The CTO Show with Mehmet - Week in Review: Dec 17, 2023

December 17, 2023

Welcome to the 45th edition of "The CTO Show With Mehmet" Weekly Recap Newsletter! If you're new here, a warm welcome to our dynamic community of 1568 subscribers across LinkedIn and Substack. Whether you're here for the first time or a loyal follower, your engagement is the lifeblood of this unique platform dedicated to tech, startups, and entrepreneurship.

 What is inside?

-      Weekly Startup Insights From Middle East, Türkiye & Africa

-      Tips, Recommendations, and Trends

-      Episodes Recap

 Without further ado, let's dive into this week's multifaceted insights!

Weekly Startups Insights:

 This week shows a global push toward climate sustainability and technology innovation, with significant investments happening across various regions and sectors. The funding rounds are prevalent in climate tech, fintech, mobility solutions, and SaaS platform support, pointing to these sectors as key investment areas. 

Climate and Sustainability Initiatives

1.    Dubai Future District Fund's Investment in Climate Tech Country: UAE Dh200 million allocated to sustainable technologies. Read More

2.    Investcorp's $750 Million Climate Tech Platform Country: Bahrain Aiming at lower-carbon technologies in North America and Western Europe. Read More

3.    HyveGeo's Pre-Seed Funding for Climate Tech Country: UAE Focusing on microalgae technology for soil regeneration and carbon removal. Read More

4.    Midori Network's Pre-Seed Funding Country: UAE Addressing plastic waste and climate issues with mobile recycling modules. Read More

Fintech, Legaltech, and Corporate Expansion

1.    Lendo's Series B Funding for Shariah-Compliant Marketplace Country: Saudi Arabia Raised $28 million for expansion and Shariah-compliant products. Read More

2.    Clara's Strategic Acquisition in Legaltech Country: UAE Acquired BCS to expand digital legal services. Read More

3.    Banknbox's Funding for Financial Services Expansion Country: Egypt Enhancing financial service integrations and market presence. Read More

4.    Fundbot's Seed Round for MENA Expansion Country: UAE Raised $1.5 million for corporate lending and payment solutions. Read More

5.    Naeem's Pre-Seed Funding for Salon and Beauty Solutions Country: Saudi Arabia Focused on expanding operational solutions in the personal care sector. Read More

Technology, Mobility, and Innovation

1.    Aselsan's Startup Support Program Country: Turkey Fostering innovative ideas in the defense industry. Read More

2.    EasyLease's Acquisition in EV Sector Country: UAE Acquired a major stake in Fully Charged to advance in sustainable mobility. Read More

3.    Terra's Seed Round for Electric Mobility Enhancement Country: UAE Raised $2 million for battery-swapping and recharging platforms. Read More

4.    Pocket Wifi Turkey's Growth in Connectivity Country: Turkey Raised 8.9 million TL to expand in the global eSIM market. Read More

5.    Pala De 7's (Pd7) Expansion in Sports Tech Country: Saudi Arabia Raised $1 million for its padel-focused platform. Read More

Venture Capital and Blockchain

1.    Andalusia Labs' Series A Funding for Global Expansion Country: USA (Headquarters in Abu Dhabi) Raised $48 million, with plans for Abu Dhabi headquarters. Read More

2.    E4E Africa's Venture Capital Fund II Country: South Africa Announced the first close of its US$30 million fund, focusing on fintech, education, and e-health. Read More

3.    Bujeti's Seed Funding for Expense Management Country: Nigeria Raised $2 million for enhancing corporate financial management solutions. Read More

 🔍 Conclusion

The focused investments in climate and sustainable technologies across the MENA region signal a significant trend towards environmental sustainability. Fintech also continues to be a key investment sector, indicating the ongoing digital transformation in financial services. The support for startups in Turkey and Africa shows a blossoming entrepreneurial ecosystem in these regions, further diversified by the defense and modern financial operations sectors.

 Tips, Recommendations, and Trends

As we approach a new fiscal year, here are key strategies to optimize your tech budget:

1.    Strategic Investment Focus: Prioritize technology investments that align with your core business objectives and offer significant value.

2.    Cloud Cost Optimization: Regularly review and adjust your cloud usage to avoid unnecessary expenses. Need help with cloud optimization? Reach out to me for tailored advice and solutions.

3.    Embrace Automation: Leverage automation to enhance efficiency and reduce manual workloads, especially in critical areas like cybersecurity.

4.    Effective Vendor Management: Negotiate effectively with your vendors to ensure you're getting the best value without compromising on quality or service.

 Episodes Recap:

 Get ready to transform your entrepreneurial journey as we uncover the secret to successful exit planning with 🎙️ Darryl Bates-Brownsword, the UK leader for Succession Plus. Darryl guarantees you'll never see your business the same way again, as he shines a light on the crucial need for exit readiness from the day you start your venture. Hear first-hand accounts of why it's vital not to just work in your business, but on it, focusing on growth with a strategic exit in mind.

Get ready to discover the inside story of a startup journey and the dynamics of product development in the tech world. Buckle up as we chat with Adi Behlulovic, the founder and CEO of Scaleup, a company based in Sarajevo, who walks us through his 12-year odyssey, transitioning from a software developer to a product manager, and finally to owning a startup.

Join me for a compelling conversation with our fascinating guest, Yandong Liu , the tech genius behind Connectly. As the CTO and co-founder, Yandong takes us on his unique journey - from the world of academia to the cutting-edge universe of AI, with a specific emphasis on his decision to revolutionize conversational commerce. We tackle the power of business messaging, discussing its expansive potential and the superior experience it offers, throwing traditional communication methods out the window. You'll get a glimpse into how messaging establishes genuine one-on-one relationships between businesses and customers, reshaping the way businesses interact.

 Have you ever wondered how the Software as a Service (SaaS) industry has evolved over the years? Get ready to unravel the intricacies of SaaS with Ed Frederici , the CTO of AppFire, as he shares his rich experiences from working with startups to giants like Salesforce. Our enlightening conversation journeys through the complexities of integrating various tools and the challenges that ensue. With Ed's know-how, you'll gain a comprehensive understanding of SaaS, and how it has become a game-changer in the tech industry.

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A Big Thank You 🙏

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Best, Mehmet