
The FWDstart Podcast is a weekly show at the intersection of venture capital, startups, and strategic industries shaping the MENA region. Each episode features candid conversations with founders, investors, and operators behind the region’s most ambitious companies, from frontier AI and fintech infrastructure to climate tech, construction, energy, and space.
| Publishes | Weekly | Episodes | 14 | Founded | 4 months ago |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number of Listeners | Categories | InvestingEntrepreneurshipBusiness | |||

In this episode, we sit down with Mahdi Yahya, the founder of Ori, which has just been acquired by Brookfield Asset Management and merged into Radiant, a vertically integrated AI infrastructure company combining power, capital, compute, and software ... more
In this episode, we sit down with Alex Epure, co-founder and CEO of Qureos, an AI-powered hiring platform that's just raised a $5M seed round led by Prosus. Alex spent nine years at Cisco, moved to Dubai, and then went from managing global enterprise... more
In this episode, we sit down with Glenn Harwood, co-founder of AlgoDriven, who has just completed an all-cash exit to Emergence Software, a San Francisco-based hold-forever software company. Glenn started selling cars at Mercedes-Benz in Australia at... more
In this episode, we sit down with Hassan Fayed, founder of Aydi, the company behind Orth, an AI agronomist now live in almost 200 countries just a few months after launch. Hasan grew up working his family's farm in Egypt, moved to Dubai, and then pac... more
In this episode, we sit down with Fouad Jeryes, co-founder and Chief Business Officer at Maqsam, MENA's AI-powered cloud communications platform. Fouad has been building in the region for over a decade, from co-founding CashBasha (one of Jordan's mos... more
Today's guest is Talal Hasan, a lawyer turned venture capitalist turned climate tech founder who has spent the better part of a decade chasing a rather ambitious goal: turning carbon dioxide into rock. His journey started in the Omani investment worl... more
Today's guest is Djamel Mohand, a Rocket Internet alumnus who landed in Saudi Arabia over a decade ago, back when relocating to the Kingdom for tech was rather less fashionable than it is today. What was supposed to be a six-month stint turned into t... more
Alina Truhina is a Co-Founder and Managing Partner at Utopia Capital Management, a platform spanning VC funds and a venture studio investing across emerging markets. The firm operates Atypical Ventures, a Middle East-plus fund covering Turkey and Pak... more










Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.
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The content focuses on venture capital, startups, and industries that are significantly impacting the MENA region. Each episode features in-depth discussions with founders, investors, and industry professionals who share their insights and experiences in fields including AI, fintech, climate tech, construction, and energy. The show's structure allows listeners to gain a unique perspective on the entrepreneurial ecosystem, addressing the distinct challenges and opportunities present in emerging markets. Notable aspects include a hands-on approach to understanding local markets and the importance of cultural context, making it an appealing listen for those interested in the dynamics of innovation and investment in the MENA region.
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FWDstart launched 4 months ago and published 14 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.
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Recent guests on FWDstart include:
1. Alina Truhina
2. Nafez Dakkak
3. Arya Bolurfrushan
4. Ibrahim Manna
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