Recently, I’ve been spending a lot more time on Twitter than this blog. Aside from the speed and ease of spreading information in 140 characters, it’s really helped me connect to companies, bloggers and people who I otherwise wouldn’t have been able to reach.
One trajectory I’ve been going off on, is that of the Arabic web, and I’ve been connecting, researching and conversing with some of the up and coming players in that domain.
I’ve been a casual observer of the progress in the Middle East web arena over the years, but always found it to be several years behind the rest, whether it be in eCommerce, Online Retailing, Social Networking, or general usability. However, there has been a surge of late… and it’s getting much more interesting. For a start… there is increasing action in the startup arenas of Jordan, Lebanon, Tunisia, Egypt and the UAE… resulting in a rush to launch Arabic sites, Arabic social networks, Arabic apps (and contrary to the past, these are more than just Arabic versions of existing western sites). In addition the infrastructure is getting easier, with more support coming from governments in the shape of entrepreneurial direction/coaching/training and quite a few VCs are establishing funds for tech startups.
It’s great to see this excitement and rush, and it makes me wish I was closer geographically, as I’d love to get more involved and be a part of the current vibe.
If you’re interested in this scene, then here are a couple of sites to get you started… ArabCrunch and StartUpArabia.
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