🤔 Should I give up finding passion?

Author’s Note: Happy New Year everyone! Hope you had a great start to 2025. My wife & I watched the Burj Khalifa firework. One of the greatest shows we have seen so far! Alright let’s jump into the first edition of the year. Did you missed On Point? If so, it’s a good sign to move forward with the project 😉 

Jokes aside, do New Year's resolutions make a difference? I’m not a fan of this for sure. 

💡Briefly

A summary of the major business, tech and startup headlines of the past week.

• A 20-year-old ex-Dubai student launched an AI startup in Silicon Valley after leaving a prestigious university.

• Dubai has been ranked first in the Middle East and eighth globally in the 2024 Global Power City Index, which evaluates cities on innovation, economy, livability, and global appeal. This marks Dubai's second consecutive year achieving this prestigious ranking.

• See how UAE is attracting global wealth with CitizenX's Capital Exodus dashboard, tracking the migration of high-net-worth individuals in real-time.

• Dubai's Smart Rental Index launches in January 2025, boosting transparency and innovation in real estate with real-time data.

• Two major UAE tech events in upcoming months: Global Blockchain Congress (Feb 18-20, Dubai) and Future Investment Initiative (Mar 10-12, Abu Dhabi). Essential for tech innovators.

💸 Recently funded in MENA region

is a list of companies that received funding. They might hiring soon!

• Calo | Foodtech | Riyadh | raised $25m to push product innovation | Careers

• YNMO | Edtech | Riyadh | closed $5m to scale regional business | No Careers

Opportunities Corner

👀 recent job postings in Dubai & beyond that I actually find cool

• Digital Transformation Consultant | Comarch | Dubai

• Senior Strategy Manager | The Sanad Group | Abu Dhabi

• M&A Senior Manager | Gobash Group | Dubai

• Digital Strategy and Marketing Lead | Delart | Dubai

• Tech Lead, Engineering | Deel | Dubai

🌴 Dubai & other good stuff

is a selection of links focused on Dubai, startups, career, timeless content and business.

• 🥐 Cafe

  • B.laban it is - period. My favorite is not Dubai chocolate nor Dubai Sausage (no joke Germany has all kind of variations), but Dubai Crepes. Been there two times alone last week.

• 📱Social:

  1. X: Three most important decision in life. Certainly important to know to optimize your life accordingly

  2. Reddit: Earning 45k AED monthly in Dubai? With which jobs? I found the discussion quite interesting.

• 🧑‍💻Career: 

  • You need a sentiment of the current state of the tech job market? Check this live tracker.

  • Brutally honest, yet refreshing perspective on the big question that concerns us all “how to find my passion?”

• 🚀 Startups:

  • Which VCs are shaping MENA's startup scene? Explore renowned names redefining innovation in the region.

Do you have any suggestions, questions, or criticism? By answering this e-mail you’re sliding right to my inbox.

Joel ❤️