VC React Podcast cover art

VC React Podcast

VC React Podcast

Written by: Ahmad Takatkah (VCpreneur)
Listen for free

About this listen

Every week, we bring you insights and reactions from top VCs, reacting to the latest news on MENA startups, funds, and investment rounds. Hosts: Ahmad Takatkah, VCpreneur Sign up to VCpreneur Newsletter on https://www.vcpreneur.com/ Jamie Lane, FWDstart Sign up to FWDstart Newsletter on https://www.fwdstart.me/ #startups #vc #tech #ai #investments #founders #entrepreneurship #venturecapital #venturedebt #privatecredit #finance #business #ipo #acquisitions #revenuebasedfinancing #fintech #web3Ahmad Takatkah (VCpreneur) Economics Personal Finance
Episodes
  • VC React MENA E63: $230M To Seed Islamic Neo Bank, Data Governance, Disease Detection, IoT Transport
    Jan 17 2026


    VC React Podcast - MENA:

    Every week, we bring you insights and reactions from top VCs, LPs, & Angel Investors, reacting to the latest news on MENA startups, funds, and investment rounds.


    ---


    Hosts:

    • Ahmad Takatkah, VCpreneur. Sign up to VCpreneur Newsletter on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.vcpreneur.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
    • Jamie Lane, FWDstart. Sign up to FWDstart Newsletter on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://archives.fwdstart.me/ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠


    ---


    Available on:

    • Youtube:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@VCReactPodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
    • Spotify:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://open.spotify.com/show/4O6gOT7eoMxf5M7qy3HVMp⁠⁠⁠⁠
    • Apple:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/vc-react-podcast/id1764834384⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠


    ---


    Guests:


    1. Hani Azzam, Partner @ Propeller

    - LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hani-azzam-90b5764b/

    - Company Website: https://propellerinc.me/


    ---


    #siliconvalley # mena #startups #vc #lp #tech #investments #entrepreneurship #venturecapital #venturedebt #privateequity #finance #business #ipo #acquisitions #limitedpartners #accelerator #saas #data #software #deeptech #ai #fintech #edtech #cvc #web3 #crypto #blockchain #defi #impact #sanfrancisco #sanjose #boston #seattle #austin #nyc #riyadh #dubai #amman #cairo #qatar


    ---


    Sponsors:

    💸This week’s episode is brought to you by:


    - OCTA – the AI-powered accounts receivable platform trusted by hundreds of companies like Careem, Lean Technologies, and ZenHR to automate collections, resolve disputes, and unlock financing with zero hassle.

    Visit: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.weareocta.com/fwdstart ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠to get your first 6 months free.


    ---


    News of the week brought to you by FWDstart.


    This Week On The VC React Podcast:


    - A $230M Seed Round, yes you heard that right, Seed round, and 230m dollars into an unlicensed, pre-launch Islamic digital bank called Mal. Is this a PR stunt, or are we getting comfortable with mega-rounds for a copy of a proven business model?


    - We have also discussed three new raises:

    1. Governata raises $4M seed to build Saudi Arabia’s first Arabic-first, AI-ready data governance platform.

    2. Madeed raises a $400K pre-seed round to detect a disease before symptoms appear.

    3. eMushrif raises $7.5M to scale its smart school transport platform.


