Aljosa Jenko

🎟️ Ever wondered how tech powers the biggest concerts, festivals, and sporting events in the MENA region? In Episode 493 of The CTO Show With Mehmet Gonullu I sat down with Cosmin Ivan, CEO of Platinumlist, to unpack how a ticketing company became a trusted tech platform scaling across GCC. We covered: 🔐 The tech behind bank-grade ticketing security 📲 How to create a seamless customer journey from click to concert 🌍 Challenges of scaling across culturally diverse markets 🤖 Where AI and Web3 fit into the future of event experiences 🧠 Leadership lessons from 18 years of building a regional powerhouse Whether you’re in SaaS, marketplaces, or events — this one’s packed with insights. 🎧 Available now on all podcast platforms + YouTube. 📌 Full links in the comments.

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Getplace.io is proud to support Dodo Brands in their expansion into #Dubai. Thanks to Andrei Nikitin, we conducted a fascinating study of the delivery zones of the key pizza players. In this particular case, we focused on Papa John's UAE. Here’s an interesting insight to share: If you've ever used talabat in #UAE, you might have noticed that the app often shows, for example, 10 different Starbucks Coffee Company MENA locations available for delivery to your address. This is because most brands don’t have the capability to divide the city into distinct delivery zones, optimize courier routes, or protect individual stores from cannibalization. However, the three leading pizza brands have managed to negotiate such a setup — and that’s exactly what you can see in the slide below. While the zones are defined differently in their own apps and on Talabat, they are indeed divided.

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🇰🇼 Top Venture Capital Funds in Kuwait | 2026 Landscape Kuwait continues to build its venture capital ecosystem. The following are venture funds and investor groups that have been active in 2026: Arzan Venture Capital Stage: Seed, early stage
Focus: Technology, fintech, digital platforms 🌐 https://arzanvc.com KFHC Ventures Stage: Seed
Focus: Early-stage technology and diversified startups 🌐 https://lnkd.in/eyGAR562 Faith Capital Holding 
Stage: Seed to Series A
Focus: Fintech, marketplaces, tech-enabled businesses 🌐 https://faithcapital.com Zain-Ventures Stage: Early stage, growth
Focus: Digital products, telecom-related tech, platforms
🌐 https://zain-ventures.com Seeds Partners 
Stage: Seed
Focus: Early-stage startups 🌐 https://www.seedskw.com SBX Capital 
Stage: Seed, Series A
Focus: High-tech, blockchain 🌐 https://sbxcapital.com Savour Ventures Stage: Seed (micro VC)
Focus: Food, foodtech, agri-related businesses
🌐 https://savourventures.com Oasis500 (active with Kuwaiti investors) Stage: Pre-seed, seed
Focus: Technology, SaaS, digital products
🌐 https://oasis500.co *Based in Amman, Jordan 📌 Save & share:
Kuwait investors prefer clear business models, real revenue logic, and startups that can grow across the GCC, not just locally. If you know founders looking at Kuwait, this list will help them. #VentureCapital #KuwaitEcosystem #Startups #KuwaitVC #VCKuwait

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As we begin a new chapter at Gingo, we’re excited to share the formation of Gingo Foundation, which ambition is simple, but bold: to replace acceleration with cultivation. By shifting away from short-term, speed-driven acceleration programs, we aim to support innovation that is sustainable, resilient, and grounded in real-world impact — not just demo days or short-term outcomes. This is about building better startups by building better ecosystems 🚀 We’re kicking off this journey with an exciting panel discussion at the 24SIX9, bringing together industry leaders to openly challenge the traditional accelerator model and explore how innovation can truly be built for the long term. If you have ever questioned the accelerator playbook, you definitely want to be part of this conversation🙃

