New payment solution in Kuwait wants cloud-based tokens to replace cash registers Some say that in order to see a new startup ecosystem really take off, you just need to build one billion dollar company. Just one... Abdullah Alshalabi • 27 November, 2013 Payment systems Payment Gateways
Ad network ikoo closes offices in Saudi, Kuwait and Egypt for strategic refocusing Several days ago, we received confirmation that ikoo had closed its offices in Saudi Arabia (Jeddah and Riyadh), Kuwait, and... Eman Mostafa • 27 November, 2013 ikoo
The Middle East gets its first peer-to-peer lending site, with Sharia compliance Looking back at the year, 2013 has clearly been the year of crowdfunding– especially in emerging markets and the Middle East. This y... Stephanie d'Arc Taylor • 27 November, 2013 crowdinvestment liwwa Jordan
Startup news ticker: Int@j connects Jordanian and Saudi companies; Souq.com launches Cyber Week Welcome to Wamda's weekly startup news ticker, which will offer quick announcements and stories relevant to the region. If you have a quick... Wamda • 26 November, 2013 souq ticker ict
Meet the all-woman gaming community igniting creative culture in Saudi Arabia Gaming, they say, can make a better world. Games make us better at being hopeful, forming social bonds, being productive, seeking... Nina Curley • 26 November, 2013 W4Women Wamda for Women Entrepreneurs Gaming
Experienced entrepreneurs battle at Startup Weekend Ramallah The startup ecosystem in Palestine is maturing, and nowhere was that more evident than at the second Startup Weekend in Ramallah this... Iliana Montauk • 26 November, 2013 Mentorship Startup Weekend
A look at Islamic banking consumption in the UAE [Report] In the UAE, almost 60% of the population holds at least one Islamic Banking product, according to a recent survey of 5,300 UAE residents... Glen Dalakian II • 26 November, 2013 Banks Islamic products Financial systems
AstroLabs partners with Blackbox to send a Middle Eastern startup to Silicon Valley AstroLabs, the startup workshop series, is now joining ranks with the organizations working to connect startups in the Middle East with... Wamda • 26 November, 2013 tim draper blackbox silicon valley
Will Qatari startups adopt a more flexible work environment? Flexibility has been a hot topic in 21st century office culture. In February, Yahoo! CEO Marissa Mayer controversially curtailed her... Ahmed Gabr • 25 November, 2013 working culture office hours office culture
8 leading startups get connected with Silicon Valley at MENA Innovation DemoDay Despite the instabilities at home, Egyptian startups are gaining global recognition for their innovations lately; it’s not just that I... Akram Dweikat • 25 November, 2013 techwadi palinno disrupt
How are teenagers using social networks? Can Shots of Me surpass Facebook? Shots of Me, the new social network for selfies (photos taken of oneself), has famously raised $1.1 million USD in a seed-funding round... Aline Mayard • 25 November, 2013 shots of me teenagers Social Networks
Global 6 of the hottest smartwatches: fashion trend or smartphone alternative? In 1973, Motorola introduced the first wireless "hand-held cell phone." Twenty years later, in 1993, IBM and American... Reine Farhat • 25 November, 2013 wearables smartphones Trends
Activity-tracking app wins at Startup Weekend Doha as women attend in record numbers An activity monitoring mobile application, created by a team that included two high school students, won first prize in the... Christina Paschyn • 24 November, 2013 Startup Weekend
StartupYourLife, the community that’s shaking up the Moroccan startup scene “Countries from all around the world look up to Silicon Valley as if it were the heart of innovation; they’re all getting the... Aline Mayard • 24 November, 2013 startupyourlife morocco events
4 trends shaping the future of mobile The future is mobile, and the future for mobile is apps. Advertising, video and image sharing, and mobile retail are all gaining traction... Ahmed Gabr • 24 November, 2013 tech mobile advertising Technology
Weekly Wrap-Up: November 17-21 Join us on the Wamda Plane for a free trip to our Saudi blogger meetup! We're getting closer to our first Mix N' Mentor in Jeddah, and... Wamda • 21 November, 2013 Weekly Wrap-Up
![A look at Islamic banking consumption in the UAE [Report]](https://cdn.wamda.com/thumbnails/5cfe8ac5bb42ca9.jpg)
