Sandpit Startups

EXPLORE

Society & Culture

Health & Fitness

© 2024 PodJoint

https://is1-ssl.mzstatic.com/image/thumb/Podcasts211/v4/11/1b/21/111b21f9-75be-d1bf-67cf-d1ff0b01f475/mza_1552319905829485633.jpg/600x600bb.jpg

Sandpit Startups

Sam Drake & Abhishek Chatterjee

30 episodes

1 week ago

In this episode, we speak with Mary Ghobrial who is the former Chief Strategy and Commercial Officer of Souq.com, Mary launched White Friday, drove regional retail strategies, and led Souq.com to its landmark acquisition by Amazon in 2017. Mary also played a key role as Chief Strategy and Operations Officer at Anghami, leading its historic NASDAQ launch. Join us as she shares insights on scaling businesses, fostering local brands, and thriving in the competitive tech and e-commerce landscapes...

Show more...

Entrepreneurship

All content for Sandpit Startups is the property of Sam Drake & Abhishek Chatterjee and is served directly from their servers with no modification, redirects, or rehosting. The podcast is not affiliated with or endorsed by Podjoint in any way.

In this episode, we speak with Mary Ghobrial who is the former Chief Strategy and Commercial Officer of Souq.com, Mary launched White Friday, drove regional retail strategies, and led Souq.com to its landmark acquisition by Amazon in 2017. Mary also played a key role as Chief Strategy and Operations Officer at Anghami, leading its historic NASDAQ launch. Join us as she shares insights on scaling businesses, fostering local brands, and thriving in the competitive tech and e-commerce landscapes...

Show more...

Entrepreneurship

Episodes (20/30)

Sandpit Startups

Amazon Acquisition to Anghami Listing | Sandpit Startups | Ep30 | Mary Ghobrial

In this episode, we speak with Mary Ghobrial who is the former Chief Strategy and Commercial Officer of Souq.com, Mary launched White Friday, drove regional retail strategies, and led Souq.com to its landmark acquisition by Amazon in 2017. Mary also played a key role as Chief Strategy and Operations Officer at Anghami, leading its historic NASDAQ launch. Join us as she shares insights on scaling businesses, fostering local brands, and thriving in the competitive tech and e-commerce landscapes...

9 months ago

25 minutes

Sandpit Startups

From Founders to Unicorns | Sandpit Startups | Ep29 | Khaled Talhouni

In this episode, we engage with Khaled Talhouni, the Managing Partner of Nuwa Capital. Nuwa Capital has successfully backed several innovative startups, including Eyewa, Seez, Silkhaus, Calo, and many more. Khaled’s extensive experience in leading Nuwa Capital and other VC funds allows him to offer invaluable insights into identifying standout founders and analyzing pitch decks. Together, we delve into the thriving startup ecosystem of the Middle East, particularly focusing on entrepreneurs i...

10 months ago

35 minutes

Sandpit Startups

Pivoting Masterclass | Sandpit Startups | Ep28 | Andrew Kabrit

In this conversation with Andrew Kabrit, Co-founder of Seez—a resilient startup backed by Nuwa Capital—he shares how Seez navigated the pandemic and adapted to survive when other startups struggled. Hear how Seez evolved its model, pivoted multiple times, and found different product-market fits to stay strong in a rapidly changing market. With Andrew’s background as CPO you'll gain valuable insights on strategic pivots, achieving product-market fit, and building resilience in shifting i...

11 months ago

42 minutes

Sandpit Startups

Crossing Over From VC to Startup | Sandpit Startups | Ep27 | Ajinkya Tanpure

In this conversation with Ajinkya Tanpure, also known as AJ, the Founder and CEO of CrossVal, we dive into essential topics every entrepreneur needs to master to become investor-ready. We'll explore how to justify valuations and effectively manage finances, making your startup more attractive to investors. CrossVal is a powerful tool designed to help founders gain a clear understanding of cash flow management and prepare for the tough questions VCs and investors ask. With AJ's background in V...

1 year ago

41 minutes

Sandpit Startups

How Private is My Equity? | Sandpit Startups | Ep26 | Dr. Brandon Guthrie

With Dr. Brandon Guthrie, General Partner at Shatranj Capital, we explore the strategic world of Private Equity. Dive into the intricacies of how PE firms help global enterprises like YUM Brands expand internationally, and learn when they consider investing in venture-backed startups. This episode is packed with expert advice on market commercialization, brand essence marketing, and the key differences between Private Equity and Venture Capital. Don't miss out on this masterclass in scaling b...

