Majlis & Markets · 2026-05-31 · 38 min
While global headlines fixate on macro volatility and regional tensions, the underlying data tells a completely different story for Gulf technology. In this episode of Majlis & Markets, we sit down with Forbes Top Venture Capitalist Hasan Haider, Founder and Managing Partner at PlusVC, to unpack his contrarian investment thesis. Hasan lays out exactly how the GCC startup ecosystem, spearheaded by an unprecedented liquidity boom in Saudi Arabia, has structurally decoupled from broader regional conflicts. We look deeply into the realities facing Sharia-compliant startups and the distinct innovation landscape of Islamic fintech. Hasan also tackles the taboo topics facing the ecosystem head-on, addressing the harsh criticisms surrounding the regional lack of a proven exit track record and how founders must realistically navigate failure. Finally, we look outward to draw parallels from global success stories like Revolut, the structural scale of SpaceX, and the strategic implications of tech giants like OpenAI acquiring media networks like the TBPN show.
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