What does it take to build great products across DTC subscriptions, quick commerce, and omnichannel retail - all while navigating corporate structures, IPOs and the unique demands of MENA markets?

In this episode of Now We Build, Sam Marchant sits down with Valentin Klein, Head of Product for Customer Experience at Eyewa, to unpack his career journey from Berlin startups to HelloFresh's new ventures team, to Talabat's IPO, and now into omnichannel retail across the GCC. Valentin shares the frameworks, hard-won lessons and honest failures behind building products that actually grow businesses - and why most people are looking for a silver bullet that doesn't exist.

Sam and Valentin also discuss:

• Validation of new ventures in corporate settings
• Building customer-centric products in diverse markets
• Localization strategies for GCC and MENA regions
• The role of data in entrepreneurship and growth
• Balancing offline and online customer experiences

Now We Build has partnered with CapQuest, an equity and investor relations management platform built for founders who need to track SAFEs, manage their cap table, and keep investors updated without the spreadsheet chaos. If you're raising capital or managing equity, CapQuest helps you stay organised from day one. Now We Build listeners can now get 20% off an entire annual subscription with the code nowwebuild20. Use the link here to claim the discount: https://capquest.io/book-demo

Timestamps:

00:00 Introduction

01:45 Background

04:26 Startup Ecosystem: Dubai vs Berlin

07:30 Building New Ventures at HelloFresh

10:12 Challenges in Testing New Ventures

13:02 FactorForm: Validation and Challenges

15:45 Transition to Talabat: IPO and Growth

18:31 Vendor Growth and Monetization at Talabat

21:22 Connecting Online and Offline Experiences at IOWA

23:56 Cultural Nuances in MENA Markets

26:41 Advice for Founders Expanding in MENA

29:23 Quickfire Questions and Closing Thoughts

Learn more: https://linktr.ee/nowwebuild

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Follow Valentin:

LinkedIn: https://ae.linkedin.com/in/valentinklein

Follow Sam:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sam-marchant/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@sammrchant

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sammrchant

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