Michael Lints has over 20 years of experience helping innovative businesses obtain the resources, insights, and expertise they need in order to be successful. Michael has been a startup operator, investor, and mentor, and is currently a Partner at the Singapore-based venture capital firm Golden Gate Ventures. He joined the firm in 2013 and is currently leading growth venture efforts, which include LP fundraising and portfolio management for Golden Gate Ventures investments at Series B and beyond.

Michael’s entrepreneurial journey began in 2000 when he co-founded an IT managed services startup in Europe that was acquired by a large data and telecom company six years later. In 2007, Michael founded a venture fund focused on Dutch small- and medium-sized enterprises to help them with capital financing, business development, and strategy. During the same period, he was invited to join the Economic Development Board Rotterdam as Vice Chairman. In that role, he launched the Young Economic Development Board where he brought together a highly influential Dutch network to develop a sustainable framework for public-private relationships that increased local business investment while leveraging the public infrastructure.

Michael has helped support firm and portfolio-level priorities that have spanned fundraising, capital allocation, and corporate development. He has helped to raise over USD $60M for Golden Gate Ventures and its portfolio companies, including helping to raise later stage rounds from external investors as well as leading two early strategic acquisitions.

Outside of work, sport is an essential part of Michael’s life. He is a former member of the Dutch karate team and the former ambassador for Treknology (Trek bikes distributor in Singapore). Michael actively participates in Ironman 70.3 races and marathons. He is also passionate about social justice and uses sport as a vehicle to raise awareness for important issues such as civil rights, economic opportunity, and education.

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The Startups Arabia Podcast connects you to the most prominent founders, investors, and operators of the Arab region. You will be inspired by their success, the challenges they overcame and the opportunities they see.

Follow us on our social media platforms to stay updated and get in touch:

LinkedIn: Startups Arabia Podcast

Twitter: @ArabiaStartups

Facebook: @startupsarabia

Youtube: Startups Arabia Podcast

—--- Resources—--------:

Michael’s LinkedIn account: @Michael Lints

Michael’s Website: michaellints.com

Golden Gate Ventures' Website: https://www.goldengate.vc/

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SHOW NOTES:

00:00 Introduction to Michael Lints and the Podcast

02:44 Who is Michael Lints?

06:16 Golden Gate Ventures: Mission and Early Days

09:39 Expanding to the MENA Region

12:55 Investment Strategies and Portfolio Insights

33:26 AI's Impact on Venture Capital and Industry

41:08 Michael Lints' Documentary: Broken Chains

42:56 Challenges Faced by Minority Founders

46:44 Personal Reflections on Career and Opportunity

48:38 From Martial Arts to Ironman

54:28 Investment Decisions and Regrets

57:02 The Impact of Market Trends on Fundraising

59:53 Key Questions for Founders

01:01:18 Characteristics of a Great Investor

01:03:12 The Importance of Founders in Early-Stage Investments

01:05:31 Navigating Exit Options in the Region

01:09:36 Wishes for the Regional Ecosystem

01:10:40 Quickfire Questions and Closing Thoughts

Julien is the Senior Partner at Oraseya Capital, where he leads the firm’s investment strategy, oversees deal sourcing and execution, and actively manages a diverse portfolio of early-stage startups. Oraseya Capital invests from pre-Seed to Series B stages, fostering innovation and scaling transformative businesses across key sectors. Julien is also a member of the investment committee.

In 2021, Julien launched SANDBOX, Oraseya’s program for investing in and mentoring pre-Seed/Seed stage startups. The program has supported hundreds of founders, with 16 investments made in 2024 alone.

Julien plays a pivotal role in mentoring founders, building long-term partnerships, and guiding portfolio companies toward sustainable growth and success.

With a presence in the UAE’s startup ecosystem since 2012, Julien brings extensive experience as both a founder and investor. Prior to joining Oraseya Capital, he was Principal and Portfolio Manager at Dtec Ventures, where he led investments across various industries and helped drive the growth of the regional entrepreneurial landscape.

