This Videographic recapping changes in the tech industry in the Middle East for the year 2012 has been prepared by Discover Digital Arabia and Startappz.
Here are some of the highlights shared here with permission:
- Facebook & Linkedin opening offices in the Middle East.
- New incubators and investment funds launching in different parts of the Middle East such as In5, Flat6Labs, Turns8 Accelerator, and the Vodafone Investment Fund.
- Offline media establishments branching online, such as MBC Ventures investing in Falafel Games, Aranim Media Factory, and SuperMama.
- A steep increase in investment from 10 Million USD in 2010 to 72 Million USD in 2012.
- New rounds of investments raised by OpenSooq, Souq, Namshi, Ikoo, Gengo, Acadox, TravelerVIP, Cedar Books, Shahiya, The Luxary Closet, Pin-Pay, GyroLabs, Ogra, eShtery, and more.
- Major acquisitions of startups by international and regional companies such as Corona Labs, Thomson Reuters, and N2V.
- A 45% growth in e-commerce sales in 2012 reaching 15 Billion USD.
- An annual growth rate of 25% in Digital Ad Spend, forming 10% of total advertisement spent in 2015, 2-3% of which goes to mobile advertising.
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