Couchonomics with Arjun What It Takes to Scale a Tech Company Like Snoonu From Qatar
Most startup stories focus on what companies become.
This one focuses on how they are built.
In this special Qatar Development Bank series of Couchonomics with Arjun, Arjun sits down in Doha with Hamad Al-Hajri, Founder and CEO of Snoonu, to explore how one of Qatar’s most successful tech companies was built and why its journey matters for the region.
Hamad explains why Snoonu was never meant to be just a delivery app, but a speed-led business designed for small, fragmented markets. From brand identity and culture to engineering excellence and profitability, the conversation unpacks what it really takes to scale from Qatar.
The episode also covers Snoonu’s acquisition by Jahez, the role of AI in product discovery, and how platform-led expansion could shape the next phase of growth.
An honest discussion on super apps, culture as infrastructure, and building globally relevant companies from the Middle East.
🎙️ In this episode:
• Why Snoonu was built as a speed-first business, not a delivery app
• The real meaning behind the Snoonu name and brand identity
• Why super apps work in smaller, fragmented markets
• How Snoonu achieved profitability while others struggled
• Engineering excellence and product craftsmanship as a moat
• AI-powered discovery and real-world use cases
• The Jahez acquisition and lessons from consolidation
• Platform-as-a-service versus direct market expansion
• Qatar’s evolving startup ecosystem and founder flywheel
• What it takes to build global tech companies from the GCC
👉 Watch the full conversation to understand how culture, technology, and long-term vision are shaping the next chapter of Middle Eastern innovation.
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CHAPTERS
00:00 QDB series and setting the context
02:00 The story behind Snoonu’s name
06:30 Why super apps work in the GCC
11:00 Profitability and engineering culture
16:00 AI, discovery, and product excellence
22:00 The Jahez acquisition
27:00 Platform-led expansion strategy
33:00 Qatar’s startup ecosystem evolution
39:00 Building globally from the Middle East
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