Amir Hegazi
Startup Arabia captures the untold stories of the high-tech entrepreneurs in the Middle East who are creating one of the most vibrant and fertile tech hubs in the world today. Through their bold vision, creativity, and tenacity, they are transforming business in this region at record speed, ultimately giving rise to an endless stream of new opportunities for wealth creation and social impact. Through a collection of interviews, Startup Arabia touches on the early days of those entrepreneurs and the startups they created. It explores how they got their initial ideas, what challenges they faced and how they overcame them, what lessons they learned from those experiences, and what advice they have for the next generation of Middle East entrepreneurs. They also share what they believe is required to ensure continued development of a startup ecosystem in the region. Not only did these entrepreneurs conquer the usual challenges of new tech startups; they managed to break from deep-seated tradition and societal limiting beliefs, cut through red tape, and navigate an often unfriendly startup environment. While some consider their achievements a potential cure for many of the region's socioeconomic problems - such as unemployment, poverty, poor education, corruption, and terrorism - whether they can make a significant and lasting difference in those areas is yet to be seen. Still, their stories offer more than business lessons; they represent an insightful case study of how technology and innovation can affect long-standing social barriers, paving the way for a better and more promising future. Ultimately, Startup Arabia provides an eye-opening, refreshing look at the entrepreneurial journey and a much-needed call to action to aspiring entrepreneurs across the region to help shape the future of the Arab world.