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*Thrilled to share that Harvverse* is officially part of Prototypes for Humanity in Dubai 🌍✨ As CEO & Founder of Harvverse , I’m proud to see our vision recognized on a global stage. This initiative highlights innovations shaping a more sustainable and resilient future — and here’s how they describe Harvverse: “A decentralized climate platform empowering farmers with data, traceability, and immersive education…” This is just the beginning — our mission is to empower farmers and accelerate the transition to sustainable food systems worldwide. 🔗 Read the full feature: https://lnkd.in/etucj8qx Learn more: https:// https://lnkd.in/gYVb8x4A ##PrototypesForHumanity #DubaiFuture #DubaiCulture #CreativeDubai #Harvverse #AgTech #ClimateTech #Sustainability DUBAI FUTURE FOUNDATION

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𝐃𝐮𝐛𝐚𝐢 𝐝𝐢𝐝𝐧'𝐭 𝐛𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐚 𝐠𝐥𝐨𝐛𝐚𝐥 𝐡𝐮𝐛 𝐛𝐲 𝐚𝐜𝐜𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐭. It built the physical rails of global trade: ports, logistics, commodities markets, and financial infrastructure. Today the world is entering another economic shift: the AI economy. Every technological era requires its own infrastructure. The question now is simple: 𝐖𝐡𝐨 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐛𝐮𝐢𝐥𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐝𝐢𝐠𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐥 𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐥𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐀𝐈 𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐨𝐦𝐲? Great discussion with Ahmed Bin Sulayem and team at DMCC (Dubai Multi Commodities Centre) about the opportunities ahead. Gelicail-The Positive Web Marcel Donges Khushbu Verma

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Animoca Brands makes strategic investment in Ava Labs focusing on Middle East Animoca Brands Ava Labs Avalanche #MiddleEast #UAE #KSA #GCC #blockchain #tokenization #RWAs #investment #partnership #AnimocaBrands #Avalanche https://lnkd.in/gamTEwWb

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In a significant move to accelerate its regional expansion and innovation roadmap, Related has closed an $8 million strategic investment round, led by Equivator® . This partnership marks a pivotal milestone in establishing Related as the leading loyalty technology provider in the MENA #investment #loyalty #fintech #Equivator #saudiarabia

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New gateway into the MENA region: apply for the Digital Startups Scale Up Program in Dubai 🚀 Tumar Innovation Hub, in partnership with DIFC Innovation Hub and supported by Astana Hub and IT PARK Uzbekistan, is opening doors for Central Asian founders. This fall, the UAE will host the first-ever acceleration program tailored for startups from Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, helping them localize, scale, and access opportunities across the MENA region. The acceleration program consists of a pre-selection and selection phase, a preparation phase, a program phase, Demo Day, and a post-program phase. To be considered for participation, startups have to meet the following requirements: 🔹A mature startup with sustainable traction in the country of residence 🔹Preparedness to localize the company’s operations, team, and product for the UAE and MENA market 🔹A compelling pitch deck outlining the rationale and strategic fit for expansion into the UAE 🔹Availability of resources to relocate a founder or co-founder to the UAE for the full 8-week duration of the program The program will run from mid-September to mid-November 2025, and the application starts now. Application is available at the link: https://lnkd.in/deDeYfd5  Deadline: June 20

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Out of Contech 💥🏗️ - First episode To be a great VC fund in construction tech means going beyond our core: This week, we visited #Dubai and #Germany to close a unique agreement with Dubai Municipality and Würth Professional Solutions to launch the first fully robotized residential project worldwide! This will be the perfect testing ground for robotic startups. In Germany, we were hosted by Angela Pernsteiner who showed us the different building solutions and innovations Würth Group has developed for the industry. How cool is that??!! Check this out and, as always, check this week too 3 startups, coming from Middle East: - Tessium.ai : providing access and understanding to the project’s key documents and information. CEO: Rupert Tait - ⁠Navatech : allowing construction workers input their information from the field. CEO Prakash Senghani - TruBuild processing bidding and tender documents to help construction companies improve their pre-construction processes. CEO Bisrat D. Stay tuned for our weekly updates and the coolest startups we meet! #OutOfContech #ZacuaVentures Zacua Ventures Dr. Anas Bataw

