VC React MENA E57: Jahez + noon against Keeta, Shgardi shuts down, DataCamp acquires UAE’s Optima
VC React Podcast
Should Governments Protect Local Startups?
Ahmad asks about government roles; Amjad and Hasan debate protectionism, pragmatic support, and risks of direct sovereign investing.
VC React Podcast:
Every week, we bring you insights and reactions from top VCs, LPs, & Angel Investors, reacting to the latest news on MENA startups, funds, and investment rounds.
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Hosts:
- Ahmad Takatkah, VCpreneur. Sign up to VCpreneur Newsletter on https://www.vcpreneur.com/
- Jamie Lane, FWDstart. Sign up to FWDstart Newsletter on https://archives.fwdstart.me/
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Available on:
- Youtube:https://www.youtube.com/@VCReactPodcast
- Spotify:https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/vc-react-podcast
- Apple:https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/vc-react-podcast/id1764834384
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Guests:
1. Amjad Ahmad, Managing Partner & Emerging Markets Advisor @ 500 Global
- LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amjadahmadvc/
- Company Website: https://500.co/
2. Hasan Haider, Founder and Managing Partner @ Plus VC
- LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hasanhaider/
- Company Website: https://plus.vc/
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#startups #vc #tech #ai #investments #entrepreneurship #venturecapital #venturedebt #business #ipo #acquisitions #fintech #edtech #accelerator #web3 #crypto #blockchain #defi
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Sponsors:
💸This week’s episode is brought to you by:
- OCTA – the AI-powered accounts receivable platform trusted by hundreds of companies like Careem, Lean Technologies, and ZenHR to automate collections, resolve disputes, and unlock financing with zero hassle.
Visit: www.weareocta.com/fwdstart to get your first 6 months free.
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News of the week brought to you by FWDstart.
This Week On The VC React Podcast:
- Jahez x noon team up after years as rivals – smart defensive play or last stand against a deep-pocketed new entrant flooding the region with subsidies?
- Why food delivery unit economics in places like Kuwait & Bahrain are so attractive that global players had to show up
- How founders of listed tech companies should think about stock price, storytelling, and life “in the glass house” post-IPO
- First casualty? Shgardi, a Saudi delivery player, shuts down. Is this just bad luck, or the start of a real shakeout in food delivery & fintech across MENA?
- Protectionism vs. smart government support: should sovereign wealth funds back local champions directly or focus on building a real LP & growth-capital ecosystem?
- What “local startup” even means in a global-by-default world (is it nationality, HQ, employees, or real commitment to the region?)
- Why many seed/Series A fintech players may not survive the next few years – and when an early M&A exit is actually the rational choice
- DataCamp acquires UAE’s Optima for $15M, turning founder Yousef into Global Chief AI Officer. Healthy early win for the ecosystem – or another “sold too early” AI/edtech moment?
Here is the DataCamp Podcast we referred to in the episode: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JNTKLbMwi8M
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