VC React MENA E48: Robinhood Comes To MENA & Compete With Local Copies, Bulk Funding In Game Studios
VC React Podcast:
Every week, we bring you insights and reactions from top VCs, LPs, and Angel Investors, reacting to the latest news on MENA startups, funds, and investment rounds. Stay tuned for: expert analysis, independent opinions, and maybe some heated conversations!
Hosts:
Ahmad Takatkah, VCpreneur.
Sign up to VCpreneur Newsletter on https://www.vcpreneur.com/Jamie Lane, FWDstart.
Sign up to FWDstart Newsletter on https://www.fwdstart.me/
Available on:
Youtube: VC React Podcast
Spotify: VC React Podcast
Apple: VC React Podcast
Guests:
1. Fahad Alfaez, Investment Manager @ Jahez
- LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/fahad-alfaez-830281166/
- VC Firm Website: https://jahezgroup.com/
2. Hussein Attar, CEO @ Tech Invest Com
- LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/husseinattar/
- VC Firm Website: https://techinvestcom.com/
This Week On The VC React Podcast:
News of the week brought to you by FWDstart:
🔁 Robinhood is expanding to Dubai. Big U.S. and European unicorns like Binance, Shopify, Stripe, Revolut, and now Robinhood are entering the GCC directly. Is this a sign that MENA is seen as an attractive emerging market? And does this mean local startups are forced to compete on a global level now?
🧠 If the old MENA-VC playbook was: copy and hope to get acquired… what happens when the copied ones just … walk into your market? What does that mean for the local copies? How are founders and investors reacting to this?
🎮 While the world is chasing AI, MENA is doubling down on gaming — with funding rounds coming in bulk: 17 game studios from Merak’s accelerator, and 5 more from Impact46 — what’s really happening here?
💸 Can just one or two funds create a whole industry? Is Merak’s full-stack capital model … the future of building regional categories from scratch?
📚 With all this funding, should local game developers lead with local stories and globalize later, or go global-first and localize later?
💬 Finally, how can VC firms better communicate their brand and investment thesis to attract founders and LPs.
--- (أحمد طقاطقه) ---
