem, to his hardest lessons as a solo founder. Despite the pandemic, he is still optimistic about the Middle Eastern startup space, and finds opportunities through the lessons he ...
31 Oct 2022
Rami Salman (Wrappup, Cisco) - Why his Lebanese roots impact him to this day, how he is able to make something out of nothing, what prompted the Voicea acquisition, and how he overcame countless failures
In this episode, we talk with Rami Salman, the Co-Founder of Wrappup, a meeting-based productivity app with intelligent voice recording that helps inside sales managers make better decisions. Now, Rami is the Director of M&A, Strategy, & Partnerships at Cisco, after Wrappup's acquisition by Voicea, and concurrently by Cisco. This was an in-depth conversation on Rami's entrepreneurial journey, from when he learned the entrepreneurial tools and mindset from childhood with his family, to...
14 Dec 2021
From MENA to the World: Elevating the voices of entrepreneurship in the Middle East
The Middle East has a new story to tell and this is, From MENA to the World. Over the past decade, the Middle East has been silently building an ecosystem while the world wasn't watching. We've had conflict, war and despair, and yet our people have hope and ambition for change and transformation. Step by step, driven by the spirit of entrepreneurship and an underdog mentality, we have collectively come together to create a vibrant startup industry with a new narrative that harnesses our stre...
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