He began his career as an Investment Banker with Société Générale CIB in Italy, working on multi-billion-dollar corporate finance transactions. After moving to Dubai, he launched his first startup—an online artist agency representing over 1,000 talents across the region—which he successfully exited. He subsequently contributed to several ventures as a co-founder, advisor, and product director.

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The Startups Arabia Podcast connects you to the most prominent founders, investors, and operators of the Arab region. You will be inspired by their success, the challenges they overcame and the opportunities they see.

Follow us on our social media platforms to stay updated and get in touch:

LinkedIn: Startups Arabia Podcast

Twitter: @ArabiaStartups

Facebook: @startupsarabia

Youtube: Startups Arabia Podcast

—--- Resources—--------:

Julien’s LinkedIn account: @Julien Plouzeau

Oraseya Capital’s Website: https://oraseyacapital.com/

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SHOW NOTES:

00:00 Introduction to Julien Plouzeau and the Podcast

02:34 Julien's Move to Dubai and Early Ventures

04:50 The Challenges and Rewards of Building Startups

08:26 Investment Banking vs. Venture Capital

12:17 The Role and Mission of Oraseya Capital

17:16 Oraseya Capital's Investment Strategy and Achievements

22:15 Multi-Stage Investing: Strategies and Approaches

37:28 Path to Profitability and Scaling

38:37 Lessons from Regional Trailblazers

43:16 Success Strategies for Startups

48:26 Investment Stories: Podeo and Ogram

54:50 Navigating the Investment Landscape

01:06:58 Quickfire Questions and Closing Thoughts

Waleed A. Alballaa is a technologist-turned-investor with a proven track record across global and MENA markets, spanning semiconductors, wireless, mobility, and eGovernment. As a Founding General Partner at Sukna Ventures, he backs early-stage, tech-driven startups across the region. Prior to Sukna, Waleed co-founded STV, one of the MENA region’s largest VC funds, and led pivotal initiatives at Elm—including launching the firm’s first business sector and founding its corporate venture arm.

Waleed’s earlier career includes high-tech development roles at Cadence Design, Conexant, Skyworks Solutions, and Microsoft in the U.S. He holds a Master’s in Computer Science from Oregon Health & Science University and a Bachelor’s in Computer Science from King Saud University.

Beyond investing, Waleed serves on multiple boards and actively mentors founders. He also co-founded the Saudi Venture Capital & Private Equity Association and the Business Analysis Association Group, where he currently serves as Vice Chairman. A committed technology optimist, Waleed is passionate about fueling innovation and strengthening the startup ecosystem across the MENA region.

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The Startups Arabia Podcast connects you to the most prominent founders, investors, and operators of the Arab region. You will be inspired by their success, the challenges they overcame and the opportunities they see.

Follow us on our social media platforms to stay updated and get in touch:

LinkedIn: Startups Arabia Podcast

Twitter: @ArabiaStartups

Facebook: @startupsarabia

Youtube: Startups Arabia Podcast

—--- Resources—--------:

Waleed’s LinkedIn account: @Waleed Alballaa

Sukna Ventures’ Website: https://suknaventures.com/

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SHOW NOTES:

