Start-ups and entrepreneurship

Analysis

Gulf investors emerge as key players in US social media giants TikTok, Snap, X

With UAE tech investor MGX set to take a stake in TikTok's US operations, investors from the Middle East could cement their role in America's social media landscape.

Samuel Wendel

By Samuel Wendel

In Washington, DC, reporting on regional business and tech

PayPal headquarters pictured in San Jose, California, on Oct. 15, 2015.

PayPal bets $100M as Middle East’s Gulf fintech giants amplify competition

The move from the US payments giant comes amid a flurry of activity that has further cemented the Gulf’s fintech sector on the map for global investors — including Saudi Arabia's Tamara, which recently secured a $2.4 billion financing deal.

United Arab Emirates

MURAT KOCABAS/Middle East Images/AFP via Getty Images

Analysis

KFC’s Turkey relaunch tests Western brands’ resilience in Gaza boycott era

From KFC to Carrefour, the Middle East's consumer brand landscape is undergoing significant shifts as the two-year anniversary of boycotts linked to the Gaza war approaches.

Samuel Wendel

By Samuel Wendel

In Washington, DC, reporting on regional business and tech

An image of Karim Attiyeh.

Meet Karim Attiyeh, youngest Arab American billionaire of Lebanese origin

Karim Attiyeh, a Lebanese-born technologist, has been named by Forbes Middle East as the youngest billionaire of Arab origin in the United States, joining the list of the 125 richest immigrant billionaires in the US.

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Analysis

Syria’s internet reboot takes shape amid outreach to Gulf telecoms

Men walk past shops selling mobile phones in the Damascus Tower market, which specializes in the smart phone business, in the Syrian capital on January 12, 2025.

Samuel Wendel

By Samuel Wendel

In Washington, DC, reporting on regional business and tech

Analysis

US stock plunge poses dilemmas for Gulf investors while exposing PIF, Mubadala risks

NYSE

Samuel Wendel

By Samuel Wendel

In Washington, DC, reporting on regional business and tech

Analysis

China’s DeepSeek triumph sparks billion-dollar AI dilemmas for Gulf investors

Samuel Wendel

By Samuel Wendel

In Washington, DC, reporting on regional business and tech

Analysis

Oman’s sleepy tech sector showing signs of promise

Preparations for 44.01's first project in UAE are well underway. This DAC + mineralisation pilot with ADNOCGroup , Masdar and FNRC will be the first carbon negative project by an energy company in the Middle East.

Samuel Wendel

By Samuel Wendel

In Washington, DC, reporting on regional business and tech

Ori and Philippe Gottlieb - Yummi 1.jpg

Defying COVID 19-induced crisis, Israelis launch food takeaway services from home

On the backdrop of the coronavirus crisis and growing unemployment rate, some Israelis have decided to start takeaway and cooking services straight from their home kitchens.

Escaping coronavirus stress, Israelis buy chocolate

Young Israeli chocolatiers are battling the coronavirus-induced economic crisis to keep the local chocolate industry afloat.

Moroccan activist calls for revolution of ideas

While female entrepreneurship is steadily increasing in Morocco, cultural barriers stand in the way of women achieving their full economic potential.

UAE students stir fashion market demand amid COVID-19

Two UAE students are taking advantage of the lockdown imposed to contain the coronavirus outbreak in order to grow their sustainable fashion line.

United Arab Emirates

Upper Egypt publisher fights for survival

Hypatia Publishing House, which takes its name from an executed Platonic thinker, aims to put Upper Egypt on the literary map.

Can Egypt sweeten deal for small beekeepers?

Egypt organizes its first beekeepers festival, but small producers wonder whether their presence will make a buzz.

Centuries on, Lebanese national liquor still makes eyes water

Lebanon's beloved arak is similar to other anise-based drinks like Greek ouzo or Turkish raki, but it still enjoys a distinct and proud local tradition.

An employee works with her laptop at Takhfifan company in Tehran, Iran January 19, 2016. REUTERS/Raheb Homavandi/TIMA ATTENTION EDITORS - THIS IMAGE WAS PROVIDED BY A THIRD PARTY. FOR EDITORIAL USE ONLY. - GF20000100032

How Iran’s startup sector can realize its potential

Iran’s startup scene is rapidly growing and holds great potential, but shortcomings remain and a failure to address them will undermine the sector.

Female entrepreneurs fight crisis by reviving heritage

Female entrepreneurs from Iraq, Palestine and Egypt show that hardship does not always impede creativity, particularly when you build on your country's artistic heritage.

Frustrated Jordanians work off daily woes in rage rooms

A rage room in Amman helps Jordanians cope with their frustration by smashing things in a safe space.

Gazan entrepreneur finds hope in hardship

The young founder of two innovative projects believes that the Gaza Strip needs entrepreneurs and innovators who fight daily challenges.

Meet the woman who introduced kimbaps to Gaza

Samah Haboub, renowned for her delicious Palestinian meals, has launched an online Korean food business.