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🔔 Sharing insights on our new Startup Studio we believe will have a lasting impact ! 🔛 Rasmal Ventures is proud to partner with Rubix Holding and Qatar Development Bank to launch Rubix Studio 🎉 Rubix Studio is built on a simple idea: early-stage companies don’t just need advice — they need builders alongside them. So unlike traditional accelerators or incubators, Rubix Studio operates as a hands-on co-builder, bringing together: 1. Corporate capabilities and resources 2. Market access and real commercial pathways 3. Integrated capital support to accelerate venture creation and reduce early-stage risk Over the coming years, Rubix Studio will co-develop a strong pipeline of globally competitive, investment-ready companies, anchored in Qatar 🇶🇦 , designed for regional and international scale This marks another step in Rasmal Ventures’ multi-year focus: building lasting impact, translating innovation into execution, and helping Qatar become a leading destination for building and scaling new companies. We’re excited to engage with founders, corporates, and venture partners across Qatar and beyond 💫 If you’re building something you are passionate about, let’s connect. #RubixStudio #RasmalVentures #Qatar #VentureBuilding #Startups #Innovation #Entrepreneurship #VC #QDB Tareq Berkdar Alexander Wiedmer Samar Karam Dorra Mahbouli, MBA

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🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia-headquartered #AI startup intella has raised $12.5 million in a Series A round led by Prosus Ventures, with participation from 500 Global, Wa'ed Ventures, HALA Ventures, Idrisi Ventures, and HearstLab. Founded in Egypt 🇪🇬 in 2021 by Nour Taher and Omar Mansour, Intella builds AI models tailored to #Arabic dialects, offering #transcription, #analytics, and customer engagement tools. The funding will be used to expand Intella's offerings and accelerate its #MENA expansion with go-to-market teams in Egypt and Saudi Arabia. With this round, Intella’s total funding raised stands at $16.9 million. #MiddleEast #Egypt #Saudi

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That first coffee of the day needs to be fast. But who delivers it the fastest? We analyzed morning delivery times across Dubai, and the map below reveals a fierce, neighborhood-by-neighborhood battle where Caribou Coffee, Costa Coffee, and Tim Hortons - Middle East dominate. What's fascinating, however is if you zoom out to a macro-level, the delivery performance of these chains is highly correlated. On any given day, all brands are delivering at a similar pace—often within 5 minutes of each other when averaged across the city. If one is having a bad day, it's likely everyone else is. This is precisely why a hyperlocal lens is critical, because the real operational differences show up block-by-block, not as a market-aggregate. For example, in Business Bay, Costa & Tim Hortons deliver about 10 minutes faster than Starbucks. In JLT, however, all these brands deliver within a few minutes of each other, highlighting key regional differences. This contrast is what matters. At a city-level, brands fight a correlated battle for visibility. But the neighborhood-level fight is where customer wallets and loyalty are actually won. Drop a comment if you'd like to learn more, or see these insights for other markets and cuisines. #Dotlas #BigData #DubaiFandB #CoffeeWars #MarketAnalysis #Strategy

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BREAKING 🇦🇪 : Relik raises an undisclosed seed round to tackle the $467bn global counterfeit market. The round was led by KBW Ventures with participation from Naatt holding, Fort Holding, and Ayman Sejiny. John Tsioris, the exited founder of instashop also joined the round as a pre-seed investor and co-founder. This funding will fast-track the launch of Relik Vault: an AI-powered, tamper-proof authentication platform designed to protect high-value assets and prove what’s real in an increasingly fakeable world. For brands, artists, and institutions, it unlocks verifiable provenance and a new level of consumer trust. A huge congrats to Walid Tarabih and the rest of the Relik team 👏🏼 #MENA #VC #startup

