News
Snapchat Launches Its Spotlight Feature In The MENA Region
Snapchatters who decide not to reveal their profile information to the public can still earn money based on how many views their content gets.
Snapchat has just launched its new Spotlight feature in the Middle East and North Africa, enabling the local audience of approximately 75 million users to discover trending Snaps from the entire Snapchat community in one convenient place.
The Spotlight feature is Snapchat’s answer to TikTok’s success. While originally created to imitate the spontaneous, intimate feeling of real-world conversations, Snapchat has been continually innovating its platform and moving away from the original concept.
Snapchat
“Spotlight is an exciting new addition, a result of careful thought and insight into what our community wants, likes, and values. It is also built with our privacy-by-design philosophy, with the wellbeing of our community front and center,” said Hussein Freijeh, the general manager of Snap Inc. in the Middle East.
When sharing a video from their private accounts to the more public feed, Snapchat users in all regions where Spotlight is available can choose to send the video to the Spotlight feed and do so anonymously if they want to.
What’s great is that those who decide not to reveal their profile information to the public can still earn money based on how many views their content gets.
“Our hope is that Spotlight continues to break down barriers to content creation and by democratizing both distribution and the ability to earn, encourages Snapchatters to be creative and express themselves,” Freijeh added.
Also Read: Twitter Verification Badge Is Now Available To The Public
To achieve its goal, Snapchat is both automatically and manually moderating all Snaps that get submitted to Spotlight and tagging them based on their content. Each tag is then subdivided into multiple levels based on their views. A Snap featuring a dancing dog that has been viewed by, let’s say, 1,000 people then competes with other funny dog videos with a similar view count.
This simple yet effective mechanic prevents influencers and other people with a massive online following from stealing the spotlight (pun intended).
Currently, Spotlight is available in Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Algeria, Morocco, the UAE, Jordan, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Bahrain, Palestinian Territory, Libya, and Iraq.
News
Rabbit Expands Hyperlocal Delivery Service In Saudi Arabia
The e-commerce startup is aiming to tap into the Kingdom’s underdeveloped e-grocery sector with a tech-first, locally rooted strategy.
Rabbit, an Egyptian-born hyperlocal e-commerce startup, is expanding into the Saudi Arabian market, setting its sights on delivering 20 million items across major cities by 2026.
The company, founded in 2021, is already operational in the Kingdom, with its regional headquarters now open in Riyadh and an established network of strategically located fulfillment centers — commonly known as “dark stores” — across the capital.
The timing is strategic: Saudi Arabia’s online grocery transactions currently sit at 1.3%, notably behind the UAE (5.3%) and the United States (4.8%). With the Kingdom’s food and grocery market estimated at $60 billion, even a modest increase in online adoption could create a multi-billion-dollar opportunity.
Rabbit also sees a clear alignment between its business goals and Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030, which aims to boost retail sector innovation, support small and medium-sized enterprises, attract foreign investment, and develop a robust digital economy.
The company’s e-commerce model is based on speed and efficiency. Delivery of anything from groceries and snacks to cosmetics and household staples is promised in 20 minutes or less, facilitated by a tightly optimized logistics system — a crucial component in a sector where profit margins and delivery expectations are razor-thin.
Despite the challenges, Rabbit has already found its stride in Egypt. In just over three years, the app has been used by 1.4 million customers to deliver more than 40 million items. Revenue has surged, growing more than eightfold in the past two years alone.
Also Read: Top E-Commerce Websites In The Middle East In 2025
CEO and Co-Founder Ahmad Yousry commented: “We are delighted to announce Rabbit’s expansion into the Kingdom. We pride ourselves on being a hyperlocal company, bringing our bleeding-edge tech and experience to transform the grocery shopping experience for Saudi households, and delivering the best products – especially local favorites, in just 20 minutes”.
The company’s growth strategy avoids the pitfalls of over-reliance on aggressive discounting. Instead, Rabbit leans on operational efficiency, customer retention, and smart scaling. The approach is paying off, having already attracted major investment from the likes of Lorax Capital Partners, Global Ventures, Raed Ventures, and Beltone Venture Capital, alongside earlier investors such as Global Founders Capital, Goodwater Capital, and Hub71.
Hyper-Personalization: How Far Is Too Far?
Rabbit Expands Hyperlocal Delivery Service In Saudi Arabia
Alienware Just Announced Six New Gaming Monitors
Infinite Reality Acquires Napster In $207 Million Deal
