VC React Podcast:

Every week, we bring you insights and reactions from top VCs, LPs, & Angel Investors, reacting to the latest news on MENA startups, funds, and investment rounds.

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Hosts:

• Ahmad Takatkah, VCpreneur. Sign up to VCpreneur Newsletter on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.vcpreneur.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
• Jamie Lane, FWDstart. Sign up to FWDstart Newsletter on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://archives.fwdstart.me/ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

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Available on:

• Youtube:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@VCReactPodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
• Spotify:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/vc-react-podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
• Apple:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/vc-react-podcast/id1764834384⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

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Guests:

1. Ahmed AlThukair, An Active Angel Investor, with more than 30 investments and 5 exits.- LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ahmed-al-thukair-b759b599/

2. Samer Shaaban, Opportunity Committee Member at OQAL Angel Network- LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/samer-shaaban-cfa-caia-ab40ab4/

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#startups #vc #tech #ai #investments #entrepreneurship #venturecapital #venturedebt #business #ipo #acquisitions #fintech #edtech #accelerator #web3 #crypto #blockchain #defi

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Sponsors:

💸This week’s episode is brought to you by:

- OCTA – the AI-powered accounts receivable platform trusted by 100+ companies like Careem, Lean Technologies, and ZenHR to automate collections, resolve disputes, and unlock financing with zero hassle.

Visit: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.weareocta.com/fwdstart ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠to get your first 6 months free.

Events:Come watch the magic happens!! Jamie Lane and Ahmad Takatkah will be RECORDING LIVE ON-STAGE at Money20/20 Middle East in Riyadh - September 15–17, 2025.

👉 Want a 25% discount? Register here and get it now:https://register.visitcloud.com/survey/1d9x7zrqbcfpk?actioncode=MSPK2216#Money2020MiddleEast

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News of the week brought to you by FWDstart.

This Week On The VC React Podcast:

🎮 $53 million dollars into a Baloot game?! Kammelna Got acquired by Impact46 — is this the beginning of Marvel-style IP coming out of the region? (when we first got the news we thought it was an investment) Is Impact46 sending a bold message to global investors: we’re building the champions before you show up.

🏡 Although Airbnb, Booking, and Expedia are already here, Gathern which is a female led startup in Saudi, raises a $72M series B — … how are they still winning? And is Saudi Arabia’s domestic tourism market finally big enough to carry a regional startup all the way to IPO? Also, why don’t we see more female-led startups in MENA?

🏦 Holo is digitizing the entire mortgage experience — but at the end of the day, it’s still an aggregator. In 2025, is aggregation still a good business model?! Or is it just a hook and the real value is in owning the full financial stack in proptech?

🤖 And finally — Saudi enters the foundation model race. With the launch of Allam and Humain Chat, what’s the actual edge against OpenAI?

---(أحمد طقاطقه)---