Latest news with #WamdaCapital
Wamda
4 days ago
- Business
- Wamda
LIFE mobilises diaspora to back Lebanese startups at international pitch nights
As part of its ongoing commitment to empower Lebanese entrepreneurs worldwide, LIFE, a global network of Lebanese professionals in the diaspora, recently held two successful Pitch Nights in Paris and Dubai. The events connected Lebanese entrepreneurs with a global network of investors and industry leaders, expanding their reach and amplifying their potential to drive real change, both locally and internationally. On 15 May, the Dubai edition gathered 10 entrepreneurs from across the MENA region at the PwC offices, attracting over 130 attendees – a dynamic mix of investors, entrepreneurs, and members of LIFE. This event was organised in close partnership with Wamda Capital, Access Bridge Ventures, Dubai Angel Investors, MEVP, Phoenix Venture Partners and Saudi Angel Investors and supported by a wide range of outreach partners, including some of the region's most active alumni networks, entrepreneurship communities, and tech players such as Nvidia, AWS, HBS Club of the GCC and many others. LIFE's Pitch Nights are more than startup showcases; they reflect the collective power of a community working to turn innovation into impact, particularly for the Lebanese community. Startups receive hands-on support and guidance from seasoned investors ahead of the event and continue to benefit from their mentorship long after it ends. Over the past three years, LIFE has organised 8 Pitch Nights in cities like New York, London, Paris, and Dubai – connecting 56 founders with mentorship, funding, and support. "Since pitching, 13 of these companies have raised over $43 million, highlighting the quality of startups selected for the LIFE Pitch Nights.' Zeina Mhanna, Executive Director at LIFE. The entrepreneurs pitching at LIFE's recent events came from different sectors — healthtech, fintech, edtech, greentech, SaaS, and AI — but they all shared one goal: to create better, smarter, and more innovative solutions for real-life problems. LIFE is set to host its first Pitch Night in Beirut since 2019, with the event scheduled for December 2025. Rawa aims to revolutionise marketing by enabling marketers to create authentic, culturally relevant content and campaigns, delivering highly targeted and deeply engaging experiences at unprecedented scale and cost. 'The Dubai Pitch Night was a great experience. We received valuable support ahead of the event to fine-tune our pitch deck and approach. The night itself was super organised, with a great crowd and meaningful conversations. A must for any startup looking to grow and connect. It was also very special to meet and connect with other Lebanese founders and professionals; it felt like home.' Charbel Hamouche, co-founder and COO of Maison Safqa: Maison Safqa is a closed flash sales shopping environment for brands to elegantly liquidate their inventory surplus, therefore offering its members insider prices on the most desirable premium and luxury brands as well as niche labels in fashion, beauty and lifestyle. "The entire experience with LIFE was smooth and professional. For an early-stage startup and first-time founders, the exposure of the event was high, and we already got the chance to connect with potential investors. We definitely look forward to being more involved with LIFE through similar events or other networking opportunities." Lea Mehaweg, Co-founder of Maison Safqa Beyond the pitchers themselves, the true impact of LIFE's Pitch Nights lies in the energy of the community it mobilises. Many attendees — successful Lebanese professionals and investors from the diaspora— see these events as a concrete way to contribute to change by supporting startups that are reforming systems and providing forward-looking solutions. "The 'LIFE Dubai Pitch Night, which I had the pleasure of supporting as a committee member representing MEVP, perfectly embodies the spirit of giving back to our vibrant Lebanese technology ecosystem. It is truly inspiring to see Lebanese entrepreneurs innovatively harnessing technology to solve significant global problems. MEVP is proud to continue to sponsor the LIFE Dubai Pitch Nights by actively contributing to the realisation of the Lebanese entrepreneurship dream." Rabih I. Khoury, Managing Partner & Chief Exit Officer, MEVP 'It was a great pleasure for Wamda Capital to support and participate in the LIFE Dubai Pitch Night. The Lebanese entrepreneurial spirit was on full display, with a mindset and attitude of resourcefulness, resilience, and focus on building with real-world impact.' Daniel dos Reis, Investment Director, Wamda Capital. Since their launch in Dubai in 2022, LIFE's Pitch Nights have become a key part of the organisation's mission to support Lebanese entrepreneurs globally. And soon, for the first time, a pitch night will be held targeting Lebanon-based founders, connecting them with LIFE's global community.
Zawya
22-05-2025
- Business
- Zawya
Dubai's Tarjama secures $15mln to accelerate Arabic.AI rollout
Dubai-based Arabic language technology firm Tarjama has raised $15 million as it looks to accelerate the rollout of its platform that can help optimise and automate business processes. The Series A funding round was led by MENA's venture capital firm Global Ventures and participated by Wamda Capital, TA Ventures, Phaze Ventures, Golden Gate Ventures and Endeavor Catalyst. The fresh capital will go towards enhancing Tarjama's agentic ecosystem. The platform is designed to help organisations deal with complex processes through artificial intelligence agents tailored for the Arabic language or the region's unique needs. Part of the plan is to double the company's research and engineering teams and launch an AI academy that will provide training to business and government leaders on advanced AI deployment. The company has a presence in more than 30 markets worldwide. Its platform processes more than two billion words in over 50 languages and 22 Arabic dialects. Over the last three years, Tarjama's revenues posted a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 20%. (Writing by Cleofe Maceda; editing by Seban Scaria)
Zawya
05-02-2025
- Business
- Zawya
qeen.ai secures largest seed investments in MENA; total funding reaches $12mln
UAE: Dubai-based AI startup has raised one of the largest seed investments in the MENA region to date, securing $10 million in funding, according to a press release. The fundraising transaction was led by Prosus Ventures, with participation from existing investors including Wamda Capital, 10x Founders, and Dara Holdings. The investment, which brings total funding to $12 million, will support the startup's growth strategy by expanding the reach and capabilities of its agentic AI platform, scaling the team, and attracting a wider customer base. Morteza Ibrahimi, Co-Founder and CEO of stated: 'By building AI solutions that are both intuitive and accessible, we enable e-commerce businesses of all sizes to scale, innovate, and thrive in the evolving digital economy.' Robin Voogd, Head of Middle East Investments at Prosus Ventures, commented: 'The company has demonstrated an innovative approach to bringing AI to the e-commerce industry and is backed by an expert founding team. They will provide significant value to merchants focused on delivering a strong digital shopping experience across countries.' Launched in the second quarter (Q2) of 2024, has served over 15 million users, generating more than 1 million SKU descriptions, and enabling merchants to achieve a 30% uplift in sales. In June 2024, closed a $2.20 million pre-Seed funding round to boost MENA's e-commerce sector. It is worth highlighting that the e-commerce market in MENA is projected to reach $50 billion in 2025, with Saudi Arabia and the UAE leading the landscape.