1 year ago

43 minutes

Sandpit Startups

Where is my Zofeur?! | Sandpit Startups | Ep25 | Bunty Monani

In an engaging session with Bunty Monani, Founder & CEO of Zofeur, we unravel the journey of Zofeur's meteoric ascent. From its humble inception to securing customer funding and navigating rapid expansion, every facet of Zofeur's growth story comes to light. Bunty emphasizes the pivotal role of resilience as the cornerstone skill in entrepreneurship. Discover the strategies and insights that propelled Zofeur to success, offering invaluable lessons for aspiring entrepreneurs aiming to char...

1 year ago

40 minutes

Sandpit Startups

From First VC to a Foremost VC - MEVP | Sandpit Startups | Ep24 | Walid Mansour

In this podcast episode with Walid Mansour, Co-founder of Middle East Venture Partners (MEVP), we explore the journey of the first and now one of the largest Venture Capital firms in MENA. Since its inception in 2008, MEVP has built an impressive portfolio, including stellar names like Anghami, Invygo, Fresha, and MamoPay. Join us as we delve into how venture capital is akin to a startup constantly raising funds, the essential checklist for startups applying to VC firms, and how VCs identify ...

1 year ago

46 minutes

Sandpit Startups

Hardware as a Service? | Sandpit Startups | Ep23 | Atul Bhansal

Join us for an engaging conversation with Atul Bansal, co-founder of Livlyt, a cutting-edge IT platform designed to help companies optimize their tech spending. Atul provides valuable insights into how Livlyt tracks SaaS usage, manages device inventory, secures devices, and offers on-demand IT support to streamline operations and save costs. We also explore how his experience consulting with McKinsey and working in a Unicorn (or Unicamel in MENA) influenced his entrepreneurial mindset. Additi...

1 year ago

40 minutes

Sandpit Startups

Family Offices: A New Investor Class | Sandpit Startups | Ep22 | Obediah Ayton

We have a deep dive discussion with Obediah Ayton, Director Dhabi Holding Company and Chairman of Abu Dhabi Family Office Summit. Obediah shares his experience on the rise of the new investor class that many startups aren't aware of. We also understand how 2 different emirates although in one country behaves as a different hubs for startups. Also we discuss the investor's mindset and what startup entrepreneurs should keep in mind when they engage with such investors. Get ready for a crash cou...

1 year ago

45 minutes

Sandpit Startups

From FoodPanda KSA to FinTech Founder | Sandpit Startups | Ep21 | Tarek Ghobar

Join us in this inspiring session with Tarek Ghobar, co-founder of Paymennt and recognized as a Forbes Top 20 FinTech Entrepreneur. Discover how Paymennt is is transforming digital payments for micro and small businesses handle online payments by offering a quick, secure, and cost-effective solution. Tarek shares his experiences from managing FoodPanda in Saudi Arabia to spearheading Paymennt's innovative, secure, and cost-effective online payment solutions. Learn about the acquisition journe...

1 year ago

44 minutes

Sandpit Startups

From Idea to Acquisition | Sandpit Startups | Ep20 | Benjamin Mouflard

In this episode, we have a food chat with Benjamin Mouflard, the co-founder of Chatfood. ChatFood offers restaurants a commission-free platform for online ordering and sales via social media and websites, with integrated payment and logistics solutions. We talk to Benjamin about his entrepreneurial journey from selling golf balls in his youth to getting Chatfood acquired by a global scaleup Deliverect. Benjamin with Chatfood raised more than USD 5 Million in funding and talks about making a n...

1 year ago

33 minutes

Sandpit Startups

Talking "Boring Business" with Washmen's Co-Founder | Sandpit Startups | Ep18 | Jad Halaoui

In this squeaky clean episode we sit down with Jad Halaoui, the co-founder of Washmen, a digital laundry and dry-cleaning service in the UAE. We talk about Jad's journey from working in Canada one day for an Oil & Gas giant to take the leap of faith to fly to UAE and work with his co-founder Rami on Washmen. He talks about the highs of receiving multiple rounds of funding and being mentored by the co-founder of Careem to the lows of coping with the struggles and anxiety of his startup Was...

