Jamie Lane

Jamie Lane is the co-founder of FWDstart, a Gulf/MENA-focused tech and venture publication aiming to be the region’s referential source for rigorous analysis and original reporting. Based in Abu Dhabi, Jamie’s coverage spans AI, fintech, and the evolving capital stack in MENA. He also hosts the VC React podcast. Before FWDstart, he led digital strategy at a pan-European B2B publishing house, overseeing editorial, subscriptions, and commercial operations.

Property Finder secures $250M in debt financing; backs fractional real estate platform Stake

Thecommitment from Ares Credit Funds will be used to accelerate regional expansion and product innovation, with spend earmarked for AI-driven solutions, marketing, branding, and strategic partnerships.

Oct 23, 2025

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1 min read

Dubizzle delays IPO plans amid valuation concerns and mixed UAE listings

According to analysts, the delay reflects a mismatch between valuation expectations and investor appetite, underscoring a maturing regional IPO market.

Oct 23, 2025

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2 min read

Key Capital’s London Trek and the Architecture of Gulf Capital Flows

As global investors look to deploy into the Gulf, Key Capital’s London Trek has quietly become one of the region’s most effective bridges between mandate and deployment. Behind its small, curated format sits a deliberate architecture designed to convert interest into capital flow.

Oct 22, 2025

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12 min read

CADO raises $4.5M pre-seed to expand gifting platform into Saudi Arabia and New York

Founded in 2019 by Leila Al Marashi, CADO combines creativity, logistics, and technology to modernise corporate gifting, with the goal of making it more intelligent and emotionally meaningful.

Oct 21, 2025

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1 min read

Crescent Enterprises launches $68M investment programme to scale CE-Creates venture studio

The move comes alongside the appointment of Rakhil Fernando as Head of CE-Creates, signalling a more aggressive build-out of the platform.

Oct 21, 2025

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2 min read

Saudi Web3 startup Astra Nova secures $48.3M to expand creator platforms globally

Founded by Muhamed Ashhar and Faizy Ahmed, Astra Nova develops tools that allow creators to launch interactive blockchain-based experiences without technical expertise.

Oct 21, 2025

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2 min read

Qashio acquires Saudi fintech Sanad Cash to accelerate KSA expansion

The acquisition comes shortly after Qashio raised approximately $19.8 million in fresh funding in May.

Oct 21, 2025

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2 min read

1001 AI raises $9M to automate Gulf infrastructure with AI-native operating system

Founded by Bilal Abu-Ghazaleh, 1001 AI is developing an AI-native operating system designed to automate operational decision-making in aviation, logistics, construction, and oil & gas.

Oct 21, 2025

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2 min read

Saudi AI startup TabSense lands $5M to scale agentic PoS to restaurants and cafés

Founded in 2024 by Mohammed Jaber, Mohammad Khleifat, Shadi Daboor and Mohamad Ababatain, TabSense develops a platform that uses autonomous AI agents to act like digital employees

Oct 21, 2025

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2 min read

Cercli raises $12M Series A to build AI-native HR stack for MENA

Founded by Akeed Azmi and David Reche, former operators at Careem, Cercli develops AI-driven tools for payroll, compliance, and human resources management.

Oct 21, 2025

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2 min read

Talabat's new CEO, Tabby launches AI push with NVIDIA

Chari raises Morocco's largest-ever Series A, Dubizzle kicks off $2B Dubai IPO process, Investcorp closes $750M Golden Horizon Fund, plus this week’s MENA startup, VC, and tech news round-up.

Oct 17, 2025

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14 min read

talabat names Toon Gyssels as CEO, Tomaso Rodriguez moves to Board

Gyssels previously spent four years at talabat as COO and Interim CEO, where he helped scale operations across MENA, launched Q-commerce and cloud kitchen verticals, and strengthened the platform’s logistics network.

Oct 17, 2025

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2 min read

Tabby deploys NVIDIA HGX to build sovereign AI infrastructure in GCC

The fund will focus on sectors including consumer, healthcare, logistics, and business services. It targets established companies with scale and maturity, with a clear path to IPOs or strategic exits within three to five years.

Oct 17, 2025

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2 min read

Chari raises $12M Series A to expand merchant super app and build Morocco’s first BaaS platform

Founded in 2020 by Ismael Belkhayat and Sophia Alj, Chari began by digitising procurement for Morocco’s ubiquitous mom-and-pop shops, streamlining FMCG supply chains through its mobile app.

Oct 15, 2025

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2 min read

VC React Podcast (Episode #54)

This week on VC React, we unpack BECO’s $370M twin funds and what it signals for full-stack venture in MENA, dig into aydi's $7.5M seed to bring AI to agritech, debate the PIF–Silver Lake $55B take-private of EA, and track the fintech migration as Revolut’s CEO relocates to Dubai.

Oct 15, 2025

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2 min read

Investcorp closes $750M Golden Horizon Fund with CIC to target GCC-China growth

Oct 15, 2025

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2 min read

Prosus-backed Dubizzle kicks off $2B Dubai IPO process

Dubizzle intends to offer about 30.3% of its share capital, roughly 1.25 billion shares, consisting of both new shares and existing shareholder sales. Prosus N.V., its largest shareholder, has committed to invest $100 million in the IPO.

Oct 15, 2025

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2 min read

US approves NVIDIA sales to UAE, Revolut’s CEO relocates to Dubai

Uber co-founder Travis Kalanick granted Saudi citizenship, Cerebras withdraws IPO filing after $1B raise amid G42 scrutiny, Egypt-based agtech Tagaddod raises $26.3M Series A, plus this week’s MENA startup, VC, and tech news round-up.

Oct 10, 2025

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12 min read

Cerebras withdraws IPO filing after $1B raise amid G42 scrutiny

G42 accounted for 87% of the company’s revenue in the first half of 2024, a customer concentration flagged as a material risk in its IPO filings.

Oct 10, 2025

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2 min read

US clears billions in NVIDIA chip exports to UAE under Trump AI pact

The deal is tied to a landmark AI agreement signed in May that pairs US chip shipments with reciprocal Emirati investment.

Oct 10, 2025

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3 min read

Saudi Arabia grants citizenship to Uber co-founder Travis Kalanick

The royal approval places Kalanick among a select group of scientists, innovators, and business leaders who have received citizenship under a program tied to Saudi Vision 2030.

Oct 10, 2025

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2 min read

Saudi Data Embassies And The New Geopolitics Of Compute

The Kingdom’s compute triple advantage, its forthcoming Global AI Hub Law, the emergence of one of the world’s largest inference clusters in Dammam, and the looming prospect of a “compute OPEC.”

Oct 8, 2025

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5 min read

Revolut’s Nik Storonsky swaps London for Dubai as fintech gears up for UAE launch

The move, first reported by the Financial Times, was disclosed in updates to Storonsky’s family office records.

Oct 8, 2025

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2 min read

PIF’s $55B EA buyout, BECO closes $370M across two funds

UAE’s MGX to take 15% stake in TikTok US under White House deal, Aydi raises $7.5M seed to launch AI agronomy assistant Orth, Careem takes minority stake in Swapp to expand car rental play in UAE, plus this week’s MENA startup, VC, and tech news round-up.

Oct 3, 2025

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16 min read

UAE’s MGX to take 15% stake in TikTok US under White House deal

MGX will join Oracle and Silver Lake as co-investors, each taking an equal stake.

Oct 3, 2025

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2 min read