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Record-breaking momentum for MENA’s venture ecosystem continues, with $3B deployed across 469 deals, and plenty more in the pipeline... Yesterday I had the pleasure of joining Joumanna Bercetche on Bloomberg News TV’s Horizons: Middle East & Africa to unpack MAGNiTT’s Q3 2025 MENA Venture Investment Report. What stood out most is that this summer bucked the trend. Instead of a slowdown, Q3 was a record quarter, pushing total funding for the year to all-time highs. The momentum has been building since January and shows no signs of easing. I personally love discussions with Joumanna Bercetche as we always go beyond just the numbers: • More global capital is flowing into MENA, with international investors taking a growing share of rounds. • Mega deals are back, supported by easing rates and improved liquidity. • Growth across all stages, early, mid, & late, shows broader ecosystem depth. • Liquidity remains the key challenge, while M&A activity has doubled, exits are still limited relative to the number of funded companies. I’ll be discussing this further with Claudia Zeisberger (INSEAD) in an upcoming webinar on the liquidity paradox. The signal is clear: investor confidence in MENA’s venture ecosystem is back. The question now is whether this momentum carries through to year-end, and how liquidity can keep up. 📊 Check out the full interview below and get access the report we discussed: https://lnkd.in/drS_8Zh9 Having attended Expand North Star this week, what was your feedback on the VC market in the region? Love to hear your thoughts below 👇 #VC #Venture #funding #MENA #GCC #Investment #UAE #KSA #MAGNiTT

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✨ Today on ALAQA, we welcome Krisztina Tora - a global catalyst in impact investing and Chief Market Development Officer at GSG Impact. Krisztina’s path - from the fashion industry, to co-founding a global network for social enterprise incubators, to helping over 70 countries build inclusive economies and financial infrastructure - is a story of reinvention, boldness, and systemic vision. I particularly enjoyed her unique combination of deep determination, kindness in interactions (and in her voice!) and curiosity to broaden her vantage point, to the benefit of emancipation and inclusion for all. We talked about: 🤝 Why changing finance is about changing belief systems as much as balance sheets 🤝 The invisible but crucial role of trust, co-creation, and time in building ecosystems 🤝 Why we need translators in finance - people who can bridge technical jargon and systemic transformation Krisztina challenges us to step outside our echo chambers and re-engage with the "Other": “We don’t talk enough with people who disagree with us. Our belief systems need to be questioned if we want true transformation.” 🎧 Listen to Episode 3 of ALAQA on your preferred platform, and join us in exploring the connections that drive resilient and just transitions. (---> link in 1st comment)

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Why are well-funded startups choosing to focus on Abu Dhabi? Hear it directly from my good friend Michael Steger below, who did exactly that with his startup theion. Over the past few years, I’ve had the chance to meet many founders & teams relocating here to build. Michael is one of them. He moved to the UAE last year for the climate track at Hub71 with his deep tech startup, and decided to stay. They’re building crystalline lithium–sulfur batteries that could dramatically increase energy density while removing the need for nickel, cobalt, and other rare metals. If successful, technologies like this could reshape energy storage across multiple industries. You can learn more about their work here: www.theion.de Quick 3-minute conversation below. Brinc #VC #AbuDhabi #UAEstartups #BatteryTech #DeepTech

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That’s the paradox facing many emerging market startups — and one that reflects a broader truth in venture capital today. I spoke to Christine Burke and Laura Gardner Cuesta from Bloomberg about this tension, with a particular focus on the #MiddleEast: that raising capital today is possible — if you’re in the bullseye. 📍The Bullseye means: You’re growing fast (ideally faster than peers) and efficiently (and increasingly profitably) You’re building in the right theme (say, AI or defense) You’re in a favored geo (often the U.S. or core hubs in Europe) If you’re even slightly outside that bullseye — not growing efficiently, not building in a hyped sector, not headquartered in a top-tier market — raising capital has become materially harder, even when it shouldn’t be. The Middle East is a particularly stark example. There’s no shortage of capital (sovereign wealth funds and family offices manage trillions). Yet late-stage funding gaps persist, forcing some of the region’s most promising startups to raise abroad. This is a solvable problem. And it will happen in time. Read the Bloomberg piece here: [insert link] #venturecapital #emergingmarkets #startups #middleeast #growthcapital #FluentVentures https://lnkd.in/giZrBMhF

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CAC efficiency varies across MENA. Acquiring customers in the UAE often costs more than in Kuwait for the same product. In Egypt, word of mouth and social discovery drive more growth than in Saudi Arabia. These regional dynamics matter more than founders realize as they change payback and budget mix. Understand them before you expand.  Validate channels country by country.  Price to local acquisition costs.  You protect cash and speed up payback.

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