Listen "VC React Podcast (E24): Lendo's $690M Facility Led by J.P. Morgan, & qeen.ai’s $10M Seed round"
Episode Synopsis
VC React Podcast:Every week, we bring you insights and reactions from top VCs, reacting to the latest news on MENA startups, VCs, and investment rounds. Stay tuned for: expert analysis, independent opinions, and maybe some heated conversations! Hosts:Ahmad Takatkah, VCpreneur.Sign up to VCpreneur Newsletter onhttps://www.vcpreneur.com/ Jamie Lane, FWDstart. Sign up to FWDstart Newsletter onhttps://www.fwdstart.me/ ---Available on: Youtube:https://www.youtube.com/@VCReactPodcast Spotify:https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/vc-react-podcastApple:https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/vc-react-podcast/id1764834384Amazon:https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/bdc23d6a-4381-405d-bf59-53560c671c11/vc-react-podcast---Guests:1. Asjid Hayat, Venture Partner @ Palm Ventures- LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/asjidhayat/ - VC Firm Website: https://www.palm-ventures.com/2. Dina Toukan, Investment Manager @ ISSF - LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dinatoukan/ - VC Firm Website: https://issfjo.com/ 3. Marwan Mohammad, Angel Investor, and Venture Builder @ Gia- LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marwan1995/ - VC Firm Website: https://www.linkedin.com/company/giavc/---#startups #vc #tech #ai #investments #entrepreneurship #venturecapital #venturedebt #privatecredit #privateequity #finance #business #ipo #acquisitions #limitedpartners #revenuebasedfinancing #fintech #climatechange #edtech #accelerator #cvc #web3 #crypto #blockchain #DeFi---News of the week brought to you by FWDstart.In Today's Episode:- Lendo Secures $690 Million Facility Led by J.P. Morgan to Boost SME Financing in Saudi ArabiaSummary: Saudi Arabia-based fintech Lendo has secured a $690 million warehouse facility led by J.P. Morgan to expand its lending capacity, develop new products, and increase SME coverage in the Kingdom. Founded in 2019 by Osama Alraee and Mohamed Jawabri, Lendo operates a crowdlending marketplace connecting businesses seeking financing with investors looking for short-term returns. In late 2023, the company closed its $28 million Series B round, led by Sanabil Investments, with participation from Shorooq Partners, AB Ventures, and others. To date, Lendo claims to have facilitated over $667 million in financing across 5,000+ transactions, generating $33.3 million in investor returns.- Wamda Capital participates in qeen.ai’s $10 million Seed roundSummary: UAE-based AI startup qeen.ai has secured a $10 million Seed funding round, in one of the largest seed investments in the MENA region to date. The round is led by Prosus Ventures, with participation from existing investors including Wamda Capital, 10x Founders and Dara Holdings.Founded in 2023 by Dina Alsamhan, Ahmad Khwileh and Morteza Ibrahimi, qeen.ai provides accessible and autonomous AI solutions tailored to e-commerce businesses. The seed round will support qeen.ai’s growth strategy by expanding the reach and capabilities of its agentic AI platform, scaling the team, and attracting a wider customer base. This investment brings qeen.ai’s total funding to $12.2 million, after closing a $2.2 million pre-Seed in June 2024.---(أحمد طقاطقه)---
More episodes of the podcast VC React Podcast
VC React MENA E62: Noon's $500M Raise & MENA IPO Roadmap, Algeria's Largest Local currency Round!
22/12/2025
VC React SV E4: Lightspeed's $9B Mega Funds, Circles's Arc L1 Blockchain, & The Consumer AI Pivot.
22/12/2025
VC React MENA E61: Qatar Joins AI Race with Qai, Reno: Renovate Now-Pay Later, COGNNA's Agentic SOC
12/12/2025
VC React SV E3: Paramount vs. Netflix, Kalshi Doubles Valuation, SpaceX's Secondary Sale at $800B
12/12/2025
VC React MENA E60: The Rise of Secondaries, What Happened to the Dubizzle lPO, and Egyptian Deeptech
09/12/2025
VC React SV E2: OpenAl's Power Loop with Thrive, America's Chip Gambit, and Apple's Al Reset
08/12/2025
VC React MENA E59: xAI & HUMAIN Deal, Founders Fund Invests In Mnzil, Strataphy & Buildroid DeepTech
29/11/2025
VC React SV E1: Quantum VCs, Founders Fund Invests In Mnzil, Gemini Dethrones ChatGPT, New AI Device
29/11/2025
ZARZA We are Zarza, the prestigious firm behind major projects in information technology.