The CTO Show With Mehmet Weekly Recap 20 August 2023

August 20, 2023

Welcome to 29th edition of the CTO Show with Mehmet Weekly Summary Newsletter.

What is inside?

-     Weekly Insights & Updates

-     Recommended Resources and Tools

-     Episodes Recap

Hello everyone,

I'm thrilled to see our community growing, between LinkedIn and Substack – Thank you for the 1266 subscribers who are tuning in every week.

Each of you fuels my commitment and inspires my energy. Your support is making 'The CTO Show With Mehmet' a thriving hub for tech enthusiasts, startups, and entrepreneurs. Thank you for being a part of this incredible journey.

Here's to an exciting week ahead filled with learning, innovation, and growth!

Now, let's dive into this week's updates…

Weekly Insights, Tips & Updates:

1- Weekly Startup Highlights: Last week's news in the Middle East, Turkey, and Africa's startup and entrepreneurial ecosystem was a testament to the region's vibrant innovation and investment landscape.

a.   Dubai's announcement of generative AI programs (Wamda) marked a significant step in fostering AI-driven innovation, reflecting the city's commitment to technological advancement. The fintech sector saw significant growth, with Jordan's Numa revolutionizing banking for freelancers (Wamda) and South Africa's Lula offering all-in-one cash-flow solutions for SMEs (Ventureburn).

b.  In cybersecurity, Egypt's Buguard raised $500k for GCC expansion (Disrupt Africa), showcasing the region's focus on enhancing digital security. The agri-tech sector flourished with Ghana's Oyster Agribusiness raising $310,000 to scale sustainable agriculture (Disrupt Africa), while South Africa's VitruvianMD secured $1.25 million to revolutionize medical diagnostics in medtech (Ventureburn).

c.   Countries like Egypt, Ghana, South Africa, and Tunisia, are emerging as innovation hubs in Africa. The GCC's investment in Africa, particularly from Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Qatar, reached $8.3 billion in 2022, strengthening the Middle East-Africa partnership (Arab News).

d.  Geographically, Sub-Saharan Africa is attracting attention, with Founders Factory Africa sparking a $114 million tech revolution (Ventureburn). The Middle East's growing involvement in Africa's development is filling the void left by Chinese investments, focusing on sectors like infrastructure, telecoms, and food security (Arab News).

e.   Actionable items for founders and investors include embracing the Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL) model, as seen in the growth of UAE's Tabby and Egypt's MNT-Halan (CairoScene), and capitalizing on gender inclusion initiatives like those of Founders Factory Africa (Disrupt Africa). The integration of traditional banking with fintech, as demonstrated by Lula's collaboration with Access Bank Plc Bank (Ventureburn), offers unique opportunities.

f.    Illuminati Capital's $50 million for web3 startups (Wamda) and Singapore's Antler's $60 million MENAP-focused fund (Wamda) signal a time of unprecedented growth and collaboration in the region, reflecting the dynamism and potential of the startup scene

2- Tip Of The Week: In the fast-paced world of tech, continuous learning is key. Embrace emerging technologies, foster collaboration, and stay agile to innovate and thrive.

3- A Shoutout To Our Japanese Audience: The Show managed to make it this week into the top 200 charts this time in Japan! Thank you! Also you have seen that the show is now Globally ranked among the top 10% globally!

4- The Community: I am looking for feedback and collaboration for the community I am building in public visit

https://venturesfabrika.softr.app/

signup for early access and let me know what you would love to see there. This is a project that is really close to my heart and your support will mean a lot. If you wonder why I don’t have a domain for this, the answer is will have one once I validate the idea is beneficial on large scale.

5- Missed Last Masterclass? Here you can watch the latest masterclass. Stay tuned for upcoming new ones very soon.

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

Fliki: Create videos from scripts or blog posts using realistic voices in 2 minutes! Fliki helps users to create videos and voice-overs from text with lifelike AI voices!

Fliki is best for

  • People who are new to video editing/creation

  • People who want to create audio and video content at scale

Episodes Recap:

This week, we had 5 interviews on different topics. Let us review what was on the air (All Episodes are available on the YouTube Channel for viewing):

At the beginning of the week, on Episode 193:

Have you ever wondered what it takes to transform an idea into a successful startup? Our guest , Zach Rattner, CTO and co-founder of Yembo, an AI company that excels in computer vision algorithms, is proof that innovative thinking and strategic steps can make your entrepreneurial dreams come true. From developing a flashcard tool for personal use to scaling it to a platform for 3 million users, Zach’s journey is the ultimate example of turning passion into a profession. He’s also the mastermind behind 18 patented inventions, and he's here to share his insights.

Ready to decode the world of startup accounting and finance? Join us as we navigate through this complex landscape with Jeff Rudner, the co-founder of Proseer, a modern accounting firm. His expertise in financial reporting and accounting demystifies the process, making it digestible for all. Jeff focuses on the importance of comprehensible financials that can be shared with investors and lenders, offering advice on crafting a clear financial narrative that paints an accurate picture of your startup.

Prepare to uncover the secrets of successful sales and marketing strategies for startups with our distinguished guest, Sanjit Singh, a serial startup founder and revenue leader. He is currently the CEO of Boltt, which provides fractional sales leadership to early-stage companies. We promise an enriching journey that will lead you to identify the most fitting customer profiles for your startup, master the art of securing initial customers, and learn the art of asking the right questions. Sanjit's unique focus on the significance of securing a Memo of Understanding will surely captivate your entrepreneurial spirit.

What's the key to effective global workforce management and harnessing the power of AI in HR Tech? That's what we unlock with Duri Chitayat, the CTO of Safeguard Global. He spills the beans on his unique AI and tech projects that present a peek into how Safeguard Global masters the management of remote teams. Our enlightening discussion zooms into the software they create to overcome challenges and extend practical solutions to others in the same boat.

Ever wondered how tech entrepreneurs come up with innovative ideas and validate them? Well, join us in an exciting conversation with our guest Ankur Shukla, a passionate tech entrepreneur, who shares his unique journey from basic programming language to advanced AI development. He spills the beans on how he draws inspiration for projects, the process of validation, and the pivotal role of customer feedback. We also explore his distinctive approach to entrepreneurship, which involves focusing on a single idea, testing it in the market, and confirming its viability through customer willingness to pay.

Join The Conversation: If you're passionate about tech, startups, and entrepreneurship and have a unique perspective or story to share, I'd love to hear from you. 'The CTO Show With Mehmet' is always open to new guests who can inspire and educate our audience. Don't hesitate to reach out if you're interested in being featured.

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Sponsorship & Collaboration: If your company aligns with our mission and is interested in sponsorship opportunities or collaborations, I would be thrilled to discuss potential synergies. Now you can check on passionfroot

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Thank you for being a part of our journey. Your support, feedback, and engagement are what keep 'The CTO Show With Mehmet' thriving. Here's to another week of learning, innovation, and growth!

Best, Mehmet