How to Raise a Seed Round in MENA

MilkStraw AI co‑founder Jawad Shreim and Orbii founder Nauman Ali laid out a tactical playbook for raising seed rounds in MENA, detailing timelines, tactics and negotiation points they used to close their latest financings. Shreim raised $2M in “around 45 days,” while Ali aimed for $2M and closed $3.6M—both crediting months of prior investor cultivation, stacked meeting calendars and deliberate FOMO to accelerate close.

"Very little wishy washy general advice, a whole lotta 'here's exactly what we did,'" the guests told the podcast host, summarising the episode’s practical focus.

How the rounds were built

Both founders described a fundraise that began long before any formal round opened. They used investor updates—regular newsletters and outreach—to create inbound interest and to help qualify which funds were a fit. That pre‑work allowed them to assemble target lists of VCs and to stack meetings so momentum could build quickly once the round launched.

• Jawad Shreim: closed $2M in roughly 45 days by stacking meetings and practicing pitches before engaging top‑choice funds.
• Nauman Ali: set an initial target of $2M and ultimately closed $3.6M after building momentum and creating competitive pressure among investors.

Both founders emphasised the importance of setting firm deadlines and using a compact closing window to create FOMO. They also recommended being transparent in limited ways about who else is in the process, and said a clear closing date helps turn conversations into commitments.

Due diligence on investors and deal mechanics

Beyond the investor pitch, they advised founders to diligence potential investors. That means asking portfolio founders whether a VC’s promised "value add" actually materialises, and checking whether introductions and support are real. On terms, the discussion covered SAFEs, liquidation preferences, side letters and preferred shares. Shreim warned bluntly about liquidation preferences, hinting that founders should be ready to push back.

• Negotiate SAFEs and liquidation preferences actively and consider side letters to put your own asks on record.
• Speak directly with portfolio CEOs to validate any claimed post‑investment support from a VC.

The guests also addressed timing: how long money actually takes to hit the account, and practical steps founders can take after a close. Both turned their funding announcements into business development: press and social announcements generated customer, hiring and partnership enquiries, turning capital raises into commercial momentum.

Outlook and practical takeaways

The episode’s practical message is clear: a successful seed round in MENA is as much about preparation and process as it is about pitch. Start months early with investor updates, stack and rehearse meetings, set a firm close date, and use competitive dynamics to accelerate investor decisions. Negotiate deal terms proactively—especially around liquidation preferences—and convert the announcement into tangible business leads afterwards. For founders in the region, the hosts argue, those concrete steps can be the difference between a long, drawn‑out raise and a fast, over‑subscribed close.