Careem
More than 800 people left Careem to start their own companies, and together they have raised over $1.5 billion. Working with Crustdata, we traced the Careem alumni who became founders, from halan ($589M) and Swvl ($245M) to Sary, Bazaar and the next wave behind them.
More carousels
Keep pulling this thread
How Peak Games Became a Starting Point for Turkey’s Next Gaming Companies
In 2019, five employees left Peak Games to build another mobile gaming company in Istanbul.
4 Nov 2026
What It Takes to Take a Gulf Restaurant Brand Abroad
At Harrods in London, Somewhere serves guacamole hummus, kunafa-wrapped shrimp and beef shawarma with beetroot rice.
1 Nov 2026
Tabby vs Tamara: The Competition Is Moving Beyond Buy Now, Pay Later
Tabby and Tamara became familiar to Gulf shoppers through a simple offer: buy something now and spread the payment across instalments.
31 Oct 2026
The Founding MENA newsletter
The week in MENA tech, every Monday. Free.
SubscribeFree, on Substack.