Weekly Wrap-Up: October 14-18
This week, our Weekly Wrap-Up features posts ripe in e-commerce information. Learn from others' experience is an especially sound piece of advice; but also make sure you read and tweet the e-commerce stats we've gathered for you!
Pic of the Week
This week, our Managing Editor Maya chose 'Due diligence' as our 'Pic of the Week' post. How can you prepare as you embark on your entrepreneurial journey? Read what she had to say about it here.
Upcoming Events
- 18 Oct - Startup Weekend Gaza
- 19 Oct - CIPE 2012 International Youth Essay Competition
- 31 Oct - Google RISE Awards 2013
Make sure to check wamda.com/events, or follow @WamdaME on Twitter to stay updated about more events you can!
Entrepreneur of the Week
This week's 'Entrepreneur of the Week' is Shashi Menon, founder of Nervora, a Dubai-based digital content company that helps premium global publishers like Condé Nast and Hearst reach an audience in the Middle East. Watch it here.
Articles you Might have Missed
25 Essential Stats on E-Commerce in the Middle East
E-commerce is one of the most popular topics in 2012. So we've decided to gather 25 quotes from interesting reports on e-commerce in the region. Check them out here and feel free to share!
10 Must-Watch Animation Startups in the Arab World
This week, we've highlighted ten really creative animation startups. This post was especially fun to prepare! Check out if your favorite animation startup made the cut here.
How Two Turkish Entrepreneurs Built a Successful Real Estate Data Service in Dubai
Real estate information network REIDIN had already been in business for a year when the American real estate bubble finally burst in 2008. Read this post to learn how refocused their efforts on selling emerging market information to local institutions in countries where REIDIN had already established its presence.
Egypt's Sacha Books Pioneers Arabic Interactive Digital Children's Books
When they had their first child, entrepreneur Samer Youssef and his wife Chantal realized there was an important lack of available interactive Arabic content for children, so they decided to launch their own library of interactive digital stories in Arabic for children. Read more about its features, and how Samer approached the market here.
Will an Arab Crowdfunding Platform Ever Be Born?
As funding remains one of the major obstacles in an entrepreneur's journey, some entrepreneurs in the US and Europe have taken creating crowdfunding platforms, such as Kickstarter, into their own hands. Will this type of platform ever exist in the Arab world? Read this post and tell us what you think.
Social Entrepreneurship vs Social Activism: What is the Difference?
It seems that recently, (relatively) new terms social entrepreneur and social activist have been used, often interchangeably, across the ecosystem when referring to individuals doing social good. Which is which? and which one should you use? Find out here.
Zawayed Jordan Helps Women Transform Leftovers into Artistic Designs
Mohammadd Al Hajji used to audit warehouses and was inspired when he noticed all the leftovers at regional logistics company Aramex. So he developed Zawayed, where women use everything from packaging materials to damaged shipping goods and turn them into high quality products. Read more about it here.
SILA Angel Investment Network Launches to Boost Entrepreneurs in Qatar
Silatech is a social initiative based in Qatar. This week, they've announced the launch of an investment network aimed to boosting entrepreneurs in the country. Read this post to find out how they intend to catalyze the startup ecosystem in Qatar.
Style.com Enters the Arab World to Serve Local Fashion Market
One of the world's most popular fashion sites has officially entered the region as Style.com Arabia. Read this post to find out how Nervora, the Dubai-based digital content site will manage Style.com Arabia’s content and advertising, and what its goals are in the region.
Hot Top Models of E-Commerce
Don't forget to check out our Hot Top Models of E-Commerce series featuring panelists Ahmed Khatib, Founder of MarkaVIP, Mona Ataya, Founder & CEO of Mumzworld, and Paul Kenny, CEO of Cobone and moderated by our very own Editor in Chief, Nina Curley:
