The CTO Show with Mehmet - Week in Review: Oct 15, 2023

October 15, 2023

Welcome to the 37th edition of "The CTO Show With Mehmet" Weekly Recap Newsletter! If you're new here, a warm welcome to our dynamic community of 1426 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

-      Startup Investments Opportunities Spotlight

-      Recommended Resources and Tools

-      Episodes Recap

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

 Weekly Startups Insights:

🌍 Regional Highlights

MENA

 E-Commerce:

  • Orisdi (Iraq) secured a bridge investment.

 Fintech:

  • Zest Equity (UAE) raised $3.8 million in a seed round led by MEVP.

  • Amenli (UAE) secured $1 million in equity funding.

Construction Tech:

  • A new construction tech incubator was launched in Egypt by Dar Ventures and Acasia Group to be called the DarE Incubator

 Legal Tech:

  • App4Legal (UAE) raised a seven-figure funding round

 Travel Tech:

  • Dharma (UAE) raised $4.7 million in a pre-Series A round.

Africa

Fintech:

  • Koree (Cameroon) won the $50k top prize at the Ecobank Fintech Challenge.

  • Haba (Nigeria) raised $75k in pre-seed funding.

Health & Financial Service:

  • IFC invested $50 million in a new LeapFrog fund to support businesses in Africa.

Turkiye

General Startups:

  • Turkey's startup ecosystem performance for Q3 2023 was announced, showing resilience and growth.

 Logistics:

  • Navlungo expanded its operations.

 📈 General Trends

1.    Fintech Dominance: Fintech continues to attract significant investment, especially in the MENAP region and Africa.

2.    Diverse Sectors: Funding is flowing into various sectors, including legal tech, travel, and construction tech.

3.    Regional Resilience: Despite a global decline in VC, the MENA region and Africa continue to show strong startup activity.

📚 Sources

  • Wamda

  • TechInside

  • Disrupt Africa

  • VentureBurn

  • Clayton County Register

  Startup Investments Opportunities Spotlight

I'm currently collaborating with several startups that are actively seeking investment. If any of these opportunities align with your investment goals, don't hesitate to reach out for more details.

 Startup founders, would love to connect with you to help secure funding.

  • A SaaS (Finance and Accounting) startup seeking angel investors or VC for Seed Stage. Great traction and strong growth metrics.

  • XR/VR/Edtech startup in Seed stage looking for angel investors to expand their product profile. Promising initial results after MVP

  • Pre Series A-Stage Tech startup open to investors interested in tech . Big customers references acquired.

  • EdTech startup with pre-revenue and solid business model.

  • A Gaming Studio with traction and multiple products is raising funds for expansion in GCC region.

Recommended Resources and Tools (Please note: Some of the resources linked in this section are affiliated links):

Softr: Enhance your business or build your MVP with Softr, the seamless platform for building applications without coding. Ideal for startups and SMEs, Explore this awesome platform and get in touch for assistance.

Make(Formerly Know As Integromat) Streamline your workflow with Make a leading automation platform that connects your apps and services effortlessly. Startups and SMEs, start by your own today or get in touch for a consultation

Podpage: Join over 25,000 podcasters and automatically create a beautiful, listener-friendly podcast site from your RSS feed. Customize the design to create a professional look you'll be proud of in a few clicks. No coding or technical knowledge necessary.

Apollo: Unlock a world of endless leads with Apollo.io! This powerful platform not only provides a treasure trove of business contacts but also equips you with intuitive tools to engage prospects effectively. Say goodbye to the tedious lead generation process and hello to a seamless sales journey. Ready to skyrocket your sales?

 Episodes Recap:

Can AI revolutionize the advertising industry? We're sitting down with Ian Liddicoat, CTO and Head of Data Science at Adludio, to discuss the role AI plays in advertising technology. Ian's expertise shines a light on the complex interplay between businesses and consumers, where AI optimizes real-time bids and uses computer vision and neural nets to curate the perfect blend of creative elements for specific audiences.

 Ever wondered what it takes to build a tech startup from a simple need? Allow me to introduce Max Gutsche, the co-founder of UniFire.AI, who did just that! His journey through the tech landscape, peppered with challenges and rich with insights, is a captivating tale. Max's personal need to efficiently repurpose content was the spark that ignited the creation of UniFire. Listen in as Max candidly discusses the obstacles he faced during the launch, from misunderstandings about the product to AI-related hurdles.

 Ever wonder how technology is transforming the food and restaurant industry? Tune in to our enlightening conversation with Raju Malhotra, Chief Product and Technology Officer at PAR, who takes us through his fascinating tech journey, from Microsoft and Salesforce to smaller startups. Raju shares his experiences, insights, and the obstacles he faced during this transition. Be prepared to get a glimpse into the intricacies of explaining the value proposition in a smaller organization and the subsequent challenges it brings.

 Joining me on this episode is the inimitable Luis Baez, a revenue enablement maestro, who has weaved his magic in tech behemoths like LinkedIn, Google, Uber, and Tesla, boasting an impressive revenue impact surpassing 600 million. Luis offers a treasure trove of wisdom on the transformation and leadership in tech sales, sharing his tried-and-true strategies for multiplying revenues and amplifying success within a team. He underscores the power of equipping your team with the right tools, training, and coaching, and how this trifecta of strong leadership, constituted of IQ, EQ, and cultural intelligence, can surmount the towering challenges of leadership.

 Join us as we delve into the mind of the tech-savvy entrepreneur, Parker Harris, in a conversation that uncovers the essence of entrepreneurship, the significance of networking, and the potential in building supportive communities. Parker's insights into the entrepreneurial journey are as enlightening as they are empowering, offering a fresh perspective on carving your own path amid the cacophony of the world. Drawing on ancient wisdom, the conversation navigates the journey from folly to wisdom, emphasizing the importance of self-trust and internal guidance.

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A Big Thank You 🙏

Your support, feedback, and engagement make this journey worthwhile. Here's to another week of learning, innovation, and growth!

Best, Mehmet