Author: Editorial Board
Editorial Board
The Disruptor Editorial Board brings together experienced writers, analysts, and industry voices dedicated to curating fresh perspectives on technology, startups, and the future of business. Acting as the guiding voice of the magazine, the board ensures every story we publish is insightful, relevant, and aligned with our mission—to spotlight innovation and inspire bold thinking.
Tuesday, September 30 | 6:00 PM – 8:30 PM (GMT+4)📍 Belgian Beer Café, 2nd Floor, Madinat Jumeirah, Dubai(Near Al Ansari Exchange – Business Casual | Age 21+) Join Dubai’s largest networking event for entrepreneurs, startups, tech professionals, freelancers, and creatives. Whether you’re seeking a co-founder, investor, collaborator, or just meaningful business connections – this is the place to be. 🎯 Ideal for:Tech founders, business professionals, freelancers, creators, and startup teams. ✨ What to Expect: 🎟 RSVP Required to Attend(No entry without registration) 📩 For Sponsorship or Hosting Opportunities:forwardyourcareer@gmail.com Socials:Instagram: @ProfessionalUnite Link: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/dubais-big-business-tech-entrepreneur-professional-networking-soriee-tickets-1080177422749?aff=ebdssbdestsearch
Looking to grow your tech network and build new business connections in Dubai? Tech Connect is the perfect event for professionals across the tech ecosystem — from fresh grads to seasoned experts. 🗓 Date & Time:Wednesday, August 6 | 8:30 AM – 10:30 AM (GMT+4) 📍 Location:Ciao Bella Restaurant, Ground Floor – Media One Hotel, Media City, DubaiFree Valet Parking Available 🎤 Hosted by:Phil Bedford – Author, Business Consultant, Coach, and Master Franchisee in UAE & GCC. 💡 Format: 🍽 Includes:Tea, Coffee, Juices, and Snacks 💰 Cost:$74 – For Small & Mid-Sized Companies 📞 Questions?WhatsApp: +971 52 501 2234 (Hanush)Call:…
Riyadh-based insurtech startup Yasmina has closed a $2 million Seed round, marking a major step forward for the embedded insurance space in Saudi Arabia. The round was led by Scene Holding, co-led by Access Bridge Ventures, with participation from Arzan VC and early backing from the Sanabil Investment Accelerator by 500 MENA. Founded in 2023 by Masoud Alhelou and Bashar Abalkhail, Yasmina is the first embedded insurance platform in Saudi Arabia, offering seamless API integrations that allow digital businesses to embed insurance products at checkout—in under 48 hours. Transforming Insurance at the Digital Checkout Yasmina’s API-first platform is reshaping how…
Whether you’re pitching to VCs or angels, landing a great impression fast is essential. With investors unpacking hundreds of decks yearly, your pitch needs clarity, confidence, and impact. 1. Keep It Laser-Focused A pitch deck should be short, sharp, and full of substance. “Less is more… investors are probably bombarded with these documents” Aim for 10–12 slides: 2. Showcase a Winning Team Investors bet on teams who can execute through uncertainty.Highlight: “The team has the ability to pivot the company when it’s needed…” 3. Tell a Compelling Story Hook your audience emotionally: “It’s like when opening a book. If you…
In a major move to expand its regional footprint, Jahez International, Saudi Arabia’s leading food delivery and logistics platform, has signed a $245 million agreement to acquire a 76.56% stake in Qatar-based Snoonu, marking the first Qatari startup to surpass a QAR 1 billion ($320M) valuation. Deal Highlights: Post-transaction, founder Hamad Al-Hajri will retain 23.44% ownership and continue as CEO. A new four-member board will include three Jahez appointees (including chairman) and one from Al-Hajri. Strategic Implications:Founded in 2019, Snoonu offers food, grocery, retail, and third-party logistics services to SMEs across Qatar. This acquisition strengthens Jahez’s presence across the GCC’s…
ORA Technologies, a rising star in Morocco’s fintech and retailtech space, has announced the closing of its $7.5 million Series A round, led by Azur Innovation Fund alongside three strategic local investors. This brings ORA’s total local funding to $11.9 million since January 2023 — a record-breaking achievement in the Moroccan startup landscape. ORA is the driving force behind the “E-Morocco for Everyone” initiative, aimed at democratizing access to e-commerce and digital payments across the country. The company is actively building solutions for Morocco’s booming food delivery and mobile wallet sectors. Highlights from ORA’s recent growth: Founder Omar Alami commented:”This…
Riyadh-based AI firm Lucidya has secured $30 million in a Series B round led by Impact46, with participation from regional investors. Founded in 2016, Lucidya offers a customer experience management (CXM) platform powered by proprietary AI models that analyze sentiment and engagement across 15 Arabic dialects. The platform enables businesses and government agencies to monitor and respond to customer feedback in real time, with full compliance to data protection laws. Lucidya claims up to 92% sentiment detection accuracy through its Arabic-first AI agents, which automate support and engagement in local dialects. With the new funding, Lucidya plans to: The investment…
Aria Ventures Launches LE 50M Fund to Fuel Egypt’s Deep-Tech Revolution Michigan-based venture capital firm Aria Ventures has launched a LE 50 million fund to back Egypt’s next generation of deep-tech startups, with a goal of scaling the fund to LE 200 million by 2029. The fund targets early-stage ventures in high-impact science and technology sectors such as artificial intelligence, robotics, biotechnology, nanotechnology, and the Internet of Things. The initiative includes a signature competition, DeepTecher, which identifies promising R&D-driven innovations and supports them through structured mentoring and evaluation phases—transforming cutting-edge research into market-ready ventures. Operating as a venture studio, Aria…
idea-L® Secures $1M Oversubscribed Pre-Seed Round to Launch AI-Powered Venture Creation Platform Dubai-based idea-L®, the AI and Web3-powered platform transforming ideas into investor-ready ventures, has closed an oversubscribed $1 million pre-seed round. Backed by a broad network of angel investors, the funding includes capital for the Holding Company and the overarching idea-L project, alongside strategic partnership contributions to be revealed soon. The funds will accelerate technical team expansion, support the launch of GovToken—the platform’s governance token—and power the development of the deVC Fund™, a DAO-managed venture capital engine. It will also fuel the growth of the i-Luminary™ mentor network. Positioned…
Jadwa Investment has led a $50 million funding round in PetroApp—Saudi Arabia’s leading digital platform for fuel and fleet management—through its GCC Diversified Private Equity Fund. The round also saw participation from Bunat Ventures. Founded in 2018 by Abdulaziz Al Senan, PetroApp provides a cashless solution for managing payments across corporate and government vehicle fleets. The platform helps prevent fraud while offering access to additional services such as oil changes, car washes, and tyre replacements. This investment will fuel PetroApp’s retail rollout in Saudi Arabia, strengthen its tech infrastructure, and drive its global expansion—cementing its role in the digital transformation…