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Dubai Startup Belong Is A Social Platform With A Twist
The company has ambitious plans for growth and has already begun scaling operations in US cities.
Startup Belong is an online social platform catering to the needs of fitness, food, travel, arts, sports, and wellness enthusiasts. The app also allows users to connect in person to attend events together.
Founders Michael Askew and Matthew Gaziano have first-hand experience of struggling to connect with the right people after living in Saudi Arabia’s capital, Riyadh, for seven years and later moving to Dubai.
“When we moved to Dubai, we were excited because the place is amazing. We expected to have a packed, endless social calendar, but when we got here, we realized we’d got to make friends first,” says Gaziano. “How do you get out, find like-minded people, and do all these fantastic things? How do you approach people? It’s not easy to go over and speak to someone in public and start talking about yourself,” he added.
The pair were inspired to design an app where “online meets offline”, helping people to break the ice and form lasting relationships out in the real world.
After launching the app in 2019, the social platform now has a user base of 350,000 and a presence in Dubai, New York, and San Francisco.
Also Read: Top 10 Best Freelance Platforms In The Middle East
Belong works by allowing users to select their interests. After that, they start posting and discussing what they have in common. The company has already secured $3.5 million in crowdfunded investments and plans to raise more funds in 2024 to crack the wider US and MENA markets.
“The UAE is a fantastic place to launch your business,” explains Gaziano. “It’s such a melting pot of cultures and nationalities, and you can really put your startup to the test here”.
The United Arab Emirates aims to become home to 20 startups valued at over $1 billion by 2031 in a bid to become a regional center for innovation and entrepreneurship. Last year, the country launched its Entrepreneurial Nation initiative to help entrepreneurs set up operations in the Emirates and support them when expanding their businesses, exporting products, and tapping into online sales.
The UAE’s digital economy is expected to reach a value of $140 billion by 2031, rising dramatically from its current $38 billion, according to a report by the Dubai Chamber of Digital Economy.
News
NASA Forms New Partnership With Saudi Space Agency
The pair will collaborate on the Center for Space Futures, advancing space tech by bringing together public and private stakeholders.
Saudi Arabia’s space industry is on the brink of substantial expansion after generating $400 million in revenue in 2022, according to a report by the Saudi Communications, Space and Technology Commission.
Now, in a new venture with NASA, plans for a “Center for Space Futures” are set to further drive the Kingdom’s aspirations of becoming a leading player in space exploration and technology.
Capturing moments from the joint delegation visit with leaders from the Saudi and American Space Agencies @NASA to @PSU_RUH, along with scenes showcasing the audience's engagement. pic.twitter.com/oB1cFTiRNl
— وكالة الفضاء السعودية (@saudispace) May 14, 2024
The partnership between NASA and Saudi Arabia goes beyond economic advantages. The pair have already cooperated on preliminary work for the Artemis II lunar mission, which is slated for a September 2025 launch and aims to land astronauts near the moon’s South Pole.
Also Read: Plans Underway For Massive Middle East Autonomous Freight Network
During a visit to the capital, Riyadh, NASA Administrator Bill Nelson emphasized in a TV interview the broader objectives of the collaboration, which encompass “returning to the moon and then [to] Mars” while utilizing space exploration to glean important insights into climate change. The NASA spokesman also reiterated the space agency’s dedication to collaborating with Saudi Arabia on other future ventures.
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