00:00 Introduction to Waleed Alballaa and the Podcast

02:50 Waleed's Journey: From the US to Saudi Arabia

08:16 Founding STV and the Corporate VC Experience

14:10 The Birth of Sukna Ventures

20:03 Focus on Early-Stage Tech and Disruptive Technologies

20:35 Exploring Space Tech and AI Innovations

29:25 The Future of the Saudi Startup Ecosystem

34:56 Global Ambitions and Product Development

37:29 The Evolving Software Market and VC Landscape

41:15 Exploring Future Computing Technologies

41:37 The Role of Venture Capital in Emerging Tech

42:26 Challenges in Predicting the Future of Tech

43:17 The Importance of Understanding the Present Market

44:06 Finding Early Seeds of Innovation

46:19 Global Investment Strategies

48:43 A Contrarian Bet on Hardware

51:51 The Evolution of LPs in Venture Capital

54:50 The Role of Endowments and Foundations

01:00:46 Effective Board Governance

01:07:06 Lessons from Missed Investment Opportunities

01:15:12 The Impact of Market Externalities on Startups

01:16:11 The Importance of Early Relationships with Founders

01:16:53 Challenges in Market Sizing and Portfolio Strategy

01:20:04 Current Trends in Saudi's Investment Landscape

01:22:23 The Role of Mergers and Acquisitions in Growth

01:26:37 Emerging Vertical Trends in the Region

01:30:17 The Semiconductor Industry's Potential in Saudi

01:34:43 Investment Decision-Making and Ecosystem Improvements

01:39:41 Quickfire Questions and Closing Thoughts

Saoud was born in Kuwait during the Gulf War and left to the US at the age of 18. Saoud launched Fakespot.com in 2016, a platform that detects fake reviews using AI, after being scammed by a supplement with fake ratings. Since then, Fakespot is now used by millions of shoppers worldwide when browsing popular eCommerce websites. Fakespot was acquired by Mozilla in 2023 and is now integrated into Mozilla Firefox, one of the world's most utilized browsers. Prior to working at Fakespot, Saoud was a software engineer at Goldman Sachs and graduated from Monmouth University with his Bachelors and Masters in Software Engineering.

—-----------------------------------------------------------

The Startups Arabia Podcast connects you to the most prominent founders, investors, and operators of the Arab region. You will be inspired by their success, the challenges they overcame and the opportunities they see.

Follow us on our social media platforms to stay updated and get in touch:

LinkedIn: Startups Arabia Podcast

Twitter: @ArabiaStartups

Facebook: @startupsarabia

Youtube: Startups Arabia Podcast

—--- Resources—--------:

Saoud’s LinkedIn account: @Saoud Khalifah

Fakespot’s Website: https://www.fakespot.com/

Mozilla’s Website: https://www.mozilla.org/

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SHOW NOTES:

00:00 Introduction to Saoud Khalifah and the Podcast

01:50 Saoud's Early Life and Career Beginnings

13:12 The Birth of Fakespot

21:23 Challenges and Growth of Fakespot

38:42 The Spontaneous Start and Early Challenges

39:18 The Struggle of Fundraising

41:56 The Road to the First Investment

47:24 Pivoting During the Pandemic

49:06 The Browser Extension Boom

49:55 The Battle with a Trillion-Dollar Company

59:54 The Mozilla Acquisition

01:09:41 The Rise of Specialists in a Generalist World

01:13:48 The Intersection of Music and Programming

01:17:16 The Role of Music in Enhancing Cognitive Skills

01:19:03 The Future of Machine-Generated Content

01:20:03 Challenges and Opportunities in Generative AI

01:20:39 The Importance of Security in AI Development

01:24:05 The Need for New AI Infrastructure

01:28:34 Cultural Shifts and Technological Ambitions in the Middle East

01:29:07 The Role of Competition and Innovation in the Middle East

01:35:20 The Future of Coding and Best Practices

01:39:22 Investing in Startups: What to Look For

01:46:28 Quickfire Questions and Closing Thoughts

Leena Khalil is currently a Partner at Key Capital and was the co-founder of Mumzworld. In 2011, she co-founded Mumzworld.com, a leading platform dedicated to making parenting easier across the region. Following its strong growth, Mumzworld.com was fully acquired by the Saudi healthcare giant Tamer Group. Leena stepped down as CEO in 2024.

Before her role at Mumzworld, Leena worked in investment banking in London, where she successfully launched equity transactions for TMT clients across multiple geographies. She later transitioned to business process outsourcing, focusing on optimizing local government processes and customer service through the integration of technology into daily life.

Leena has been named one of the top female entrepreneurs by Forbes Middle East for four consecutive years, including the most recent Forbes 2023 list. Additionally, she was recognized as one of the most powerful retail leaders by Retail ME in 2023.

She serves on the board of APIC, a publicly listed company focused on driving investments to Palestine. Leena is also a member of the Sharjah Entrepreneurship Center (Sheraa) Board of Advisors, a mentor at the Win Fellowship, and a judge supporting Eureka!, the Gulf region edition of Asia's Largest Business Model Competition.

