VC React MENA E52: Money20/20, Tamara: $1.4B Debt, HALA: $157M Round, Robinhood: Public Startup Fund
Description
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. Armineh Baghoomian, Managing Director, Head of EMEA, Co-Head of Global ABF/Fintech @ Partners for Growth
- LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/armineh-baghoomian-045262/
- VC Firm Website: https://www.pfgrowth.com/
2. C. Nichole (Grice) Rush, Managing Director @ First Rate Ventures
- LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicholerush/
- VC Firm Website: https://firstrate.com/ventures/
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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.
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News of the week brought to you by FWDstart.
This Week On The VC React Podcast:
- Live from Money 20/20 Middle East in Riyadh. We’ll break down the vibe in here: what feels real, what’s just noise, and what trends are actually shaping the future of Fintech in MENA
💰 Tamara just locked in $1.4 billion in debt — yes, with a B — from Goldman, Citi, and Apollo. Is BNPL finally proving it can scale sustainably… or is it just a high-stakes leverage play?
📦 HALA raised a $157M Series B to scale its SME payment, banking, and finance services here is Saudi. Is this the Square of MENA? Or is the fintech bundle getting too heavy to carry?
📈 And finally — Robinhood wants to open startup investing to everyone. A public fund for early-stage startups? Great idea… or a recipe for a bubble!?
---(أحمد طقاطقه)---
United States
