News

Mitgo Launches MENA Publisher Investments Program

The finance service will provide $50,000 to $500,000 to help regional companies grow.

Published

3 years ago

September 14, 2023

mitgo launches mena publisher investments program

Global tech company Mitgo has launched a new Publisher Investments Program, an alternative financing service that will provide investment opportunities for projects in the MENA market. Initial capital for the fund is $20 million, with the program’s scope expanding as applications are received.

Mitgo’s service will be aimed primarily at the FinTech, smart shopping, generative AI, MarTech, and HRTech sectors. The program will help publishers solve financing gaps and cash flow issues that stand in the way of expansion.

Applicants for funding must earn (or plan to earn) more than 50% of their revenue from cost-per-lead, cost-per-click, cost-per-sale, and other performance-based methods. They also need to be working with Mitgo businesses Admitad and Takeads or with another affiliate network. Companies that do not meet these criteria may still be eligible for funding if they can demonstrate a readiness to earn using the listed advertising models.

Successful candidates will be eligible for $50,000 to $500,000 in funds. In addition, companies will also gain access to the complete Mitgo ecosystem, along with a dedicated strategic manager.

The MENA region will be a key focus for the Publisher Investment scheme, with Mitgo expecting at least 10% of all investments to be made in local projects.

“Their success is our success, which is why we’ll not only provide financial support but also allocate time and resources into mentoring and coaching, as well as giving access to an extensive network of digital advertising contacts,” said Alexander Bachmann, Mitgo CEO & Founder.

Also Read: A Guide To Digital Payment Methods In The Middle East

Mitgo has a successful history in investing, having already closed over 30 deals, including FairSavings ($500K+) and LetyShops ($3M+).

Since the announcement of its Publisher Investments program in June, Mitgo has received 100+ applications and continues actively inviting MENA publishers to submit proposals.

News

YouTube Rolls Out Supervised Children’s Accounts Across MENA

An industry-first feed timer lets parents cap Shorts scrolling. Access can also be switched off entirely ahead of exam season.

Published

12 hours ago

July 10, 2026

Dana Saadeh

YouTube

YouTube has launched supervised kid accounts across the Middle East and North Africa, giving parents a way to hand their children the main YouTube app without handing over all of it. Announced in Dubai on July 2, the accounts are built directly into the platform rather than the standalone YouTube Kids app, and are aimed at families who feel a child has outgrown the curated library but isn’t ready for the open feed.

Parents can choose from three content settings, each broadly aligned with international content ratings. Explore covers educational videos, tutorials, arts and crafts, and dance. Explore More adds gaming and live streams. Most of YouTube opens up almost everything except videos rated 18+ or deemed inappropriate for supervised accounts.

The standout tool is an industry-first Shorts feed timer, which lets parents set daily limits on short-form scrolling. Set it to zero and Shorts disappears altogether – a lever YouTube suggests parents might pull ahead of exam season. Other protections are on by default for all users under 18: “Take a Break” and “Bedtime” reminders, no personalized ad targeting, autoplay switched off, and no ability to upload videos or write comments. The accounts are optional, and parents can end supervision at any time.

The kid accounts join supervised teen accounts already available across the region, which notify parents by email when a teenager uploads a video or starts a live stream.

“YouTube has been a huge part of families’ lives across this region for over 20 years,” said Javid Aslanov, head of YouTube Middle East and North Africa, citing Kantar research showing 95% of viewers in Saudi Arabia and the UAE agree YouTube has top content in education and learning.

Also Read: Tamper With The Recording LED & Meta’s Glasses Kill Camera

“It’s essential that we protect young people in – not from – the digital world,” added Garth Graham, YouTube’s head of health.

The new settings are rolling out gradually across the MENA, including the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Oman, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, Jordan, Lebanon, Egypt, Tunisia, Algeria, and Iraq. The latest features can be set up through Family Center in the YouTube app or via Google Family Link.