The CTO Show with Mehmet Gonullu #451 Two Startup Games, One Entrepreneur: Allan Abbas on Playing to Win in Fintech
“You either earn or you learn — both are wins.” – Allan Abbas
In this episode of The CTO Show with Mehmet, Allan Abbas joins us to explore the world of fintech innovation, startup growth, and what it takes to build a game-changing product in the Middle East. Allan, a former Amazon leader turned founder, shares his personal journey from bootstrapping his first startup to co-founding Emflex — a company focused on fixing car financing in Saudi Arabia.
We dive deep into what it means to “play the two startup games”: lifestyle businesses vs. venture-scale startups, the power of embedded finance, and why the MENA region is primed for fintech disruption.
💡 What You’ll Learn
• The difference between bootstrapped vs. VC-backed startup models
• Why fintech is just getting started in the MENA region
• How AI and open banking are reshaping financial services
• What embedded finance really means — and why it’s the future
• How to navigate fintech regulations in Saudi Arabia
• The psychology of being a solo founder vs. being in a builder community
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📝 Key Takeaways
• Fintech in MENA is still <1% of the banking market — massive upside remains
• The car financing journey today is broken — Emflex aims to cut it from 7 days to 90 minutes
• AI isn’t just a feature; it’s infrastructure
• Open banking gives users control over their financial data — unlocking new business models
• Know which game you’re playing: lifestyle vs. scale — and commit fully
About Allan Abbas
Allan Abbas is a former Amazonian engineer who thrives on pushing boundaries both personally and professionally. He previously launched and bootstrapped a niche sports tourism startup in Dubai, generating $1.2 million in product sales without any mentorship or external funding.
With six years of progressive leadership experience at Amazon, Allan has led large-scale operations, product development, and launch management across multiple verticals. He specializes in assembling and leading high-performing teams. Today, Allan is focused on building an AI-powered fintech startup aimed at transforming the car financing experience across the MENA region.
https://linkedin.com/in/alanabbas
⏱️ Episode Highlights
00:00 – Intro and Allan’s background
02:00 – From Amazon to startups: The itch to build
04:30 – Why fintech? The “aha” moment
06:00 – Is MENA fintech really saturated?
08:00 – What is embedded finance and why it matters
10:00 – How car financing works today vs. Emflex’s vision
13:00 – How Emflex uses AI to match lenders and improve credit checks
15:30 – Fintech regulations: What founders need to know
19:00 – Why open banking is a game-changer
22:00 – Allan on startup scars, lessons, and pivoting
25:30 – Bootstrapping vs. VC: Choosing your path
29:00 – The Antler experience and value of being among builders
33:00 – MENA startups going global — when and how?
36:00 – Final thoughts, favorite fruit, and closing words