News

Anghami Lab Venue To Bridge Digital And Traditional Entertainment

The Dubai venue is scheduled to open in early 2022.

Published

5 years ago

August 12, 2021

Joanna Melki

Anghami

During the last year and a half, we’ve seen more concerts canceled than performed. Unable to entertain their fans in person, many artists have embraced modern digital alternatives, taking full advantage of social media and music streaming platforms. But it seems that the entertainment industry is finally ready for reopening because Anghami, the leading digital distribution company in the Arab world, has announced its plan to bridge digital and traditional entertainment with its innovative entertainment venue named Anghami Lab.

The new venue will open in the heart of Dubai, and it will feature a studio where artists can work on their music and a venue where they can perform it. The resulting music will then be available for streaming on the Anghami app (available on Windows, Symbian, Windows Phone, Linux, BlackBerry OS, Android, iOS, Chrome OS, OS X, MeeGo, and even PlayStation 4).

To give visitors one more reason to come in, Anghami has partnered with Addmind, the region’s market leader in hospitality, to serve a fusion of Arabic and International recipes that represent the different flavors of music available on the Anghami app.

“We are excited to partner with Addmind to create this unique, transformational experience for our users,” said Eddy Maroun, co-founder and CEO of Anghami. “Anghami Lab is an amazing and unique concept that embodies our rich Arab culture with an international twist, which we are thrilled to bring to fruition and scale,” added Tony Habre, CEO of Addmind.

Also Read: Anghami Review: The MENA’s Favorite Music Streaming Service

The Dubai venue is scheduled to open in early 2022, and more venues are planned to open not long after in Riyadh, Jeddah, Cairo, Beirut, London, New York, Los Angeles, and other global cities.

The announcement of Anghami Lab comes ahead of the proposed merger with Vistas Media Acquisition Company, a special purpose acquisition company. The goal of the merger is to list Anghami on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE).

Related Topics:Anghami Dubai United Arab Emirates

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Syria Just Got Its First Super App Featuring Built-In Digital Payments

Built by UAE-based Syrian founders with the Ministry of Tourism’s backing, My Syria lands as visitor numbers more than double.

Published

5 days ago

August 1, 2026

Nour Nasir

syria just got its first super app featuring built-in digital payments

For most of the past decade, paying for anything in Syria with an international card was effectively impossible. Sanctions, a collapsed banking sector, and years of isolation left the country running on cash. That is what makes the launch of My Syria — the country’s first super app — more than a routine product announcement.

Developed by 121 Living, a company founded by four UAE-based Syrian entrepreneurs — Rami Kaiem, Feras Kaiem, Waseem Qudmani, and Kinan Madi — the app launched in Damascus on July 30 under the patronage of Minister of Tourism Mazen Al-Salhani. It bundles hotels, restaurants, transport, attractions, food delivery, and other lifestyle services into a single platform, currently offering eight services with plans to expand to more than 40 verified tourism and hospitality providers across the country.

Although the app already sounds enticing, the headline feature is its built-in payments. My Syria is the first platform in Syria to support cross-border digital payments through Apple Pay, Google Pay, Visa, Mastercard, and American Express — familiar tools for international visitors, and a route into the digital economy for local businesses that have long operated outside it.

my syria super app launch event

The launch rides on a sharp rebound for the troubled country. Syria’s tourism sector recorded 3.52 million visitor arrivals in the first half of 2026, a 111 percent increase over the 1.67 million during the same period in 2025 — a mix of returning expatriates, regional visitors, and international tourists.

Also Read: This UAE Platform Wants To Replace Fashion Photo Shoots With AI

The Ministry of Tourism, which supported and supervised the app’s development, frames the launch as proof of concept for a wider strategy. “Digital transformation is one of the Ministry’s strategic priorities because it enables us to build a more competitive, connected and investment-ready tourism sector,” Al-Salhani said, inviting technology companies “globally, regionally and locally” to explore opportunities across the wider economy.

For 121 Living, this is phase one, with additional services and expanded geographic coverage planned. Whether a super app can flourish in a market still rebuilding its infrastructure is an open question, but for the first time in years, a visitor to Damascus can pay for dinner with their phone.