Sandpit Startups

Join us in this inspiring session with Tarek Ghobar, co-founder of Paymennt and recognized as a Forbes Top 20 FinTech Entrepreneur. Discover how Paymennt is is transforming digital payments for micro and small businesses handle online payments by offering a quick, secure, and cost-effective solution. Tarek shares his experiences from managing FoodPanda in Saudi Arabia to spearheading Paymennt's innovative, secure, and cost-effective online payment solutions. Learn about the acquisition journey of his startup, his early entrepreneurial challenges, and the determination needed to thrive in the business world. Don't miss this compelling talk that delves deep into the realities and challenges of building a business.

In this episode, we have a food chat with Benjamin Mouflard, the co-founder of Chatfood. ChatFood offers restaurants a commission-free platform for online ordering and sales via social media and websites, with integrated payment and logistics solutions. We talk to Benjamin about his entrepreneurial journey from selling golf balls in his youth to getting Chatfood acquired by a global scaleup Deliverect. Benjamin with Chatfood raised more than USD 5 Million in funding and talks about making a name in a highly competitive UAE food-tech market.

In this squeaky clean episode we sit down with Jad Halaoui, the co-founder of Washmen, a digital laundry and dry-cleaning service in the UAE. We talk about Jad's journey from working in Canada one day for an Oil & Gas giant to take the leap of faith to fly to UAE and work with his co-founder Rami on Washmen. He talks about the highs of receiving multiple rounds of funding and being mentored by the co-founder of Careem to the lows of coping with the struggles and anxiety of his startup Washmen. A profound conversation where we talk about hiring, wellbeing and also startups.

In this startup forensics episode, we discuss with Ahmed Arif, the co-founder of Clara. Clara simplifies the intricate legal procedures of starting, expanding, and selling a startup in the UAE with their cutting-edge legal software. With Ahmed, we discuss how startup founders struggle to consolidate all their legal requirements especially when it's on a shoestring budget, but with Clara, it serves as a one-stop shop for all the legal requirements from creating your cap table, issuing Convertible Notes and also forming companies in different jurisdiction.

In this episode we are with the operations director of Astrolabs Lukas Krejca, Dubai-based digital capability building company. Astrolabs supports expansion of startups and scaleups to UAE and Saudi Arabia. It's a startup community where entrepreneurs leverage from resources and the network within UAE and KSA. Astrolabs helps with building sustainable ecosystem and act as an accelerator to thrive in competitive local market.

In this episode we drive down memory lane  with Claudio Esposito-Aiardo co-founder of Carasti, Dubai-based car subscription start-up. From starting with a prototype to raising $5M and also expanding to Saudi Arabia. We learn the do's and don'ts of getting into a business and also how to manage customers in the early days. A really insightful story of starting a car subscription platform and making it as easy as ordering a pizza.

In this community-focused episode, join us with Cameron Lee Roberts, Founder of DYP Club (now YP Club), as we explore the incredible evolution of UAE's premier hub for aspiring young professionals. From its humble beginnings as a monthly gathering to becoming a powerhouse for thought leaders and innovators, YP Club unites ambitious minds, fostering connections and impactful discussions. Discover how Cameron shapes the future of young leadership communities in the UAE and beyond, offering insights on building communities and becoming tech powered.

In this super charged episode with Talal Thabat the Cofounder of Haltia we discuss all things AI which includes Sam Altman and ChatGPT to data and privacy issues. We talk about how Haltia will change the life of people with this AI super app making one not only more productive and efficient but most importantly giving you time to do the things that you love. Get ready for this AI powered episode and to geek out on the tech of the future.

In this unique episode with 'Tech Angel' and Founder of Inheaden, Dennis Kohl. We discover the new form of investment, unlike the venture studios, rather the tech angel concept is a new and unique take on investment that combines the VC business model but with a Tech Enabler concept. We talk to Dennis about how it all started, their growth in Europe and now their expansion to the UAE. Exciting angle for all the pre-seed stage entrepreneurs out there!

Join us in this exciting episode as with 'The Dubai Matchmaker' and Founder of the Maxion app. Her journey from a Teacher in Abu Dhabi to a Tech founder is inspirational and her matchmaking app is set to change the conventional dating app landscape in UAE and beyond. Bringing compatible connections via a convenient concierge to make sure you can focus on the things that really matter i.e. finding love and connections.