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Doers Summit Expands To Dubai, Connecting Global Ecosystems

by THEFUTURE.TEAM

July 17, 2025

The Doers Company and Dubai Integrated Economic Zones Authority (DIEZ) have signed a strategic agreement to host the first Middle East edition of Doers Summit at Dubai Silicon Oasis in November 2025, connecting Europe, the Middle East, South Asia, and beyond.

Doers Summit Expands To Dubai, Connecting Global Ecosystems

A signing ceremony was held in Dubai, attended by His Excellency Dr. Mohammed Al Zarooni, Executive Chairman of DIEZ, and Demetris Skourides, Chief Scientist for Research, Innovation & Technology at the Government of the Republic of Cyprus, underscoring government-level support for cross-border entrepreneurship and innovation.

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“Hosting this renowned Summit with The Doers Company aligns with Dubai’s Economic Agenda D33 and our commitment to positioning Dubai as a global leader in economic and digital growth,” said Badr Buhannad, Deputy Director General of Dubai Silicon Oasis.

The Dubai edition aims to bring together over 3,000 participants, including startups, venture capital funds, and ecosystem leaders, catalysing cross-border collaboration and capital access while maintaining the Doers Summit’s experience-led format of high-impact networking, curated content, and actionable deal-making.

Reflect Festival Becomes Doers Summit: A Unified Vision for Global Doers

This expansion to Dubai comes at a pivotal moment for The Doers Company, as it unifies all its flagship events under a single global brand.

Since its inception in 2018, Reflect Festival has grown from a local gathering in Limassol into one of Europe’s leading technology and entrepreneurship events, welcoming over 50,000 founders, investors, and operators across Limassol, Athens, and city meetups throughout Europe. Now, Reflect Festival evolves into Doers Summit, aligning a vision to create a single, global gathering of doers that fosters meaningful connections and builds ecosystems where it matters most.

“Reflect Festival was close to many of us, but evolving it into Doers Summit was about clarity of purpose,” says Stylianos Lambrou, Co-founder and CEO of The Doers Company. “Now, we are building a global gathering that creates the partnerships and opportunities shaping what’s next.”

The move to Dubai marks a natural progression, connecting Europe, the Middle East, South Asia, and beyond while maintaining the experience-led approach that defines Doers Summit: curated content, high-impact networking, and real-world deal-making.

“This is more than scaling an event, it’s scaling a movement,” adds Dusan Duffek, Co-founder and Managing Partner at The Doers Company. “We’re creating moments of convergence where regions connect, ideas collide, and real deals happen.”

With Dubai, Athens, and Limassol now under the unified Doers Summit banner, The Doers Company is laying the groundwork for a truly global ecosystem where doers can continue to learn, connect, and build what’s next, together.

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FinTech’s Dominance In MENA: Three Strategic Drivers Behind Unyielding VC Success

by THEFUTURE.TEAM

September 11, 2025

Despite facing tightening global liquidity and macroeconomic headwinds, the FinTech sector continues to assert its leadership in the MENA region. In the first half of 2025, FinTech emerged as the most resilient and appealing arena for venture capital investments, proving its worth as a catalyst for financial innovation and inclusion.

Addressing Structural Financial Gaps

In many parts of MENA, a significant proportion of the population remains underbanked and underserved by traditional financial institutions. FinTech companies are uniquely positioned to address these persistent challenges by bridging critical access gaps and driving financial inclusion. With the proliferation of payment apps, digital wallets, and micro-lending platforms, investors have witnessed firsthand how these solutions pave the way for scalable growth and eventual exits. Early-stage momentum in the region is underscored by a doubling of pre-seed deals year-over-year, reinforcing the sector’s capacity for rapid innovation and sustainable expansion.

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Highly Scalable and Replicable Business Models

One of the key factors behind FinTech’s dominance is the inherent scalability of its business models. Once the necessary infrastructure and regulatory approvals are in place, these models have demonstrated robust performance across borders. The first half of 2025 saw a marked acceleration in deal activity, with payment solutions leading the charge with 28 deals in MENA—a significant increase over the previous year. Lending platforms, in particular, experienced a meteoric 500% year-over-year increase in funding, emerging as the fastest-growing subindustry. Such replicability makes FinTech an attractive proposition for investors seeking high-growth opportunities in diverse markets.

Supportive Regulatory And Government Backing

The strategic support offered by key government initiatives in the UAE and Saudi Arabia has been instrumental in propelling the FinTech sector forward. Progressive frameworks, such as the UAE’s open finance and digital asset directives, coupled with Saudi Arabia’s live-testing sandboxes, have materially lowered entry barriers for startups. These measures not only foster innovation but also streamline the path to commercialization. Consequently, the combined efforts of these regulatory bodies have enabled the UAE and Saudi Arabia to account for 86% of MENA’s total FinTech funding in H1 2025.

The resilience of FinTech in MENA is not merely a reflection of contemporary market trends—it signals a fundamental shift in the region’s economic fabric. With an unwavering commitment to addressing real financial challenges, scalable and replicable business practices, and robust regulatory support, FinTech is setting the benchmark for sustainable innovation. As capital markets become increasingly discerning, this sector stands out as a beacon of long-term growth and transformative impact.