—-----------------------------------------------------------

The Startups Arabia Podcast connects you to the most prominent founders, investors, and operators of the Arab region. You will be inspired by their success, the challenges they overcame and the opportunities they see.

Follow us on our social media platforms to stay updated and get in touch:

LinkedIn: Startups Arabia Podcast

Twitter: @ArabiaStartups

Facebook: @startupsarabia

Youtube: Startups Arabia Podcast

—--- Resources—--------:

Leena’s LinkedIn account: @Leena Khalil

Key Capital’s Website: https://www.key.capital/

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SHOW NOTES:

00:00 Introduction to the Podcast and Guest

02:57 The Birth of Mumzworld

06:24 Challenges and Strategies in E-Commerce

11:33 Fundraising and Investment Insights

24:13 Acquisition by Tamer Group

32:16 Transition to Key Capital

39:45 Market Making Strategies

39:58 Challenges and Benefits of Secondaries Market

41:36 APIC: Arab Palestinian Investment Company

45:29 Benefitting Society through Business

47:27 Balancing Motherhood and Professional Life

50:24 E-commerce Trends and Investor Insights

53:55 The Importance of Co-founder Relationships

59:06 Mental Health in the Startup World

01:04:52 Reflections on Regional Ecosystem and Education

01:09:32 Quick Fire Questions and Closing Thoughts

Mohammad AlRazaz is a serial entrepreneur and the Co-founder & CEO of OTO, MENA’s largest shipping integrator and aggregator platform, powering online businesses and omni-channel brands. At just 22, Mohammad launched Jeeny (formerly EasyTaxi) in Saudi Arabia with Rocket Internet, becoming the youngest Country Manager globally. An MIT Global Entrepreneurship Bootcamp alumnus, he has built multiple ventures spanning transportation, e-commerce, logistics, and technology.

A curious soul, new father, coffee addict, remote work advocate, desserts maker, and a proud MENAT region nationalist.

—-----------------------------------------------------------

The Startups Arabia Podcast connects you to the most prominent founders, investors, and operators of the Arab region. You will be inspired by their success, the challenges they overcame and the opportunities they see.

Follow us on our social media platforms to stay updated and get in touch:

LinkedIn: Startups Arabia Podcast

Twitter: @ArabiaStartups

Facebook: @startupsarabia

Youtube: Startups Arabia Podcast

—--- Resources—--------:

Mohammad’s LinkedIn account: @Mohammad AlRazaz

OTO’s Website: https://tryoto.com/

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SHOW NOTES:

00:00 Introduction to the Podcast and Guest

02:55 Mohamed's Early Career and Education

08:23 The Easy Taxi Journey

13:19 Lessons from Launder and Jak

20:42 The Birth of Oto

44:01 Cracking the Market

45:13 Launching the Marketplace

47:21 Challenges of Moving from Enterprise to SMB

50:35 Raising the Series A

55:13 Expanding into New Regions

01:20:47 The Importance of Customer Focus

01:26:35 The Importance of Fulfillment Rate and Data in Shipping

01:27:26 Privacy and Performance in Shipping Companies

01:29:41 Advising Aspiring Founders

01:30:43 The Value of Co-Founder Relationships

01:36:27 Fatherhood and Entrepreneurship

01:43:31 Reflecting on Professional and Personal Growth

01:50:14 Challenges and Opportunities for Startups in the Arab Region

01:59:56 Quick Fire Questions and Closing Thoughts

Amal Dokhan is an entrepreneurship advocate, a venture capitalist and an ecosystem builder operating for more than a decade in the MENA region. Amal is the managing partner at 500 Global managing the Sanabil 500 MENA seed accelerator fund focusing on investing in early stage tech startups. She previously worked at King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, managing accelerator programs and delivering corporate innovation programs with many large organizations. Amal also has worked on several government initiatives during her time in the Small and Medium enterprise Authority.

Amal has also angel invested in many startups as well as managing Babson college’s MENA entrepreneurial programs and has held many other technology supporting roles in the region. Amal sits on the board of the Venture Capital and Private Equity Association in Saudi as well as the board of the Middle East venture capital association in UAE. She’s a Kauffman fellow and has been featured two years in a row -2023 and 2024- as one of most powerful women in the Middle East by Forbes.