1 year ago

54 minutes

Sandpit Startups

Your Virtual Legal Advisor | Sandpit Startups | Ep19 | Ahmed Arif

In this startup forensics episode, we discuss with Ahmed Arif, the co-founder of Clara. Clara simplifies the intricate legal procedures of starting, expanding, and selling a startup in the UAE with their cutting-edge legal software. With Ahmed, we discuss how startup founders struggle to consolidate all their legal requirements especially when it's on a shoestring budget, but with Clara, it serves as a one-stop shop for all the legal requirements from creating your cap table, issuing Converti...

1 year ago

40 minutes

Sandpit Startups

Sky full of Startups | Sandpit Startups | Ep17 | Lukas Krejca

In this episode we are with the operations director of Astrolabs Lukas Krejca, Dubai-based digital capability building company. Astrolabs supports expansion of startups and scaleups to UAE and Saudi Arabia. It's a startup community where entrepreneurs leverage from resources and the network within UAE and KSA. Astrolabs helps with building sustainable ecosystem and act as an accelerator to thrive in competitive local market.

1 year ago

34 minutes

Sandpit Startups

This $5M Idea Will End Car Ownership by 2030 | Sandpit Startups | Ep16 | Claudio Esposito-Aiardo

In this episode we drive down memory lane with Claudio Esposito-Aiardo co-founder of Carasti, Dubai-based car subscription start-up. From starting with a prototype to raising $5M and also expanding to Saudi Arabia. We learn the do's and don'ts of getting into a business and also how to manage customers in the early days. A really insightful story of starting a car subscription platform and making it as easy as ordering a pizza.

1 year ago

44 minutes

Sandpit Startups

He Bootstrapped Dubai's Fastest Growing Community | Sandpit Startups | Ep15 | Cameron Lee Roberts

In this community-focused episode, join us with Cameron Lee Roberts, Founder of DYP Club (now YP Club), as we explore the incredible evolution of UAE's premier hub for aspiring young professionals. From its humble beginnings as a monthly gathering to becoming a powerhouse for thought leaders and innovators, YP Club unites ambitious minds, fostering connections and impactful discussions. Discover how Cameron shapes the future of young leadership communities in the UAE and beyond, offering insi...

1 year ago

41 minutes

Sandpit Startups

Haltia.AI The AI Super App | Sandpit Startups | Ep14 | Talal Thabet

In this super charged episode with Talal Thabat the Cofounder of Haltia we discuss all things AI which includes Sam Altman and ChatGPT to data and privacy issues. We talk about how Haltia will change the life of people with this AI super app making one not only more productive and efficient but most importantly giving you time to do the things that you love. Get ready for this AI powered episode and to geek out on the tech of the future.

1 year ago

39 minutes

Sandpit Startups

The Man That Can Build You a FREE MVP?! | Sandpit Startups | Ep13 | Dennis Kohl

In this unique episode with 'Tech Angel' and Founder of Inheaden, Dennis Kohl. We discover the new form of investment, unlike the venture studios, rather the tech angel concept is a new and unique take on investment that combines the VC business model but with a Tech Enabler concept. We talk to Dennis about how it all started, their growth in Europe and now their expansion to the UAE. Exciting angle for all the pre-seed stage entrepreneurs out there!

1 year ago

35 minutes

Sandpit Startups

The Dubai Matchmaker | Sandpit Startups | Ep12 | Christiana Maxion

Join us in this exciting episode as with 'The Dubai Matchmaker' and Founder of the Maxion app. Her journey from a Teacher in Abu Dhabi to a Tech founder is inspirational and her matchmaking app is set to change the conventional dating app landscape in UAE and beyond. Bringing compatible connections via a convenient concierge to make sure you can focus on the things that really matter i.e. finding love and connections.

1 year ago

32 minutes

Sandpit Startups

Own Home in Dubai with just 500 AED | Sandpit Startups | Ep11 | Siddiq Farid

Join us in this exciting episode as we sit down with Siddiq Farid, the co-founder of SmartCrowd, a revolutionary real estate crowdfunding platform in the UAE! Discover how you can now turn property investment into a hassle-free, stock-like experience with as little as 500 AED. Own properties, enjoy rental returns, and watch your investments grow from the comfort of your own home. Don't miss this episode to unlock the world of real estate investing like never before!

2 years ago

34 minutes