This past year has been one of highs and lows for startups and investors across the Middle East and North Africa, from the ongoing economic impact of the war in Ukraine and now in Gaza to the introduction of open banking in Saudi Arabia and growing innovation in the tech sector. Below is a list of some of our most popular stories of 2023:

• How a failed supermarket and a stint at Uber led to the founding of Abwaab

• How Muzz lost a battle but won market share

• Running in parallel, the Russian startup ecosystem in Dubai

• Saudi Arabia's magnetic pull: should Egypt be concerned about startup migration?

• Cafu: on the road to world domination

• The one mistake that costs Mena startups funding and 10 ways to fix it

• Why has Kuwait’s startup ecosystem fallen behind?

• Is the slowdown in investment a good thing for Mena?

• How can technology make law more accessible?

• Numa: bridging the fintech gap for freelancers