Sonia Gokhale, Co-Founder and General Partner at VentureSouq, breaks down how founders can build and scale fintech across the Gulf. We unpack why Saudi Arabia and the UAE are the first markets to crack, how government sandboxes and clear licensing paths reduce friction, and why B2B fintech often delivers the strongest unit economics. Sonia also walks through lessons from recent exits like Tabby, fundraising dynamics for seed through Series B, and the infrastructure opportunities in payments, credit, and compliance. If you are a founder aiming to land your first enterprise customers in the region or an investor mapping the next wave of MENA fintech, this conversation delivers a practical playbook.What you’ll learn

• How to navigate sandboxes and licensing in KSA and the UAE
• The go-to-market order that shortens sales cycles with enterprises
• Pricing and unit economics that work for B2B fintech in the Gulf
• Signals from Tabby-style outcomes and what they mean for founders
• Fundraising expectations and how global capital views MENA today
  

Who it’s for
Fintech founders, product leaders, and investors evaluating MENA as a primary or expansion market.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sonia-seth-gokhale-b0906014/