Dubai / Riyadh — 27 October 2025
In a first-of-its-kind collaboration for the region’s startup ecosystem, A Ventures has teamed up with TikTok Live MENA and media partner Young Productions to launch “A 7elmak?” — a live, interactive show designed to help young dreamers pitch and build their startup ideas in real time on TikTok.
The program merges entertainment, entrepreneurship, and mentorship, allowing participants to present business ideas to live audiences and panels of mentors, creators, and investors. The name “A 7elmak?” — Arabic for “What’s your dream?” — captures the show’s mission of empowering youth to turn aspirations into viable business ventures using social media as the springboard.
A platform for visibility and early-stage support
Unlike traditional accelerators or incubators, A 7elmak? takes place in a live-streamed, social-native format, blending short-form content with interactive mentorship. The initiative gives early-stage founders exposure to real audiences, industry feedback, and potential funding or partnership opportunities.
A Ventures, known for supporting early-stage entrepreneurship programs, will curate mentorship and funding pathways, while TikTok Live MENA provides the digital infrastructure and global reach of its creator ecosystem. Young Productions manages the show’s media and storytelling execution, ensuring professional visibility for participants.
Why it matters
- For founders: A new route to visibility, community, and potential capital without the constraints of traditional startup programs.
- For the ecosystem: A signal that entertainment and startup creation are converging — offering Gen Z founders a platform to gain traction in the same spaces where they already express creativity.
- For investors and corporates: An emerging pipeline for sourcing fresh, high-engagement startup ideas directly from MENA’s youth demographic.
The partnership also aligns with broader regional trends where governments and investors are investing heavily in youth entrepreneurship, digital content creation, and economic diversification.
Editorial Team Note
At Startups MENA, we’re fascinated by how A 7elmak? reimagines startup discovery as a live, social experience. Rather than waiting for founders to knock on accelerator doors, this initiative meets them where they already are — online, expressive, and connected.
As media-tech, entertainment, and entrepreneurship continue to blur, we expect more collaborations like this to redefine how ideas in MENA are born and funded. For readers, this is a moment to watch — and maybe even a show to join.
