Author: Mohammed Abubakr

From Managing NHS Teams at 18 to Building an AI Hiring Platform Ahmed Ghelle’s path into entrepreneurship began unusually early. During the pandemic, at just 18 years old, he was promoted to Team Manager at Sitel as part of the NHS Test & Trace programme in the UK. The role placed him in charge of teams ranging from 20 to 40 people, handling performance, attendance, and operational compliance during one of the most demanding periods for public health systems. That experience exposed him to something that would later shape the foundation of his startup. Hiring decisions were not abstract corporate…

From Software Developer to Healthcare Problem Solver Fatah Iskandar Akbar did not begin his journey in healthcare. His early career was rooted in technology, working as a software developer and running a software house that delivered custom solutions for a range of clients. Among those clients were hospitals in Jakarta, which required him to spend significant time onsite understanding their systems and workflows. It was during these visits that he encountered a recurring problem. Hospitals were struggling with operational inefficiencies, while patients faced long queues, delayed appointments, and limited access to timely information. These firsthand observations would later become the…

Rethinking Wellness for a Time-Constrained World Saudi Arabia-based healthtech startup Metafare has raised $1 million in its first funding round as it looks to redefine how wellness is delivered across the Gulf. The round was co-led by Harmonix Ventures along with a group of regional family offices, signaling growing investor interest in the convergence of immersive technology and preventive healthcare. Founded by Ibrahim Almaghlouth and based in Riyadh, Metafare is building a platform that delivers short, immersive virtual reality sessions designed to improve physical and mental well-being. The company is targeting individuals, employers, and healthcare providers, positioning itself within a…

Betting on Prevention Over Treatment Saudi Arabia-based healthtech startup Madeed has raised additional pre-seed funding, bringing its total capital raised to $925,000 as it works to build a preventive healthcare platform focused on early disease detection. The latest round includes participation from SEEDRA Ventures, Unity Investment Partners, and Seen Growth, alongside earlier investors such as Vision Ventures and a group of Saudi angel investors. Founded in 2025 by Adam Bataineh, Madeed is positioning itself at the intersection of healthcare, data, and artificial intelligence. The company is focused on shifting healthcare from a reactive model to a proactive one by identifying…

Rebuilding Commerce Around Culture and Interaction Bahrain-born e-commerce platform Siin has raised new funding, bringing its total capital raised to $3 million as it looks to scale live, interactive shopping across the Gulf. The round was led by VentureSouq and Shift Group, with participation from Plus VC, Oqal, and a group of regional investors including Suhail Al Gossaibi, Mussab Al Hakami, and Abdulla Al Hashmi. Founded in 2024 by Ahmed Allawi, Hesham AlSaati, and Khaled Albalooshi, Siin is building a live commerce marketplace that blends real-time interaction with online shopping. The platform enables users to buy and sell products through…

A New Chapter for the Future of Reading Sinai.ai, an AI-native reading platform, has raised $1.45 million in a pre-seed funding round as it looks to transform how books are created, consumed, and experienced. The round was led by KAUST Innovation Ventures and DisrupTech Ventures, with participation from Maza Ventures, YOUXEL Ventures, and a group of angel investors. The funding will be used to accelerate the development of Sinai.ai’s proprietary technology, expand its AI infrastructure, grow its user base, and strengthen licensing partnerships with publishers. At a time when the global book market exceeds $150 billion, the core format of…

From Building the First Local Solution to Defining the Next Category Saudi-based technology company Signit has raised $15 million in a Series A funding round as it looks to expand its role in the Kingdom’s digital infrastructure. The round was led by Raed Ventures, with participation from STV, Seedra Ventures, Takamol Ventures, and Suhail Ventures. Founded in 2021, Signit entered the market at a time when organizations in Saudi Arabia had limited options for digital signatures. Most relied on international platforms that lacked Arabic support, local compliance, and data sovereignty. Others depended on white-labeled solutions that were not designed specifically…

From a 25-Year IT Career to Building a Consumer Brand Shafi Yaseen Mohammed’s journey into entrepreneurship did not begin in retail or fashion. It began in technology. With over 25 years of experience in the IT industry, he worked with global organizations such as Dell, HP, Accenture, and AT&T, building a career defined by structure, stability, and scale. Yet, alongside his professional life, he carried a long-standing passion for business, fashion, and jewellery. In 2023, that passion took shape in the form of a modern jewellery brand designed to rethink how gold is worn and experienced. Today, the company operates…

Choosing Impact Over Convention At an age when most students are focused on education or early career choices, S K M Riad chose a different path. At just 19, he stepped away from the idea of a “safe” and predictable route to build Fasteszz, an all-in-one delivery platform designed to simplify how people access everyday services in Bangladesh. For Riad, the decision was less about risk and more about timing. “Waiting for a safe path often means delaying impact,” he says. That mindset reflects a growing shift among young founders—one that prioritizes speed of learning and real-world problem solving over…

From Corporate Leadership to a Deeper Realization Abdulla Hassan Thakur’s career spans continents and industries, from serving as Head of Business for MENA at British Telecom UK to advising family businesses and engaging at the board level across the GCC. Over the years, his exposure to multiple markets revealed a recurring imbalance. While economies were expanding and capital was increasingly accessible, meaningful opportunities remained concentrated among those with access to the right networks. This observation led him to a critical realization: capital alone was not the defining factor of success—access was. In May 2023, Thakur initiated the Global Islamic Chamber…