—-----------------------------------------------------------

The Startups Arabia Podcast connects you to the most prominent founders, investors, and operators of the Arab region. You will be inspired by their success, the challenges they overcame and the opportunities they see.

Follow us on our social media platforms to stay updated and get in touch:

LinkedIn: Startups Arabia Podcast

Twitter: @ArabiaStartups

Facebook: @startupsarabia

Youtube: Startups Arabia Podcast

—--- Resources—--------:

Amal’s LinkedIn account: @Amal Dokhan

500 Global’s Website: https://500.co/

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SHOW NOTES:

00:00 Introduction of Amal Dokhan

03:13 Amal's Journey into Entrepreneurship

05:58 Joining King Abdullah University of Science and Technology

09:23 The growth of the MENA Startup Ecosystem

20:07 500 MENA and Investment Strategies

43:16 Personal Reflections on Resilience

49:26 Balancing Social and Alone Time

50:24 The Power of Teaching and Knowledge Sharing

52:05 From Kindergarten Teacher to Managing Partner

53:55 Navigating the Saudi Startup Ecosystem

55:43 Opportunities and Challenges in Saudi Arabia

01:03:16 Global Investors' Perspective on the Region

01:05:58 Impact of Global Trends on Regional Startups

01:11:35 The Rise of Venture Debt and New Financing Models

01:18:33 Promoting Diversity in Venture Capital

01:26:54 Future Trends and Sectors to Watch

01:31:09 The Role of VC Associations in the Region

01:34:56 Personal Reflections and Advice

01:37:49 Concluding Remarks and Quickfire Questions

Mohammed is the Managing Partner at Nama Ventures, a pre-seed / seed stage fund fueling tech

innovation in the MENA region, especially in Saudi. Previously, he was the managing director of

Tharwa Capital, a Dubai based financial investment and advisory firm focusing on the technology

equity markets.

He’s also led the Venture Capital practice at Global Investment House, a Kuwait based investment

company. Prior to that, he was the Director of Technology Investments at Dubai Silicon Oasis

Authority (DSOA). and the Founder and CEO of Sulaf Solutions, a tech solutions provider based in Silicon Valley.

Mohammed has worked and consulted for many blue chip technology companies as well as been an active Angel investor. He’s a member of Sand Hill Angels (SHA), on the Advisory Board of LinkSV, an Advisory Board member of kyube.com, and a founding board member of Techwadi.

Mohammed is a mentor to many regional technology companies and an advisor with In5 incubator in

Dubai and Oasis 500 incubator in Jordan. He holds an MBA from London Business School and has a BS in Electrical Engineering from Brigham Young University.

—-----------------------------------------------------------

The Startups Arabia Podcast connects you to the most prominent founders, investors, and operators of the Arab region. You will be inspired by their success, the challenges they overcame and the opportunities they see.

Follow us on our social media platforms to stay updated and get in touch:

LinkedIn: Startups Arabia Podcast

Twitter: @ArabiaStartups

Facebook: @startupsarabia

Youtube: Startups Arabia Podcast

—--- Resources—--------:

Mohammed’s LinkedIn account: @Mohammed Alzubi

Nama Ventures’ Website: https://www.namaventures.com/

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SHOW NOTES:

00:00 Introduction of Mohammed Alzubi

03:14 The Decision to Return to the MENA Region after years in Silicon Valley

07:40 The Entrepreneurial Experience and Its Impact on Investing

17:03 The Founding and Vision of Nama Ventures

20:49 Investment Philosophy: The Importance of Team

25:22 Decision-Making Process at Nama Ventures

32:01 Brev.dev's Journey to Acquisition by NVIDIA

40:42 The Power of a Complementary Team

42:06 From Founder to Investor

44:30 Launching a New Podcast

45:22 The Story of Salla

46:29 Localizing Business Models for MENA

54:08 Navigating the Saudi Startup Ecosystem

01:01:01 Investing in Funds as an LP and the Value of Trust

01:06:56 The Importance of Effective Boards

01:13:39 Concluding Remarks and Quickfire Questions