    ---(أحمد طقاطقه)---


    Show More Show Less
    44 mins
  • VC React MENA E62: Noon's $500M Raise & MENA IPO Roadmap, Algeria's Largest Local currency Round!
    Dec 22 2025
    VC React Podcast - MENA:Every week, we bring you insights and reactions from top VCs, LPs, & Angel Investors, reacting to the latest news on MENA startups, funds, and investment rounds. ---Hosts: Ahmad Takatkah, VCpreneur. Sign up to VCpreneur Newsletter on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.vcpreneur.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Jamie Lane, FWDstart. Sign up to FWDstart Newsletter on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://archives.fwdstart.me/ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠---Available on:Youtube:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@VCReactPodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Spotify:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠https://open.spotify.com/show/4O6gOT7eoMxf5M7qy3HVMp⁠⁠⁠Apple:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/vc-react-podcast/id1764834384⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠---Guests:1. Louiza Chitour, Co-Founder @ 10FT Ventures- LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/venturestudioventurecapitalwellnesslongevityhealthtechgccmena/- Company Website: https://10ft.ventures/2. Tala Al Jabri, Founder & Managing Partner @ Wyld VC- LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/talaa/- Company Website: https://www.wyldvc.com/---#siliconvalley # mena #startups #vc #lp #tech #investments #entrepreneurship #venturecapital #venturedebt #privateequity #finance #business #ipo #acquisitions #limitedpartners #accelerator #saas #data #software #deeptech #ai #fintech #edtech #cvc #web3 #crypto #blockchain #defi #impact #sanfrancisco #sanjose #boston #seattle #austin #nyc #riyadh #dubai #amman #cairo #qatar ---Sponsors: 💸This week’s episode is brought to you by:- OCTA – the AI-powered accounts receivable platform trusted by hundreds of companies like Careem, Lean Technologies, and ZenHR to automate collections, resolve disputes, and unlock financing with zero hassle. Visit: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.weareocta.com/fwdstart ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠to get your first 6 months free.---News of the week brought to you by FWDstart.This Week On The VC React Podcast:- We unpack noon’s $500M raise as it eyes an IPO. With a total of 3.2B dollars in funding, is this even a startup anymore, or a sovereign-backed platform built at scale from day one? - Then, we zoom into Algeria, where VOLZ just closed a record local-currency Series A, at which a Gov fund exits. We ask if this is too early of an exit for a gov fund, and ask about what that really says about startup readiness across Africa versus the GCC. ---(أحمد طقاطقه)---
    Show More Show Less
    46 mins
  • VC React SV E4: Lightspeed's $9B Mega Funds, Circles's Arc L1 Blockchain, & The Consumer AI Pivot.
    Dec 22 2025


    VC React Podcast - Silicon Valley:

    Every week, we bring you insights and reactions from top VCs, LPs, & Angel Investors, reacting to the latest news on Silicon Valley startups, funds, and investment rounds.


    ---


    Hosts:

    • Ahmad Takatkah, VCpreneur. Sign up to VCpreneur Newsletter on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.vcpreneur.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
    • Jamie Lane, FWDstart. Sign up to FWDstart Newsletter on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://archives.fwdstart.me/ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠


    ---


    Available on:

    • Youtube:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@VCReactPodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
    • Spotify:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠https://open.spotify.com/show/4O6gOT7eoMxf5M7qy3HVMp⁠⁠
    • Apple:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/vc-react-podcast/id1764834384⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠


    ---


    Guest:


    1. Arjun Arora, Managing Partner at Format One.

    - LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/arjundevarora/

    - Company Website: https://www.formatone.io/


    ---


    #siliconvalley # mena #startups #vc #lp #tech #investments #entrepreneurship #venturecapital #venturedebt #privateequity #finance #business #ipo #acquisitions #limitedpartners #accelerator #saas #data #software #deeptech #ai #fintech #edtech #cvc #web3 #crypto #blockchain #defi #impact #sanfrancisco #sanjose #boston #seattle #austin #nyc #riyadh #dubai #amman #cairo #qatar


    ---


    News of the week brought to you by FWDstart.


    This Week On The VC React Podcast:


    An investor in Firefly Aerospace, OpenAI, Anthropic, Perplexity, Replit, Circle, Uniswap, Notion, and many many more join us today! With him we will discuss: Mega funds, fragile consumer AI, and the future of money:


    - We break down Lightspeed’s record $9B AI raise, Is capital concentrating around the same winners again?


    - We debate why most consumer AI startups still can’t stick. Is a pivot to enterprise what will make them the real revenues?


    - And finally, we zoom out: from traditional banks to neobanks to stablecoin-native banks and capital markets now. With Circle’s new Arc blockchain, are we watching the next financial infrastructure shift unfold in real time?


    Show More Show Less
    46 mins
No reviews yet